Choosing between Toast and TouchBistro for your business? Both are popular restaurant solutions, but they serve different needs. Toast starts at $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month and is Restaurant-focused POS and management platform, while TouchBistro starts at $69/month and is iPad-based restaurant POS with tableside ordering. This comprehensive comparison will help you decide which POS system is the right fit for your operation.
Quick Comparison: Toast vs TouchBistro
| Feature | Toast | TouchBistro |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Restaurant | Restaurant |
| Starting Price | $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month | $69/month |
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Target Business | Small Business | Small Business |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
| Free Version | Yes | No |
| Best For | Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes | Independent restaurants, bars, and food service businesses using iPads |
Toast Overview
Toast is a restaurant-specific point-of-sale and management system built exclusively for the food service industry. It offers hardware and software solutions for dine-in, takeout, and delivery operations.
Toast is offered by Toast, Inc. (founded 2012) based in Boston, MA. The system focuses on Full-service restaurants, Quick service, Bars, Cafes, Food trucks.
Key Features:
- Tableside ordering
- Kitchen display system
- Online ordering
- Delivery management
- Menu management
- Payroll integration
TouchBistro Overview
TouchBistro is an iPad-based restaurant POS system designed specifically for food service businesses. It offers tableside ordering, menu management, and comprehensive restaurant management features.
TouchBistro is offered by TouchBistro Inc. (founded 2010) based in Toronto, Canada. The system focuses on Full-service restaurants, Quick service, Bars, Cafes, Food trucks, Breweries.
Key Features:
- Tableside ordering
- Floor plan management
- Menu management
- Staff scheduling
- Inventory tracking
- CRM
Feature Comparison
Toast Features:
- Tableside ordering
- Kitchen display system
- Online ordering
- Delivery management
- Menu management
TouchBistro Features:
- Tableside ordering
- Floor plan management
- Menu management
- Staff scheduling
- Inventory tracking
When comparing features, Toast stands out with Restaurant-specific features, while TouchBistro differentiates itself with Offline functionality. Your choice should depend on which features align better with your specific business requirements.
Pricing Comparison
| Pricing Aspect | Toast | TouchBistro |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month | $69/month |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Price Range | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| Free Trial | Available | Available |
| Free Version | Yes | No |
Toast offers a free version, which is great for testing or small operations. Consider the total cost of ownership including hardware, processing fees, and add-on modules when making your decision.
Pros and Cons
Toast
Pros:
- Built specifically for restaurants
- Robust reporting
- Excellent kitchen management
- Strong online ordering
- Good hardware durability
Cons:
- 2-year contracts typical
- Can be expensive with add-ons
- Limited to restaurant industry
TouchBistro
Pros:
- Restaurant-focused design
- Works offline
- Intuitive interface
- Good customer support
- Flexible menu management
Cons:
- iPad/Apple only
- Add-ons increase costs
- Limited integrations
- Reservation system separate
Who Should Choose Toast?
Toast is ideal for Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes. The system is particularly well-suited for Full-service restaurants, Quick service, Bars, Cafes, Food trucks.
However, Toast may not be the best fit for Non-restaurant businesses.
Who Should Choose TouchBistro?
TouchBistro is ideal for Independent restaurants, bars, and food service businesses using iPads. The system is particularly well-suited for Full-service restaurants, Quick service, Bars, Cafes, Food trucks, Breweries.
However, TouchBistro may not be the best fit for Non-restaurant businesses or those preferring Android/Windows.
Our Recommendation
Both Toast and TouchBistro are solid POS solutions, but they excel in different areas. Choose Toast if you’re Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes. Choose TouchBistro if you’re Independent restaurants, bars, and food service businesses using iPads. Toast has a higher user rating (4.5 vs 4.4). Also, choose Toast if you want to start with a free version. We recommend trying demos or free trials of both systems before making your final decision.