Toast
Toast is an all-in-one point of sale and restaurant management platform designed to help you streamline operations, increase sales, and create better guest experiences through integrated technology.
TouchBistro
TouchBistro is an all-in-one point of sale and restaurant management system designed to help you streamline front-of-house operations, manage back-of-house tasks, and improve your overall guest experience.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Toast | TouchBistro |
|---|---|---|
| Website | toast.com | touchbistro.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Subscription |
| Starting Price | Free | $69/month |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2011 | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Boston, USA | Toronto, Canada |
Overview
Toast
Toast is a comprehensive restaurant management platform that unifies your front-of-house, back-of-house, and guest engagement tools. Instead of juggling multiple disconnected systems, you can manage your entire operation—from tableside ordering and integrated payments to kitchen displays and inventory—through a single, purpose-built interface. It helps you speed up service, reduce manual errors, and gain deeper insights into your restaurant's performance.
You can adapt the platform to fit your specific service model, whether you run a fine-dining establishment, a quick-service cafe, or a multi-location franchise. Beyond the point of sale, you can handle complex tasks like automated payroll, team scheduling, and loyalty programs. The software is designed to keep your business running even if your internet goes down, ensuring you never miss a sale during peak hours.
TouchBistro
TouchBistro is a dedicated restaurant management platform that runs on iPad, giving you the mobility to take orders at the table or manage your floor plan from anywhere. You can handle everything from menu management and staff scheduling to detailed sales reporting within a single interface. It simplifies complex workflows like splitting checks, managing modifiers, and tracking ingredient-level inventory so you can focus more on your guests and less on administrative tasks.
The platform is built specifically for the food and beverage industry, catering to everything from full-service restaurants and breweries to quick-service cafes and food trucks. By integrating your front-of-house POS with back-of-house tools like kitchen display systems and customer-facing apps, you create a unified ecosystem that reduces errors and speeds up service. You can also add specialized modules for loyalty programs, online ordering, and gift cards as your business grows.
Overview
Toast Features
- Tableside Ordering Take orders and accept payments directly at the table with handheld devices to increase table turnover and improve accuracy.
- Kitchen Display System Connect your front-of-house directly to the kitchen with digital screens that track prep times and notify servers when food is ready.
- Online Ordering Take control of your takeout and delivery business with a branded online ordering site that integrates directly with your POS.
- Menu Management Update your menu across all devices and online platforms instantly from any location to keep your offerings and pricing current.
- Automated Payroll Sync your employee hours directly from the POS to payroll to ensure accurate paychecks and simplify your tax filings.
- Inventory Tracking Monitor your stock levels in real-time and track food costs to identify waste and improve your overall profitability.
- Guest Loyalty Programs Create custom rewards and marketing campaigns to turn first-time visitors into regulars and grow your customer database.
- Real-time Reporting Access detailed sales and labor reports from your phone or computer to make data-driven decisions for your business.
TouchBistro Features
- Tableside Ordering. Take orders directly at the table on an iPad to increase accuracy and speed up your table turnover.
- Floor Plan Management. Design and edit your restaurant layout in real-time to track occupancy and manage server sections effectively.
- Menu Management. Update your menu items, prices, and descriptions instantly across all devices and your online ordering page.
- Inventory Tracking. Monitor your stock levels down to the ingredient to reduce waste and get alerts when items run low.
- Staff Scheduling. Manage your team's shifts and track labor costs directly through the POS to optimize your daily payroll.
- Reporting and Analytics. Access over 50 detailed reports from any device to see your top-selling items and peak labor hours.
- Kitchen Display System. Send orders instantly from the table to the kitchen to eliminate paper tickets and reduce communication errors.
- Customer Loyalty. Create custom rewards programs to keep your guests coming back and track their spending habits over time.
Pricing Comparison
Toast Pricing
- Cloud-based POS software
- Payment processing integration
- Standard reporting
- Menu management
- Real-time fraud monitoring
- Everything in Quick Start, plus:
- Advanced reporting and analytics
- 24/7 customer support
- Gift card management
- Access to 100+ integrations
- Employee management tools
TouchBistro Pricing
- One POS license
- Menu management
- Table management
- Cloud reporting
- Staff management
- 24/7/365 support
- Everything in Solo, plus:
- Two POS licenses
- Multi-terminal sync
- Shared order queue
- Ideal for mid-sized venues
- Local server support
Pros & Cons
Toast
Pros
- Reliable offline mode keeps you running during outages
- Intuitive interface makes training new staff quick
- Seamless integration between front and back of house
- Hardware is specifically built for harsh kitchen environments
- Regular software updates add useful new features
Cons
- Requires use of Toast for payment processing
- Hardware costs can be high for multiple terminals
- Add-on features can significantly increase monthly costs
TouchBistro
Pros
- Intuitive iPad interface is very easy to train new staff
- Reliable offline mode keeps you taking orders during internet outages
- Excellent customer support available 24/7 for urgent issues
- Industry-specific features like floor plan customization work great
- Seamless integration between the POS and kitchen display systems
Cons
- Requires specific hardware which adds to the initial setup cost
- Software updates can occasionally cause temporary sync issues
- Advanced features like loyalty and online ordering cost extra