The Best POS Systems for Bars

In our Clover review, we found that the platform reigns supreme as the go-to all-in-one POS system, and it’s a great choice for bar owners who are looking for an all-purpose, low-cost solution to steer business operations effortlessly. While Clover caters to a variety of industries — including restaurants, retail and e-commerce — it stands out for bars too, offering an assortment of features that meet bar setups’ unique demands.

Leveraging its fast and reliable in-house payment processing, Clover goes a step further with distinctive offerings, such as Clover Rapid Deposit and Clover Capital, which are designed to streamline financial operations and foster growth. The system offers convenience for users, streamlining online pickup orders and even integrating with DoorDash to smooth out delivery services — an essential in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Clover’s hardware solutions are as versatile as they come. They include a virtual terminal that eliminates the need for physical hardware, which is ideal for bars with space constraints. The system also manages invoicing intricately while allowing for secure storage of payment details and enabling recurring payments.

Clover’s POS functions seem virtually limitless. We were impressed with the automatic inventory synchronization, intricate control over pickup and delivery orders, and intuitive system to collect marketing preferences and customer contact details, all of which are unified into one platform. Customer engagement is bolstered with rewards and promotional offerings that are bound to keep your patrons coming back.

For bar owners seeking to enhance their online ordering service, Toast is an excellent POS system choice. While Toast caters to a variety of restaurant types, from fine dining to cafes, we found that it stands out particularly for bars and nightclubs and excels at streamlining online orders.

In our Toast review, we found that what sets it apart is its zero-commission approach to online ordering. With Toast TakeOut and Online Ordering, the company doesn’t charge restaurants a per-transaction fee (typically a percentage of the subtotal), which means bars retain more profits from online orders. It also features a dynamic throttling function, which allows your bar to “throttle” online orders during your busiest times by snoozing or adding a delay to the order time. This means you and your staff can always keep up with demand while accepting as many online orders as your current capacity allows.

Toast offers services such as order scheduling and curbside pickup to not only streamline the process but significantly elevate the customer experience. The on-demand delivery driver fleet and the specialized Toast TakeOut app make the company a front-runner in the POS domain.

Bars will find the Toast Order & Pay add-on extremely beneficial. This tool allows dine-in guests to place orders and settle bills straight from their smartphones. Through a collaboration with Google, Toast enables customers to order directly via the search engine, adding an incredibly user-friendly option for patrons and opening up a new sales avenue for bar owners.

Beyond its sophisticated online ordering suite, Toast includes a rich array of POS functionalities, such as meticulous inventory and menu management, streamlined order and table organization, and insightful reporting and analytics. Backed by round-the-clock support through phone, email and chat, Toast ensures a smooth operational flow, making it the optimal choice for bars that are dedicated to providing an enhanced ordering experience both online and offline.

In the bustling environment of a bar, efficiency is paramount, and this is where Cake by Mad Mobile distinguishes itself. In our Cake review, we found that the platform supports a  straightforward, smooth experience for both customers and staff. Cake is exceptionally easy to use; business owners and employees can master the system in under an hour, thus facilitating swift and smooth onboarding.

A noteworthy feature is the transparency that Cake offers to restaurant patrons. Customers can visually track their orders as they are being assembled while enjoying a seamless communication channel with the host through the Guest Manager function. This not only builds trust but elevates the customer experience through ongoing engagement and assurance.

We also love the flexibility of Cake’s cloud-based architecture, which allows for remote access to the bar’s analytics from any location with an internet connection, thereby ensuring business owners remain in the loop at all times. Moreover, the option to provide user-specific roles ensures that designated staff members have the necessary access to do their jobs effectively.

But what truly distinguishes Cake is its readiness for any situation, including its robust offline mode. This feature ensures uninterrupted service by enabling payment acceptance even in the face of internet connectivity issues. Cake also includes a convenient bill-splitting tool, which facilitates payments for groups.

The versatility of Cake extends to support online ordering, a necessity in the modern landscape. And for bars that sell merchandise, Cake can manage an inventory of up to 3,000 SKUs efficiently. This POS system starts at $69 per month, which includes customer support and a terminal setup.

Our review of TouchBistro covers a POS solution that’s well suited for bars that also serve food, including full-service and quick-service establishments, clubs, and even food trucks and breweries. Leveraging its deep-rooted expertise in the restaurant industry, TouchBistro offers a tailored experience and facilitates seamless order management and payment acceptance optimized for restaurants.

Using iPads as mobile registers, TouchBistro’s mobile-optimized software improves table-side service, allowing for quick and efficient ordering and payment processes at customers’ tables. You also have the freedom to choose to handle payment processing through TouchBistro Payments (in partnership with Chase) or any third-party processor.

TouchBistro’s rich ensemble of features is finely tuned for the restaurant landscape. It aids in effortless table management, thanks to intuitive drag-and-drop tools and a customizable menu dashboard to cater to your establishment’s specific needs. The POS system takes it a notch higher with accurate ingredient-level tracking and forced modifiers that ensure the perfect adherence to each recipe.

TouchBistro’s versatility is further highlighted by its customer account management, which lets you foster customer loyalty by keeping tabs on customers’ order history and managing account balances. The system is adaptable, with optional extensions for online ordering, reservations and loyalty programs, all of which are aimed at creating a customized experience for your patrons.

Employee management becomes a breeze with TouchBistro, which offers tools to craft detailed employee profiles, delineate roles, and monitor performance and attendance, thereby fostering a cohesive and productive work environment. You gain a 360-degree view of your bar’s operations backed with 85 in-depth reports, giving you the insights needed to drive your business forward. To ensure seamless operations, TouchBistro offers round-the-clock customer support, standing by to assist you at every step.

Square is a top option for small bars seeking a POS system that seamlessly aligns with their current business volume, budget and needs. Our Square review covers an ecosystem where appointment scheduling integrates well within the POS system — a feature that can set small bars apart.

One standout attribute of Square that small bars may find particularly appealing is its lack of fees for its POS software. Although payment processing through Square is required because the software does not work with third-party processors, that’s a small concession to make for the cost savings it offers elsewhere.

Square provides a wide range of customization options. In addition to offering team management and payroll, it allows bars to engage patrons through customer loyalty programs, gift cards and a vibrant marketing module.

For small bars that want to master their online presence, Square offers helpful online sales and invoicing tools, with options to tailor solutions to your growing establishment. There’s also a Square mobile app for iOS and Android devices. We appreciate the flexibility it offers in pairing its POS software with an iPad, along with other specialized POS hardware from the company.