5 Best POS Systems For Coffee Shops
By Sam Nguyen
This article presents the five best POS for coffee shops that can provide comprehensive POS features for businesses of all sizes.
Key Takeaways
- Shopify POS, Clover, Square, Vend, and Toast stand out as the top five point-of-sale solutions for coffee shops, facilitating streamlined operations and swift transactions.
- Shopify POS emerges as an effective POS system centralizing sales, inventory, payment processing, and staff tracking within a single dashboard.
Top 5 POS Systems For Coffee Shops & Cafes
After thorough research and analysis, we have curated a list of the top 5 POS systems for coffee shops, considering factors such as cost-effectiveness, key features, and integrated marketing tools to aid your cafe’s growth.
Shopify POS
Shopify POS is an excellent choice for coffee shops looking for a reliable and flexible point-of-sale system.
Main features
Shopify POS offers a range of powerful features, making it an ideal choice for coffee businesses to streamline their point-of-sale operations.
Seamless checkout experience
One of the main features is its intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for baristas to quickly process orders, simplify the checkout process and provide efficient service. The Shopify interface allows coffee shop staff to seamlessly navigate the menu, customize orders, and accept various payment options.
The order customization feature will enable customers to personalize their demands, including selecting the type and strength of coffee, choosing the desired milk (such as whole, skim, or non-dairy alternatives like oat or coconut milk), adding flavors or syrups, and specifying the desired temperature (hot, iced, or blended). These customization options enable coffee shops to cater to individual tastes, thus providing a more personalized coffee experience.
Moreover, supporting various payment methods helps to accommodate the needs of your coffee shop. These include credit and debit cards, contactless payments such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, mobile wallets, cash payments, and gift cards.
In addition, the launch of Shopify POS Go, an all-inclusive point-of-sale device, offers coffee shop owners the advantage of swift, streamlined, and easy-to-use transactions right from the line. This device suits small coffee shops with few baristas and a tight budget.
Intelligent inventory management
Another critical feature of Shopify POS is its robust inventory management capabilities provided by the Stocky app, which comes bundled with the Shopify POS Pro subscription.
In fact, cafe shop owners can flexibly track stock levels, manage product variants, and receive notifications for low inventory. More specifically, enhancing efficiency by monitoring inventory levels of components in real-time throughout the day is better than relying on after-hours cycle counts.
Maintain ingenious customer relationships
Shopify POS also provides customer management, allowing coffee shop owners to create customer profiles and track purchase history and loyalty rewards. It helps foster customer loyalty and enables targeted marketing campaigns, such as “Buy two get one free” or promotional offers, to keep customers engaged and returning for their favorite cold brew.
Pricing
- The cost of Shopify POS varies based on the specific Shopify plan you opt for, with prices ranging from $5 to $2000 per month.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
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Who is it for?
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Small and medium-sized independent coffee shops: Shopify POS allows coffee owners easily create and customize their coffee menu.
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Coffee shops with multiple locations: Coffee shops have various backgrounds and lots of baristas or staff easier to process orders and keep inventory track quickly.
Clove
Clove is a cutting-edge point-of-sale system that streamlines operations, boosts efficiency, and enhances customer experiences for coffee shops.
Main features
Directly tableside ordering
For coffee shops with tableside ordering, staff can take orders directly at the table, eliminating the need for customers to wait in a long queue. When using the ordering system from Clove POS, customers can easily choose from various popular coffee options such as latte, cappuccino, and americano. They also have the flexibility to select their preferred size, whether it’s small, medium, or large.
Effortless customization
Additionally, the Clove POS system allows effortless customization, whether adding extra espresso shots, selecting different milk options (like almond or soy), or choosing the desired sweetness level. This level of customization enables customers to fine-tune their coffee orders to their exact preferences, ensuring a personalized and enjoyable experience.
Management capabilities
Clover provides additional capabilities that can enhance your coffee shop management. These include a free online ordering platform and smooth integration with your Google Business profile. Considering the fact that many people locate coffee shops via searches like ‘coffee shops near me’, maintaining a Google presence bolsters your coffee shop’s visibility, bringing your menu closer to local patrons. Additionally, the ability to order directly through Google lessens the steps needed for customers to enjoy their favorite coffee, streamlining the overall process.
Pricing:
Monthly fees:
- $14.95 for Starter Retail, Starter Personal Services, Starter and Standard Professional Services, and Home & Field Services plans.
- $44.95 for Standard Retail, Starter and Standard QSR, Standard and Advanced Personal Services, and Advanced Professional Services plans.
- $54.90 for Advanced Retail and Advanced QSR plans.
- $74.95 for Starter Full-Service Dining plan.
- $84.90 for Standard Full-Service Dining plan.
- $94.85 for Advanced Full-Service Dining plan.
Hardware pricing:
- $49 for chip, swipe, and contactless Clover Go card reader.
- $599 for Clover Flex mobile POS with printer.
- $799 for Clover Mini POS.
- $1,699 for Clover Station Solo.
- $1,799 for Clover Station Duo.
Payment processing:
- 2.3% + 10 cents for in-person transactions for most plans.
- 2.6% + 10 cents for in-person transactions on Retail Starter, Personal Services Starter, and Professional Services Standard plans, as well as Home & Field Services Standard and Advanced plans.
- 3.5% + 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
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Who is it for?
- The Clover POS system is ideal for coffee shops of all sizes, including small, medium, and large establishments. Its customizable menu features and adaptable nature makes it a versatile solution that can meet the unique requirements of coffee shops, regardless of their scale or volume of operations.
Toast
Besides the two mentioned POS, Toast POS is a robust and intuitive point-of-sale system designed specifically for the restaurant industry, including coffee shops, offering a comprehensive range of features to streamline operations and enhance the overall customer experience.
Main features:
Quick order entry and modifications
First, Toast POS highlights designing screens for quick order entry and alterations. The order entry screen consists of menu categories (coffee, tea, pastries) for easy navigation; item selection with names, prices, and possibly images.
Combination with third-party apps and services
Toast POS is compatible with various third-party apps and services in the food and beverage sector. These encompass online ordering platforms, loyalty schemes, kitchen display systems, and accounting software, all of which boost the overall efficacy and functionality of your coffee shop’s operations.
Support various payment methods
Another prominent feature of Toast is its support for different payment methods, including credit/debit cards, mobile wallets (from Apple Pay and Google Pay), and cash. It can also support split payments and tipping functionality.
Pricing
Monthly fees:
- $0 for Quick Start Bundle.
- $69 for the Core plan.
- $110 plus $4 per employee for the Restaurant Basics plan.
- $165 for the Growth plan.
- Custom plans available.
Hardware pricing:
- $627 for Handheld Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
- $875 for Countertop Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
- $1,009 for Guest Self-Service Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
Payment processing:
- 2.99% plus 15 cents per transaction if you choose the pay-as-you-go option on hardware.
- 2.49% plus 15 cents for card-present transactions if you pay for hardware upfront.
- 3.50% plus 15 cents for card-not-present transactions if you pay for hardware upfront.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
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Who is it for?
- Toast POS is suitable for coffee shops of various sizes, ranging from small independent shops to larger establishments.
Square
As a new coffee shop owner in search of a POS system, Square POS emerges as another excellent option.
Main features
Reducing cost for training staff
Training staff on Square POS is a Cinch. The advantage of Square POS is that it is easy to use, which minimizes the time needed to coach new baristas on handling the system or processing order payments. This way means cafe owners soon get them up or running behind the counter soon. Notably, there are no commitments or monthly fees, offering coffee shop owners the flexibility to opt-out if it does not meet their specific requirements.
Regarding hardware design, Square POS is miles ahead of the competition. The Square Stand is sleek, modern, and easy to use. Moreover, Square offers many hardware options to find the perfect setup for your coffee shop.
Whether you need a simple cash drawer and receipt printer or a more sophisticated design with a barcode scanner and iPad stand, Square has you covered.
Effortlessly modifying email marketing campaigns
Square POS encompasses email marketing capabilities, enabling coffee shop merchants to engage directly with customers and deliver personalized offers.
Coffee owners can swiftly and effortlessly modify their coffee marketing campaigns across all platforms, featuring offers like ‘Buy one, get one free,’ or ‘Enjoy a latte with your loved one.’ Notably, via email marketing, café owners can gain insights into user engagement, such as the number of clicks on links, bounce rates, and responses to coffee menu feedback.
Pricing
Monthly fees:
- $0: Free plans.
- $29: Plus plan.
- $60: Plus plans.
- $69: Premium plan.
Hardware pricing:
- $0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).
- $49 for Square Reader contactless and chip card reader.
- $149 for Square Stand iPad POS or Square Stand Mount (iPad not included).
- $299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer.
- $799 for Square Register two-screen system.
- $659-$1,479 for various bundles of stands, cash drawers, printers, and card readers.
Payment processing:
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
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Who is it for?
- Square POS is ideal for coffee shop owners or operators looking to streamline their POS processes.
- Square POS best suits both busy cafés and smaller coffee stalls. The point of sale system empowers merchants to provide efficient service, manage their business proficiently, and ensure a delightful coffee experience for every customer.
Vend
Vend is a leading cloud-based POS software that offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to simplify and enhance the customer experience in the coffee shop field.
Main features
Customer preferences Monitoration
Keeping your best customer experience is a highlight component of Vend POS. It enables coffee shop owners to monitor customer preferences - their favorite coffee blend, milk type, latte variety, or even specific sizes or syrups.
Customer support resources
Additionally, Vend POS offers comprehensive customer support and online resources, ensuring users can access assistance whenever needed. With 24/7 support available via phone, live chat, or email, Vend POS ensures that any issues or questions can be addressed promptly and efficiently.
These resources include an extensive help center, educational videos detailing the elements of cappuccino, interactive webinars for training, comprehensive guides for recruiting baristas, insightful e-books, and informative reports about coffee trends to boost margins in coffee shops.
With these extensive support options at your fingertips, cafe owners can ensure that all staffs and baristas receive the necessary guidance to build a robust platform supporting their coffee businesses.
Pricing
Software fees:
- Lean: $69 per month billed annually or $89 billed monthly
- Standard: $119 per month billed annually or $149 billed monthly
- Advanced: $199 per month billed annually or $269 billed monthly
- Enterprise: Call us
Payment processing costs:
- 2.6% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction.
- 2.6% plus 30 cents for manually keyed transactions.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
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Who is it for?
- Small coffee shops: Vend supports shops with limited seating and staff members and assists with basic reporting and customer management to identify coffee brands in their minds.
- Medium-sized coffee shops: Vend POS can scale to accommodate your needs, such as table management, multi-register support, and advanced inventory management, enabling cafe owners to handle more extensive operations effectively.
- Large coffee shop chains: Vend provides centralized management capabilities, allowing coffee shop owners to monitor or control operations across different shops from a single dashboard. This allows them to promptly assess the profit derived from new menu items like lattes or cold brews, as well as gather customer feedback for possible adjustments.
Which is the best POS for coffee shops?
Finding the best POS system for coffee shops depends on your needs and preferences. According to research, in five POS coffee shop systems, along with reviews, we highly recommend Shopify POS. Shopify POS provides an easy and flexible way to scale your coffee operations at an affordable price. One standout aspect of Shopify POS is its scalability. This POS system can easily adapt to your business as it grows, whether you’re adding new menu items, opening new locations, or expanding into online sales.
How Much Does A Coffee Shop POS System Cost?
The cost of a POS system for a restaurant or coffee shop can vary depending on several factors, such as its features, its capabilities, the size of your business establishments, and your unique requirements. POS systems can be tailored to meet different requirements, ranging from basic setups to more advanced solutions.
Here’s an approximate outline of the costs associated with a POS system for a coffee shop.
| Devices | Price |
|---|---|
| Card reader | $39 - $49 |
| Barcode scanner | $50 - $300 |
| Terminal | $500 - $2000 |
| Cash drawer | $50 - $300 |
| Kitchen printer | $150 - $500 |
| Installation, training fees, ongoing technical support fees | $100 - $500 |
| Estimated total | $1,000 to $5,000 |
From the provided table, it’s clear that the estimated cost of a POS system for a cafe or coffee shop can span anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000.
What Hardware Do I Need For A Coffee Shop POS System?
Small-size coffee shops
Here is a list of essential POS hardware required to operate a small-scale coffee shop effectively.
- A flexible and cloud-based POS terminal: A terminal vital for start-up coffee shops should be user-friendly and easy to train employees on. It should consolidate both on-premises and off-premises order sources into one system. Such an integrated terminal bridges the gap between the front of house and back of house, helping to reduce ticket times and enhance customer service.
- A receipt printer: Receipt printers are an indispensable component of coffee shops, providing customers with physical proof of the transactions of their orders.
- A card reader: The device enables customers to tap, insert, swipe, or manually enter their card details. This streamlines the payment process and opens up more opportunities for gathering customer feedback.
- A card drawer: It is a secure compartment used in POS systems, especially for cafe shops, to keep cash, coins, checks, or gift cards.
Medium-size coffee shops
- A barcode scanner is designed to read and interpret information encoded in barcodes.
- A kitchen printer: It plays a crucial role in a coffee shop’s POS system by facilitating seamless communication between the front-of-house and kitchen coffee staff.
Why Does a Coffee Shop Need a POS System?
A coffee shop needs a POS (Point of Sale) system for various reasons:
- Streamlined and automated day-to-day operations
- Inventory management system
- Synthetic reports and analytics
- Accurate and real-time sales data
- Secure payment support
Methodology
We extensively researched various providers to identify the best POS systems for coffee shops. After careful evaluation, we narrowed our list to the top five based on several crucial factors. These include pricing, inventory management capabilities, availability of online ordering options, POS hardware choices, and special features tailored to different coffee shops.
Our evaluation process involved hands-on experience with espresso products, exploring espresso demos, and leveraging our knowledge to determine which POS systems are most suitable for coffee shops. Additionally, we collected customer testimonials to obtain valuable perspectives on their experiences with these POS systems.
POS For Coffee Shop: FAQs
1. What Are The Top Features Of A POS System For Coffee Shops?
The top POS features include customer-facing terminals, in-depth reporting & customer relationship management, easy menu management, gift cards, and loyalty programs.
2. How Much Is A POS For A Coffee Shop?
A POS system for coffee shops starts at $1000 and goes up to $5000 based on the features you need.
3. What Is The Best Coffee POS System?
Determining the best coffee POS system depends on your specific needs and preferences. Some popular options include Shopify, Toast, Clover POS, and ShopKeep. However, we highly recommend Shopify POS because of its reasonable pricing, multiple payments support, ease of use, and 24/7 customer support.
Final Thoughts
This concludes our list of the best POS for coffee shop systems. Through shared information, small-medium business owners can easily choose the best plan for their business.
