Get a quote for your restaurant
Leave your phone number and a person will call you with a quote.
We may earn money from this request. How we make money
Cafés and bakeries with small tickets and high transaction counts.
What matters in a coffee shop
Coffee shops sell a lot of small tickets, fast, with plenty of modifiers: sizes, milks, extra shots, syrups. Regulars come back every day, so loyalty and ordering ahead matter. And on small tickets, processing takes a bigger bite than you might expect.
What to look for
- Modifiers that don't slow you down. Sizes, milks and add-ons in a couple of taps, with prices that update on their own.
- Cost per transaction. On small tickets, the fixed cents on each card payment weigh more. Look at what many small payments cost you, not just the percentage.
- Order ahead and online ordering. Mobile orders that show up at the bar in the right order, and what each order costs you.
- Loyalty and gift cards. Whether they're included or an add-on, and at what price.
- Tipping at the counter. A customer-facing screen with tip options you control.
- Low hardware costs. A counter setup that fits a small space and a tight budget.
How this ranking works
This ranking only includes POS systems that serve coffee shops. They're scored with our public model and any adjustments for this type of business, listed in our methodology.
Not everything on this list counts toward the score yet: we only score what we can research for most vendors. For the rest, like modifiers and loyalty, check the data we show for each POS and ask about it in the demo.
POS systems with enough verified data to be ranked: 3 of 4. 4 POS systems for coffee shops: 3 ranked · 1 listed apart. Ranked: enough verified data. Listed apart: not enough data to score. Below 60% completeness, a POS isn't ranked. The score sets the order, with the same rules for every POS.
The ranking
Shift4 POS
By Shift4
- Lowest cost to get started (tied). Among 12 POS systems whose upfront prices are published, for our reference restaurant.
- Longest equipment warranty (tied). Among 17 POS systems with a published warranty on the main terminal.
Restaurant POS from Shift4 Payments that requires Shift4 payment processing. Software starts at $29.99 a month with loaned hardware and no upfront cost; the processing agreement runs 36 months and its early termination fee is a per-device amount for each month left.
RTC SCORE
8.8
#1 for Coffee shops
Pros
- No upfront cost for software and hardware.
- 24/7 support, per its pricing page.
- Defects on the loaned hardware are covered for as long as your agreement is active (Shift4 calls it a lifetime warranty); accidents and theft are not. Shift4's billing glossary says its yearly fees per device ($250 plus $189.99, or the maintenance fee that replaces them) are what pay for those replacements.
Cons
- 36-month term with exclusive Shift4 processing and 1-year automatic renewals unless you give 90 days' notice.
- The early termination fee is charged per device for every month left, so it grows with your volume and number of devices.
- The standard card rate (2.75% + 15¢) appears only in Shift4's online checkout, not on its pricing page or in the contracts, and annual fees per device apply on top.
- Initial term
- 36 months
- Must use their processing
- Yes
Strongest on cost to get started (reference restaurant), switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant), and 36-month total cost (reference restaurant). Weakest on own online ordering.
Square for Restaurants
By Square
- Shortest term (tied). Among 15 POS systems with a published term.
- Longest trial at no charge. Among 21 POS systems. Only trials with no software charges, or with your money back, count.
Restaurant POS from Square with a $0 plan and Plus and Premium plans billed per location. Card payments run through Square, and there is no term or early termination fee.
RTC SCORE
4.5
#2 for Coffee shops
Pros
- No term and no early termination fee.
- Card rates and plan prices are published.
- A $0 plan that includes online ordering.
Cons
- Card payments run only through Square.
- The kitchen display is a paid add-on and is not available on the free plan.
- You buy the hardware up front.
- Initial term
- Month to month
- Must use their processing
- Yes
Strongest on cost to get started (reference restaurant), own online ordering, and hardware warranty included. Weakest on switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant).
Epos Now
By Epos Now
General small-business POS with restaurant features, a $84-a-month subscription and hardware from $399 on promotion. You can use another processor, but a monthly Payment Premium applies if you don't process enough with its partners.
RTC SCORE
3.7
#3 for Coffee shops
Pros
- You can use another processor.
- Publishes its card rate, 2.6% + 10¢ per card payment.
Cons
- A monthly Payment Premium applies if you don't process enough with its partners.
- Hardware prices shown are promotional, under countdown offers.
- Its published US terms date from 2021.
- Initial term
- 12 months
- Must use their processing
- Yes, or pay a fee to use another
Strongest on cost to get started (reference restaurant), own online ordering, and 36-month total cost (reference restaurant). Weakest on switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant).
Get a quote for your restaurant
Leave your phone number and a person will call you with a quote. It takes a minute.
Not enough verified data to rank
We only rank a POS once we've verified enough of its key facts. These are listed so you know we looked at them.
This is general information about published contracts, not legal advice: read your own contract and check with a lawyer before you sign.