Restaurant POS review

TouchBistro

Name: TouchBistro
Rating: 4.5

iPad-based restaurant POS with software from $69 a month and an Essentials Bundle with hardware and integrated payments. It works with a range of processors, and its early termination amount includes the processing fees left in the term.

By TouchBistroParent company: TouchBistro (private company)Verified Oct 1, 2026

Lowest cost to get started (tied). Among 12 POS systems whose upfront prices are published, for our reference restaurant.

RTC SCORE

4.5

#8 of 13 with enough data

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Not enough verified data yet

We've verified 6 of 10 key facts for this POS. Until we reach 80%, this page shows what we have, with sources, and it isn't a full review.

Our verdict

Flexible on the processor, strict on the exit. Read the initial term in your quote and what the Default Amount would include before signing.

What we like

Works with a range of payment processors.
No per-order commission on its own online ordering.
24/7 support, holidays included, per its pricing page.

What to watch

You cannot end the agreement early, and the Default Amount includes the processing fees left in the term.
Renews for a period equal to your initial term.
Card rates are not published and its own pages list two different bundle prices.

How the score breaks down

Verified Oct 1, 2026Each data point and its source are under “All the data, with sources”, further down this page.How we score

Points by criterion

#8 of 13 with enough data

70% of the RTC Score
- Cost to get started (reference restaurant): 25 of 25 · Strongest · $0 to get started
- Switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant): 0 of 25 · Weakest
- 36-month total cost (reference restaurant): No data · 20 points not verified
24% of the RTC Score
- Own online ordering: 5.5 of 11 · Strongest
- Hardware warranty included: 2.4 of 8
- Support 24/7 (as the vendor publishes it): 5 of 5 · Strongest
6% of the RTC Score
- 6 criteria in one bar: 1.6 of 6
- Initial term: No data · Weight 2% · 1.5 points not verified
- Early termination fee: Weight 2%
- Exclusive processing commitment: Weight 1%
- Trial or money-back period: Weight 1%
- Length of automatic renewals: No data · Weight 1% · 0.8 points not verified
- Notice to avoid renewal: Weight 0%

No data: lowers completeness, never counts as zero

Points earned: 39.5 out of 77.8 verified, or 50.8%. Multiplied by the completeness factor (0.89), that gives 4.5 out of 10.

Methodology v0.5.0

RTC Score4.5out of 10

Methodology v0.5.0

Data completeness78%

We could verify 78% of the scoring data

Strongest points: Cost to get started (reference restaurant), Own online ordering, Support 24/7 (as the vendor publishes it)
Weakest point: Switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant)

Score by criterion

Cost to get started (reference restaurant)Weight 25%Strongest10.0 out of 10
$0 to get started
Switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant)Weight 25%Weakest0.0 out of 10
$0 in promotions our reference restaurant qualifies for
36-month total cost (reference restaurant)Weight 20%No data
Own online orderingWeight 11%Strongest5.0 out of 10
Hardware warranty includedWeight 8%3.0 out of 10
Support 24/7 (as the vendor publishes it)Weight 5%Strongest10.0 out of 10
Initial termWeight 2%No data
Early termination feeWeight 2%2.5 out of 10
Exclusive processing commitmentWeight 1%10.0 out of 10
Trial or money-back periodWeight 1%0.0 out of 10
Length of automatic renewalsWeight 1%No data
Notice to avoid renewalWeight 0%10.0 out of 10

Cost to get started

The cash your restaurant puts in before it opens on the new POS, in our reference scenario ($30k/month in card sales, $35 average ticket, 2 terminals, 1 location, 36 months): equipment you buy up front plus one-time setup or installation fees. Same rows for every POS.

25% of the RTC Score

Terminals, upfront: Hardware included in the Essentials Bundle (×2)	$0
Total to get started	$0

$0 up front: the equipment is loaned, rented or included with no upfront payment.

Left out and why

Monthly and yearly charges (rent, software, yearly fees per device) are part of the 36-month cost, not of the entry cost.

Switching or signing bonus

What the vendor's current promotions are worth to our reference restaurant ($30k/month in card sales, $35 average ticket, 2 terminals, 1 location, 36 months), an established restaurant switching from another company's POS.

25% of the RTC Score

Counted in the RTC Score

No current switching or signing promotion. It counts $0.

Promotions end and change, so we re-check them: one with no end date comes down if we can't re-check it within 30 days, and an expired one stops counting the day after it ends.

Hardware warranty

The same rows for every POS: how long the main terminal is covered against defects when you get it a standard way (buying, leasing, renting, a subscription or a loan), the conditions, including what it leaves out and what keeping it costs, and the price to replace that terminal outside the coverage.

Hardware warranty included	1 yearVerified Oct 1, 2026(source dated Sep 30, 2026)Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)TouchBistro gives no warranty of its own; hardware bought from it carries the manufacturer's warranty "in most cases", and you report problems to TouchBistro Support. The main terminal is an iPad, and Apple's limited warranty covers defects for one year from the original purchase (apple.com/legal/warranty, read 2026-10-01).
Warranty conditions	Only the manufacturer's warranty applies, and hardware problems go to TouchBistro Support. Its Merchant Terms give no warranty of their own on the services (§17). If you default, TouchBistro can disable remotely the iPads bought on a hardware payment plan, or iPads given as a hardware incentive during the initial term (§22). It publishes no accidental-damage coverage, advance replacement, shipping terms or paid protection plan. Its own pages disagree on financing: the hardware FAQ says there are no hardware payment plans, while the pricing FAQ offers financing from two terminals.Verified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
Price to replace the main terminal	Quote onlySee my price for TouchBistro (opens the provider's site in a new tab)Verified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)The main terminal is an iPad, with an optional stand. TouchBistro publishes no hardware prices on its hardware or pricing pages; both ask you to request a quote. You can use a compatible iPad you already own.

The RTC Score only counts how long defects are covered. What the coverage leaves out (accidents, theft, loss) and what it costs to keep are in the conditions. A protection plan sold separately doesn't count; if the vendor offers one, it's in the conditions. The replacement price isn't added to the 36-month cost, because there's no public data on how often equipment fails.

Trial or money-back period

Whether you can try the POS and leave, and what it costs you if you do. Same rows for every POS.

Trial or money-back period	None publishedVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)We checked TouchBistro's US pricing page and terms: no trial or refund window is published. Its old trial pages redirect to the home page or no longer exist.
Trial period	N/AVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)No trial is published.
Charges during the trial	N/AVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)No trial is published.
Trial conditions	No trial is published. Prepaid license, subscription and service fees, including installation and training, aren't refunded, and you can't end the agreement before the end of its current term.Verified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)

In the RTC Score the trial is part of the contract block, the lowest weight in the model: full points when you can try it with no software charges or get your money back, half when you can cancel without the early termination fee but the charges during the trial are yours.

All the data, with sources

Each value links to its source. "Not published" means the vendor doesn't disclose it; "Unconfirmed" means we looked and couldn't confirm it. Data points we have for fewer than four vendors are left out until we can compare them.

Software
Data point	Value
Software from	$69/moVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)Point of Sale plan; hardware, payment processing and additional fees apply.
Software billed per	UnconfirmedVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)The pricing page shows a price from $69 a month without saying whether it is per location or per iPad license. Merchant Maverick (Dec 2025) reports that more than one license is quoted.
Kitchen display (KDS) fee	Being re-verifiedVerified Oct 1, 2026(source dated Jul 20, 2026)(due for a re-check)Source: Business News Daily (opens in a new tab)Reported by Business News Daily (July 2026); it doesn't say whether the price is per screen. TouchBistro's pricing page lists the kitchen display system as an add-on with a quote.

Payment processing
Data point	Value
Who processes your cards	You can choose your processorVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
Pricing model for card fees	Interchange-plusVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)Cost plus (interchange plus) on TouchBistro Payments. The markup isn't published, and you can use another processor.
In-person card rate	Not publishedSee my price for TouchBistro (opens the provider's site in a new tab)Verified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
In-person fee per transaction	Not publishedSee my price for TouchBistro (opens the provider's site in a new tab)Verified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
Online card rate	Not publishedSee my price for TouchBistro (opens the provider's site in a new tab)Verified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)TouchBistro Payments is priced at cost plus a markup that is quoted, not published.
Online fee per transaction	Not publishedSee my price for TouchBistro (opens the provider's site in a new tab)Verified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)TouchBistro Payments is priced at cost plus a markup that is quoted, not published.
Keyed-in card rate	Not publishedSee my price for TouchBistro (opens the provider's site in a new tab)Verified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)TouchBistro Payments is priced at cost plus a markup that is quoted, not published.
Keyed-in fee per transaction	Not publishedSee my price for TouchBistro (opens the provider's site in a new tab)Verified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)TouchBistro Payments is priced at cost plus a markup that is quoted, not published.
Annual fees per device	UnconfirmedVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)We checked the pricing page, the payments page and the Merchant Terms of Use; none lists a yearly fee per device.
Dual pricing or surcharge program	NoVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)TouchBistro publishes no dual pricing, surcharge or cash discount program: its terms leave any surcharge to the merchant alone, and its help center only explains how to give cash payers a regular discount (help.touchbistro.com, cash discounting). If TouchBistro publishes a program, this changes.
Cards the program covers	N/AVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
Other fees in the contract	Overdue amounts accrue interest of 2% a month (or the legal maximum, if lower) plus collection costs. Installation and training are paid professional services and aren't refunded. Add-ons such as the kitchen display, online ordering, loyalty and reservations are quoted separately.Verified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)

Hardware
Data point	Value
Hardware	You buy itVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)With the Point of Sale plan you buy the hardware, in monthly installments from two terminals, or use a compatible iPad you already own. The Essentials Bundle includes hardware in its monthly price.
Hardware works with another processor	YesVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)

Contract and exit
Data point	Value
Initial term	Quote onlyVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)Set in your sales quote under "Initial Term". You cannot terminate before the term ends. Merchant Maverick (Dec 2025) reports that the software can be taken month to month, and that some merchants were signed to one-year terms when given custom card rates.
Automatic renewal	Quote onlyVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)Renews for a period equal to your initial term.
Notice to avoid renewal	30 daysVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
How the early termination fee is calculated	Fees left in the term, including future processingVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
Early termination fee	Default Amount (§22): repay the full incentive, plus all software and hardware fees, plus other amounts including payment processing fees that would have been payable for the rest of the term.Verified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
Exclusive processing commitment	NoVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
Right to raise prices during the term	TouchBistro may change fees with 30 days' written notice; if you disagree, you must tell TouchBistro in writing before the change and may cancel at the end of your current term.Verified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
Personal guarantee by the signer	UnconfirmedVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)The Merchant Terms of Use have no personal guarantee clause. The processing agreement for TouchBistro Payments, where processors usually ask for one, is not public.

Online ordering and delivery
Data point	Value
Own online ordering	Paid add-onVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
No per-order commission on own online ordering	YesVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
Delivery app integrations	Verified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)No direct integration with the delivery apps. TouchBistro points to third-party aggregators (Deliverect, UrbanPiper) to send those orders to the POS, and its DoorDash links are for couriers (DoorDash Drive) and for your own branded ordering, not for the DoorDash app.

Features
Data point	Value
Kitchen display system (KDS)	Paid add-onVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)
Loyalty program	Paid add-onVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)

Support
Data point	Value
Support 24/7	YesVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)

Language
Data point	Value
POS screen in Spanish	Yes, set per deviceVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro Help Center (opens in a new tab)The POS follows the iPad's language setting, so it is set per device. The article doesn't say whether menus are translated.
Back office in Spanish	UnconfirmedVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro Help Center (opens in a new tab)TouchBistro documents English and Spanish for the iPad app only; we found nothing on the language of its Cloud back office.
Kitchen display in Spanish	UnconfirmedVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro Help Center (opens in a new tab)The language article covers the iPad POS app; it doesn't mention the kitchen display.
Language of kitchen tickets	UnconfirmedVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro Help Center (opens in a new tab)TouchBistro's help says dates and times on printed checks follow the iPad's region and language settings, but it doesn't say which language kitchen tickets or the fixed labels print in.
Language of customer receipts	UnconfirmedVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro Help Center (opens in a new tab)Only dates, times and the currency symbol on the guest check are documented to follow the iPad's settings; labels such as "Table", "Order #" and "Tip Guide" are fixed, in a language TouchBistro doesn't state.
Support in Spanish (as declared by the vendor)	UnconfirmedVerified Oct 1, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)Support is 24/7/365 from specialists based in North America; TouchBistro doesn't say whether it is offered in Spanish in the US. Its help center has a Spanish version.
Website in Spanish for the US	NoVerified Sep 30, 2026Source: TouchBistro (opens in a new tab)The /es address returns "page not found".

More about TouchBistro

How we score