Best Self-service Kiosks for Small Business in 2023
With more than a decade of hospitality experience, Mary has worked in some of the most celebrated restaurants in the world. Her expertise is featured across Fit Small Business in restaurant, retail , and starting a business content.
Meaghan has provided content and guidance for indie retailers as the editor for a number of retail publications and a speaker at trade shows. She is Fit Small Business’s authority on retail and ecommerce.
Self-service kiosks are customer-facing devices that allow customers to place orders, make purchases, check in for appointments, or make payments without assistance. The best kiosk software works seamlessly with your point-of-sale (POS) system and payment processor.
Kiosk software should easily handle complex information like food modifiers, event ticketing, or appointment information. The best ones also suggest popular add-on sales and collect customer information for marketing purposes.
Based on our evaluations, the best self-service kiosks for small businesses are:
- Toast: Best overall self-service kiosk for restaurants
- Lightspeed Restaurant: Best tabletop restaurant kiosk
- DaySmart Salon: Best self-check-in kiosk for salons
- KORONA: Best for ticket-selling kiosks in event venues and tourist attractions
- IT Retail: Best self-checkout kiosk for high-volume grocers
- Square with KioskBuddy: Best budget kiosk for restaurants, retailers, and businesses using Square POS
- Yelp Kiosk: Best self-check-in kiosk for restaurant reservations
Mục lục bài viết
Best Self-service Kiosks Compared
Monthly POS/ App Fees
Monthly Kiosk Fees
Hardware Cost
Contract Length
In-person Payment Processing
Supported Business Types
$0–$165+
$0–$99
$0–$999
2 years
From 2.49% + 15 cents
Restaurants
Visit Toast
$69–$399+
Custom-quoted
Custom-quoted
1 year
From 2.6% + 10 cents*
Table service and counter service restaurants
Visit Lightspeed Restaurant
$29–$249
Included in Deluxe and Premier plans
$0
Month to month
Varies by processor
Salons, beauty services
Visit DaySmart Salon
$59–$89+
Custom-quoted
Custom-quoted
Month to month
Varies by processor
Event venues, amusement parks, museums, nonprofits, retailers
Visit KORONA
$149+
Custom-quoted
$1,350+
Short- and long-term available
Custom-quoted
Grocers, markets, specialty food stores, convenience stores
Visit IT Retail
$0–$60+
$50–$200+
$0–$149+
Month to month
2.6% + 10 cents
Restaurants and retailers; any business that uses Square
Visit Square
$99–$299+
$49
$0
1 year
N/A; does not process payments
Restaurants
Visit Yelp
*This provider also integrates with select third-party payment processors. See provider section for more details.
Which Self-service Kiosk Is Right for You?
Answer a couple of questions and get our expert recommendation right on this page. The quiz takes less than 30 seconds and does not require any personal information.
Question 1
Answer a few questions about your business, and we’ll give you a personalized product match.
What type of business do you own?
Question 1 of 3
1 minute approx
Brick and mortar retail
Restaurant
Beauty services (salon, spa)
Grocery
Ticketed venue/ event space
Question 2
Answer a few questions about your business, and we’ll give you a personalized product match.
What task do you need a kiosk to complete?
Question 2 of 3
1 minute approx
Customer self-checkout
Customer orders and payments at a counter
Customer orders and payments at a table
Customer ticket purchases
Walk-in customer check in
Question 3
Answer a few questions about your business, and we’ll give you a personalized product match.
What is your upfront budget?
Question 3 of 3
1 minute approx
As close to $0 as possible
Less than $500
$500 to $1,000
Not sure/ don’t know
Toast: Best Overall Kiosk for Restaurants
Overall Score:
4.31
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- Baseline POS subscription is free
- Multiple options for kiosk screen size
- QR-coded receipts direct cash payments to a central cashier
- Automated SMS text order ready alerts
Cons
- Requires a two-year contract
- Kiosk cannot accept promo codes for discounts
- Cannot spool payments if the kiosk loses internet access
Toast POS Review
What we like:
Toast consistently lands at the top of our restaurant software rankings for everything from POS to kitchen display systems (KDSes). Its self-ordering kiosk includes SMS text alerts and QR-coded receipts that enable cash-paying customers to quickly settle their checks with a cashier. Best of all, users can get started with Toast at no upfront cost.
Toast POS Review
Visit Toast
Unlike the other systems on this list, Toast operates on industry-grade hardware designed to withstand high-volume use. This makes the hardware pricier than a typical iPad (which the other systems use), but Toast offers Pay-as-You-Go options for virtually every available device. So, new users can get started with $0 down.
Guest Self-Service Kit
Countertop Kit
Handheld Kit
$999 + $99/month
(Pay-as-You-Go; $0 upfront, $0/ month for software, 2.99% + 15 cents processing)
$799 + $69/month
(Pay-as-You-Go; $0 upfront, $0/ month for software, 2.99% + 15 cents processing)
$609 + $69/month
(Pay-as-You-Go; $0 upfront, $0/month for software, 2.99% + 15 cents processing)
Toast Self Service terminal, card reader, router, installation support
Toast Flex POS terminal, card reader, router, installation support
Toast Go 2 handheld order and payment device, Wireless Access Point, Router, installation support
- Free Starter POS
Toast’s baseline Starter Kit POS subscription has $0 monthly software fees. All you pay are slightly higher processing fees (2.99% + 15 cents, versus 2.49% + 15 cents). You can also get up to two terminals—including the kiosk hardware—for $0 upfront with the Starter Kit POS. - SMS text alerts
The Toast kiosk requests customer phone numbers for kiosk orders and sends them automated alerts when their orders are ready. - QR-coded receipts
The Toast kiosk cannot process cash payments directly at the kiosk; most affordable restaurant kiosks lack this feature. But, Toast offers a low-cost workaround: QR codes printed at the bottom of receipts. Cash-paying customers present their QR-coded receipt to a central cashier, where it can be scanned and immediately pulled up on the POS terminal. - Flexible hardware
Your Toast kiosks integrate with barcode scanners and scales. So, if you sell build-your-own salads by weight or packaged ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-drink (RTD) items, your customers can still check themselves out. Since you are not locked into iPads, you can also choose 10”, 15”, or 22” touchscreens for your kiosks.
Starter Kit
Point of Sale
Essentials
Custom
Monthly software fees
$0
$69
$165
Custom quote
Monthly Toast self-service kiosk fees
$0–$99
Custom quote
Custom quote
Custom quote
Credit card processing fees
From 2.99% + 15 cents
From 2.49% + 15 cents
Custom quote
Custom quote
Detailed reporting
✓
✓
✓
✓
Online ordering
✕
✕
✓
✓
Toast Delivery Services
✕
✕
✓
✓
Email marketing
✕
✕
✕
Optional add-on
Toast Pay Card
✕
✕
✕
Optional add-on
New Toast users can add the self-service kiosk to a Starter Kit POS for $0 upfront and $0 per month when they commit to higher processing fees (2.99% + 15 cents for in-person transactions). If you prefer to pay upfront, you can expect to pay $99 per month for the kiosk software and $999 for the hardware. Subscribers at the Point of Sale level and higher can get a custom quote for the software and hardware.
Overall Score:
4.31
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- Baseline POS subscription is free
- Multiple options for kiosk screen size
- QR-coded receipts direct cash payments to a central cashier
- Automated SMS text order ready alerts
Cons
- Requires a two-year contract
- Kiosk cannot accept promo codes for discounts
- Cannot spool payments if the kiosk loses internet access
Toast POS Review
What we like:
Toast consistently lands at the top of our restaurant software rankings for everything from POS to kitchen display systems (KDSes). Its self-ordering kiosk includes SMS text alerts and QR-coded receipts that enable cash-paying customers to quickly settle their checks with a cashier. Best of all, users can get started with Toast at no upfront cost.
Toast POS Review
Visit Toast
Unlike the other systems on this list, Toast– which regularly ranks on our list of best POS systems— operates on industry-grade hardware designed to withstand high-volume use. This makes the hardware pricier than a typical iPad (which the other systems use), but Toast offers Pay-as-You-Go options for virtually every available device. So, new users can get started with $0 down.
Guest Self-Service Kit
Countertop Kit
Handheld Kit
$999 + $99/month
(Pay-as-You-Go; $0 upfront, $0/ month for software, 2.99% + 15 cents processing)
$799 + $69/month
(Pay-as-You-Go; $0 upfront, $0/ month for software, 2.99% + 15 cents processing)
$609 + $69/month
(Pay-as-You-Go; $0 upfront, $0/month for software, 2.99% + 15 cents processing)
Toast Self Service terminal, card reader, router, installation support
Toast Flex POS terminal, card reader, router, installation support
Toast Go 2 handheld order and payment device, Wireless Access Point, Router, installation support
- Free Starter POS
Toast’s baseline Starter Kit POS subscription has $0 monthly software fees. All you pay are slightly higher processing fees (2.99% + 15 cents, versus 2.49% + 15 cents). You can also get up to two terminals—including the kiosk hardware—for $0 upfront with the Starter Kit POS. - SMS text alerts
The Toast kiosk requests customer phone numbers for kiosk orders and sends them automated alerts when their orders are ready. - QR-coded receipts
The Toast kiosk cannot process cash payments directly at the kiosk; most affordable restaurant kiosks lack this feature. But, Toast offers a low-cost workaround: QR codes printed at the bottom of receipts. Cash-paying customers present their QR-coded receipt to a central cashier, where it can be scanned and immediately pulled up on the POS terminal. - Flexible hardware
Your Toast kiosks integrate with barcode scanners and scales. So, if you sell build-your-own salads by weight or packaged ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-drink (RTD) items, your customers can still check themselves out. Since you are not locked into iPads, you can also choose 10”, 15”, or 22” touch screens for your kiosks.
Starter Kit
Point of Sale
Essentials
Custom
Monthly software fees
$0
$69
$165
Custom quote
Monthly Toast self-service kiosk fees
$0–$99
Custom quote
Custom quote
Custom quote
Credit card processing fees
From 2.99% + 15 cents
From 2.49% + 15 cents
Custom quote
Custom quote
Detailed reporting
✓
✓
✓
✓
Online ordering
✕
✕
✓
✓
Toast Delivery Services
✕
✕
✓
✓
Email marketing
✕
✕
✕
Optional add-on
Toast Pay Card
✕
✕
✕
Optional add-on
New Toast users can add the self-service kiosk to a Starter Kit POS for $0 upfront and $0 per month when they commit to higher processing fees (2.99% + 15 cents for in-person transactions). If you prefer to pay upfront, you can expect to pay $99 per month for the kiosk software and $999 for the hardware. Subscribers at the Point of Sale level and higher can get a custom quote for the software and hardware.
Like Lightspeed Restaurant, Toast only has kiosk software for restaurants. If you need tools for ticketing operations, you’ll need to look at KORONA. Retailers will want to look at Square with KioskBuddy and IT Retail. For reservation check-ins, see Yelp Kiosk. Salons that want walk-in check-in tools should look at DaySmart.
Lightspeed Restaurant: Best for Restaurant Tabletop Kiosks
Overall Score:
4.31
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- Offers kiosk tools for counter service and table service
- Operates on iPads
- Offers 14-day free trial
- Includes SMS text “order ready” notifications
Cons
- No free baseline POS subscription
- App- and browser-based system; kiosk cannot process payments if it loses internet connection
- Does not currently include tools for handling cash payments for kiosk customers
Lightspeed Restaurant Review
What we like:
Lightspeed Restaurant, a cloud-based restaurant POS system that operates on iPads, tied with Toast on our self-service kiosk scoring system. Its comprehensive front- and back-end management features include self-ordering solutions for both table service and counter service features, which none of the other systems on this list offer. This affordable system starts at $69 per month and operates on hardware you already own.
Lightspeed Restaurant Review
Visit Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed Restaurant POS operates on iPads and iPhones with iOS 13 or later. You can use iPads you already have, and purchase stands, card readers, printers, and other accessories from Lightspeed for custom-quoted prices.
Vault iPad stand
Verifone 400m
Epson TM-M30II-NT
iPad POS or Kiosk stand
Tap, Swipe, dip, and PIN-enabled mobile card reader
Bluetooth and USB-Network tethered thermal receipt printer
- Counter service mode
Lightspeed’s Self-Order software supports two order modes: kiosk mode and table mode. In kiosk mode, customers order and pay for their meals in a single transaction before the food is prepared. - Table mode
In table mode, the Lightspeed Self-Order tablet is assigned to a specific table. Your service staff assists the guests with placing multiple orders and processes their payment at the end of their meal. Customers can also hail a server through the kiosk and request their bill through the app. Lightspeed is the only kiosk option on this list that features table-service kiosk tools. - SMS text alerts
You can set up your Lightspeed kiosk to request customer cell phone numbers. Your team can then send a text alert through the POS when the customer’s order is ready. No calling out names or remembering order numbers. - Room fees
Lightspeed is also the only option on our list that integrates with hotel property management software to enable customers to pay with room charges. - Running tabs
Lightspeed supports long-running customer tabs—what you might call “house accounts—a feature many POS systems lack. This function makes Lightspeed a good fit for social clubs or coworking spaces that mainly serve members accustomed to paying monthly fees. Members don’t need to have their wallets handy if they want to grab a snack. You can simply bill them for their purchases on the same cycle as you do their membership fees. - Full inventory functions
Since the Lightspeed kiosk is fully built into your POS, the kiosk will sync with your inventory in real time. So, you’ll never sell an item you have run out of. Additionally, the system will alert you to low stock. Depending on your subscription level, your Lightspeed POS may even generate a suggested order for you to send to your supplier for efficient restocking.
Lightspeed’s kiosk software is offered as an add-on module it calls the Self-Order Menu. You can add the Self-Order Menu module to any Lightspeed POS tablet by downloading the app from the Apple App Store. The price will vary based on the number of kiosks you need; Lightspeed offers custom quotes for this add-on. Previously published price lists offered the kiosk for $39 per month.
The Lightspeed Restaurant POS itself is offered at four subscription tiers:
Essentials
Plus
Pro
Enterprise
Monthly software fees
$69
$189
$399
Custom-quoted
Payment processing
Lightspeed Payments: from 2.6% + 10 cents for in-person payments;
also integrates with Cayan, Worldpay, Bridgepay
Basic reporting
✓
✓
✓
✓
Menu management
✓
✓
✓
✓
Employee scheduling
✓
✓
✓
✓
Inventory
Basic
Basic
Advanced
Advanced
Order Anywhere
✕
✕
✓
✓
Advanced insights
✕
✕
✓
✓
Overall Score:
4.31
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- Offers kiosk tools for counter service and table service
- Operates on iPads
- Offers 14-day free trial
- Includes SMS text “order ready” notifications
Cons
- No free baseline POS subscription
- App- and browser-based system; kiosk cannot process payments if it loses internet connection
- Does not currently include tools for handling cash payments for kiosk customers
Lightspeed Restaurant Review
What we like:
Lightspeed Restaurant, a cloud-based restaurant POS system that operates on iPads, tied with Toast on our self-service kiosk scoring system. Its comprehensive front- and back-end management features include self-ordering solutions for both table service and counter service features, which none of the other systems on this list offer. This affordable system starts at $69 per month and operates on hardware you already own.
Lightspeed Restaurant Review
Visit Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed Restaurant POS operates on iPads and iPhones with iOS 13 or later. You can use iPads you already have, and purchase stands, card readers, printers, and other accessories from Lightspeed for custom-quoted prices.
Vault iPad stand
Verifone 400m
Epson TM-M30II-NT
iPad POS or Kiosk stand
Tap, Swipe, dip, and PIN-enabled mobile card reader
Bluetooth and USB-Network tethered thermal receipt printer
- Counter service mode
Lightspeed’s Self-Order software supports two order modes: kiosk mode and table mode. In kiosk mode, customers order and pay for their meals in a single transaction before the food is prepared. - Table mode
In table mode, the Lightspeed Self-Order tablet is assigned to a specific table. Your service staff assists the guests with placing multiple orders and processes their payment at the end of their meal. Customers can also hail a server through the kiosk and request their bill through the app. Lightspeed is the only kiosk option on this list that features table-service kiosk tools. - SMS text alerts
You can set up your Lightspeed kiosk to request customer cell phone numbers. Your team can then send a text alert through the POS when the customer’s order is ready. No calling out names or remembering order numbers. - Room fees
Lightspeed is also the only option on our list that integrates with hotel property management software to enable customers to pay with room charges. - Running tabs
Lightspeed supports long-running customer tabs—what you might call “house accounts—a feature many POS systems lack. This function makes Lightspeed a good fit for social clubs or coworking spaces that mainly serve members accustomed to paying monthly fees. Members don’t need to have their wallets handy if they want to grab a snack. You can simply bill them for their purchases on the same cycle as you do their membership fees. - Full inventory functions
Since the Lightspeed kiosk is fully built into your POS, the kiosk will sync with your inventory in real time. So, you’ll never sell an item you have run out of. Additionally, the system will alert you to low stock. Depending on your subscription level, your Lightspeed POS may even generate a suggested order for you to send to your supplier for efficient restocking.
Lightspeed’s kiosk software is offered as an add-on module it calls the Self-Order Menu. You can add the Self-Order Menu module to any Lightspeed POS tablet by downloading the app from the Apple App Store. The price will vary based on the number of kiosks you need; Lightspeed offers custom quotes for this add-on. Previously published price lists offered the kiosk for $39 per month.
The Lightspeed Restaurant POS itself is offered at four subscription tiers:
Essentials
Plus
Pro
Enterprise
Monthly software fees
$69
$189
$399
Custom-quoted
Payment processing
Lightspeed Payments: from 2.6% + 10 cents for in-person payments;
also integrates with Cayan, Worldpay, Bridgepay
Basic reporting
✓
✓
✓
✓
Menu management
✓
✓
✓
✓
Employee scheduling
✓
✓
✓
✓
Inventory
Basic
Basic
Advanced
Advanced
Order Anywhere
✕
✕
✓
✓
Advanced insights
✕
✕
✓
✓
The Lightspeed Self-Order menu is only currently offered on Lightspeed’s Restaurant POS. If you need kiosk tools for checking in customers or selling tickets or retail items, this is not the solution for you. For ticketed events, see KORONA. If you need to check in customers, look into Yelp Kiosk (for restaurants) or DaySmart (for salons). Retailers can find kiosk tools in Square with KioskBuddy or IT Retail.
DaySmart Salon: Best Self-check-in for Salons
Overall Score:
3.97
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- Collects client information for future marketing campaigns
- Self-installable
- Operates on iPads
- 14-day free trial
Cons
- Kiosk cannot process payments
- Needs internet signal to work; no offline mode
What we like:
DaySmart Salon (formerly Salon Iris) is a POS designed specifically for salons and wellness businesses. This iPad POS regularly appears on our ranking of the best salon POS systems. We recommend the system for salons and wellness businesses that get a lot of walk-in customers because of its built-in self-check-in kiosk.
DaySmart scored lower than others on this list in the features category, but that’s only because it is built to solve a niche pain point for salons, specifically. So this kiosk only handles one task—walk-in check-in—but it does it incredibly well for an affordable price.
Visit DaySmart
The DaySmart Salon POS operates on any interconnected device. So, you can run the baseline system on a desktop computer or an iOS or Android tablet. The kiosk is downloadable from the Apple App Store and works best on an iPad. You can run the entire system on hardware you already own or hardware you can purchase from a local office supply store.
- Flexible subscriptions
DaySmart Salon offers four subscription tiers, so small salons and solopreneurs won’t pay for tools they don’t use. In fact, the baseline subscription, Basic, is designed specifically for solo stylists to manage their own clients and services. Users should note, though, that the Basic tier does not include kiosk functionality. For that, you’ll need a Deluxe, Premier, or Platinum plan. - Automated setup
Your DaySmart Salon kiosk will automatically populate your products and services from your DaySmart POS. All you need to do is download the kiosk app from the Apple App Store and connect the kiosk account to your POS account. - Customizable look
You can customize the look of your check-in kiosk by changing background images and color schemes. Thus, your kiosk can easily reflect your salon or barber shop’s style. - Appointment look-u
Customers can create new appointments or check in for existing appointments via the kiosk. Existing customers look up their appointment record by their phone number, while new customers add their contact information. Users can add their requested services at the kiosk, and you can optionally allow customers to choose their stylist in the kiosk.
The DaySmart Salon POS is offered at four subscription tiers to support wellness businesses of all sizes—from individual stylists and wellness workers to large, multi-booth operations. The kiosk software is included for free in the Deluxe, Premier, and Platinum plans.
Basic
Deluxe
Premier
Platinum
Monthly software fee
$29
$69
$129
$249
Number of users
1
3; additional users are $9 each
Unlimited
Unlimited
Appointment scheduling
✓
✓
✓
✓
Loyalty
✕
✓
✓
✓
Kiosk functions
✕
✓
✓
✓
Commission tracking
✕
✕
✓
✓
Overall Score:
3.97
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- Collects client information for future marketing campaigns
- Self-installable
- Operates on iPads
- 14-day free trial
Cons
- Kiosk cannot process payments
- Needs internet signal to work; no offline mode
What we like:
DaySmart Salon (formerly Salon Iris) is a POS designed specifically for salons and wellness businesses. This iPad POS regularly appears on our ranking of the best salon POS systems. We recommend the system for salons and wellness businesses that get a lot of walk-in customers because of its built-in self-check-in kiosk.
DaySmart scored lower than others on this list in the features category, but that’s only because it is built to solve a niche pain point for salons, specifically. So this kiosk only handles one task—walk-in check-in—but it does it incredibly well for an affordable price.
Visit DaySmart
The DaySmart Salon POS operates on any interconnected device. So, you can run the baseline system on a desktop computer or an iOS or Android tablet. The kiosk is downloadable from the Apple App Store and works best on an iPad. You can run the entire system on hardware you already own or hardware you can purchase from a local office supply store.
- Flexible subscriptions
DaySmart Salon offers four subscription tiers, so small salons and solopreneurs won’t pay for tools they don’t use. In fact, the baseline subscription, Basic, is designed specifically for solo stylists to manage their own clients and services. Users should note, though, that the Basic tier does not include kiosk functionality. For that, you’ll need a Deluxe, Premier, or Platinum plan. - Automated setup
Your DaySmart Salon kiosk will automatically populate your products and services from your DaySmart POS. All you need to do is download the kiosk app from the Apple App Store and connect the kiosk account to your POS account. - Customizable look
You can customize the look of your check-in kiosk by changing background images and color schemes. Thus, your kiosk can easily reflect your salon or barber shop’s style. - Appointment look-u
Customers can create new appointments or check in for existing appointments via the kiosk. Existing customers look up their appointment record by their phone number, while new customers add their contact information. Users can add their requested services at the kiosk, and you can optionally allow customers to choose their stylist in the kiosk.
The DaySmart Salon POS is offered at four subscription tiers to support wellness businesses of all sizes—from individual stylists and wellness workers to large, multi-booth operations. The kiosk software is included for free in the Deluxe, Premier, and Platinum plans.\
Basic
Deluxe
Premier
Platinum
Monthly software fee
$29
$69
$129
$249
Number of users
1
3; additional users are $9 each
Unlimited
Unlimited
Appointment scheduling
✓
✓
✓
✓
Loyalty
✕
✓
✓
✓
Kiosk functions
✕
✓
✓
✓
Commission tracking
✕
✕
✓
✓
DaySmart Salon’s kiosk only supports appointment-based beauty and wellness businesses. It also cannot process payments at the kiosk. If you want to check in customers for dining reservations or accept full food or retail orders with payment processing, you’ll need a different solution. For reservations check-in, try Yelp Kiosk. Restaurants wanting table-side kiosks should see Lightspeed, while busy counter-service restaurants may prefer Toast.
KORONA: Best for Ticketing Businesses
Overall Score:
3.84
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- Operates on industry-grade and consumer-grade hardware
- Payments agnostic; you can choose your own processor
- Supports ticketing operations
- No long-term contract
Cons
- Does not have strong tools for restaurants
- Back-office functions can take time to learn
- Hardware can be expensive
KORONA Review
What we like:
KORONA is a cloud-based POS that supports multiple types of retail, high-risk, and ticket-based businesses. Its kiosk tools are especially useful for ticket-based businesses like amusement parks, museums, and tourist attractions, where long lines can form quickly. Yes, the hardware can get pricey, but ticketed businesses need a lot of functions, so the cost may be worth it in the long run.
In addition to KORONA’s strong POS ticketing functions like time-based ticketing and turnstile integration, the system operates on multiple industry-grade kiosk terminals, so your hardware can withstand high-volume use, no matter your business style.
KORONA Review
Visit KORONA
KORONA works with Aures and PartnerTech for kiosk hardware. Kiosks arrive preconfigured with the KORONA POS software pre-installed and tailored to your operational needs.
Aures Mini Komet
PartnerTech K27W
PartnerTech Alfred AD-215-H
17” Touch-screen kiosk with built-in receipt printer and PIN-enabled card reader and indicator light
27” Self-service kiosk with integrated barcode scanner, and EMV card reader
21.5” or 15.6” touch-screen kiosk with built-in barcode scanner and thermal receipt printer
- Time-based ticketing tools
You can customize the tickets in your KORONA POS to be tied to specific entry times. This is useful if you need to control traffic flow or if your tickets are for a special event like a concert. - Memberships and season passes
Tourist attractions and local parks will love the ability to bill and scan membership cards and season passes. The setup for these ticket types is included in your KORONA POS; you just have to choose your desired settings. You can further customize memberships by tiers, giving some members access to specific attractions or events. - Turnstile integration
If your event location or park uses turnstiles, you can set your KORONA-based tickets to integrate with turnstile scanners. This lets you further control traffic flow and manage your entrances. - Durable hardware
Like Toast, KORONA’s kiosks operate on industry-grade hardware. Unlike Toast, however, KORONA integrates with multiple hardware providers so you can build a truly customized kiosk solution that is tailored to your business. - Live visitor count
If your venue must adhere to fire codes or other occupancy restrictions, KORONA has you covered. Your POS gives you a live visitor count, so you go beyond simple sales tracking and know your occupancy in real time.
Like top-rated Lightspeed, KORONA offers four subscription tiers to support businesses of any size. However, to get ticketing functions, you’ll need an Enterprise level subscription, which requires a custom rate quote. However, KORONA does not require long-term contracts, so if the system is not a fit, you won’t be penalized for moving on.
Core
Advanced
Plus
Enterprise
$59
$69
$89
Custom quote
Core checkout functions
✓
✓
✓
✓
Reporting
✓
✓
✓
✓
Ecommerce store
✓
✓
✓
✓
API access
✓
✓
✓
✓
Inventory reporting
✕
✓
✓
✓
Employee time Tracking
✕
✓
✓
✓
Multilocation reporting
✕
✕
✓
✓
Ticketing and event Management
✕
✕
✕
✓
*Free trial available
Overall Score:
3.84
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- Operates on industry-grade and consumer-grade hardware
- Payments agnostic; you can choose your own processor
- Supports ticketing operations
- No long-term contract
Cons
- Does not have strong tools for restaurants
- Back-office functions can take time to learn
- Hardware can be expensive
KORONA Review
What we like:
KORONA is a cloud-based POS that supports multiple types of retail, high-risk, and ticket-based businesses. Its kiosk tools are especially useful for ticket-based businesses like amusement parks, museums, and tourist attractions, where long lines can form quickly. Yes, the hardware can get pricey, but ticketed businesses need a lot of functions, so the cost may be worth it in the long run.
In addition to KORONA’s strong POS ticketing functions like time-based ticketing and turnstile integration, the system operates on multiple industry-grade kiosk terminals, so your hardware can withstand high-volume use, no matter your business style.
KORONA Review
Visit KORONA
KORONA works with Aures and PartnerTech for kiosk hardware. Kiosks arrive preconfigured with the KORONA POS software pre-installed and tailored to your operational needs.
Aures Mini Komet
PartnerTech K27W
PartnerTech Alfred AD-215-H
17” Touch-screen kiosk with built-in receipt printer and PIN-enabled card reader and indicator light
27” Self-service kiosk with integrated barcode scanner, and EMV card reader
21.5” or 15.6” touch-screen kiosk with built-in barcode scanner and thermal receipt printer
- Time-based ticketing tools
You can customize the tickets in your KORONA POS to be tied to specific entry times. This is useful if you need to control traffic flow or if your tickets are for a special event like a concert. - Memberships and season passes
Tourist attractions and local parks will love the ability to bill and scan membership cards and season passes. The setup for these ticket types is included in your KORONA POS; you just have to choose your desired settings. You can further customize memberships by tiers, giving some members access to specific attractions or events. - Turnstile integration
If your event location or park uses turnstiles, you can set your KORONA-based tickets to integrate with turnstile scanners. This lets you further control traffic flow and manage your entrances. - Durable hardware
Like Toast, KORONA’s kiosks operate on industry-grade hardware. Unlike Toast, however, KORONA integrates with multiple hardware providers so you can build a truly customized kiosk solution that is tailored to your business. - Live visitor count
If your venue must adhere to fire codes or other occupancy restrictions, KORONA has you covered. Your POS gives you a live visitor count, so you go beyond simple sales tracking and know your occupancy in real time.
Like top-rated Lightspeed, KORONA offers four subscription tiers to support businesses of any size. However, to get ticketing functions, you’ll need an Enterprise level subscription, which requires a custom rate quote. However, KORONA does not require long-term contracts, so if the system is not a fit, you won’t be penalized for moving on.
Core
Advanced
Plus
Enterprise
$59
$69
$89
Custom quote
Core checkout functions
✓
✓
✓
✓
Reporting
✓
✓
✓
✓
Ecommerce store
✓
✓
✓
✓
API access
✓
✓
✓
✓
Inventory reporting
✕
✓
✓
✓
Employee time Tracking
✕
✓
✓
✓
Multilocation reporting
✕
✕
✓
✓
Ticketing and event Management
✕
✕
✕
✓
*Free trial available
KORONA doesn’t have much to offer full-service restaurants, and the kiosk hardware can get pretty expensive. Restaurants that want self-service kiosks have a lot of providers to choose from, including Lightspeed, Toast, and Square with KioskBuddy.
IT Retail: Best Self-checkout for Grocers
Overall Score:
3.80
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of Use
Expert Score
Pros
- Can process cash payments
- Multiple hardware configurations
- Excellent offline functionality
- Industry-grade hardware withstands high-volume use
Cons
- Pricey
- Locked into IT Retail Payments
- Complex configurations require installation assistance
IT Retail Review
What we like:
IT Retail provides the most complex self-checkout kiosk of any system on this list—an excellent fit for small, independent grocers and markets. With this system, you get professional-grade self-checkout tools. IT Retail kiosks come in multiple configurations, with barcode scanners, receipt printers, card readers, and even cash dispensers.
IT Retail is the priciest POS system on this list (that self-checkout hardware costs a pretty penny). So it is best suited for larger operations that need to support a high volume of self-checkout customers.
IT Retail Review
Visit IT Retail
Self-checkout with Cash Dispenser
Compact Self-checkout Kiosk
Full footprint self-checkout stand with card reader, receipt printer, cash dispenser, and bagging area
Small footprint self-checkout stand with card reader and receipt printer
- Customizable hardware
IT Retail offers multiple options for terminal screens, barcode scanners, printers, scales, and more. You can choose pre-built hardware kits in standard configurations to speed your setup or hand-select every hardware component for a completely custom solution. - Cash payments
IT Retail kiosks have the option for built-in cash dispensers, giving your independent market the same streamlined look of a larger chain. You can accept cash and make change right at the kiosk. - Robust inventory
The underlying IT Retail POS has excellent inventory tools, including expiration date tracking. This feature, along with the industry grade hardware, is one of the reasons we love IT Retail for independent grocers. The inventory syncs in real time, so you always know your on-hand stock. - Easily scalable
IT Retail is designed for independent grocers and markets, so whether you need two POS terminals or twenty-two, IT Retail has the hardware and software you need. - Cloud-based data
IT Retail stores your reporting data in the cloud so you can access it from anywhere. So you get the offline functionality of a locally networked system and the flexibility of mobile reports.
IT Retail offers two subscription options and three plans. One is a simple monthly fee for both hardware and software. The other is to purchase hardware upfront and pay a lower monthly fee for software.
IT Retail Flex Monthly
IT Retail Freedom Standard*
IT Retail Freedom Premium*
$149 per month
$1,499 upfront
$1,999 upfront
- Monthly POS hardware fee
- Monthly POS software fee
- Built-in payment processing
- Lifetime hardware warranty
- 24/7 support and unlimited training
Includes:
- One-time hardware fee
- Built-in payment processing
- Free payment processing hardware
- 2-year hardware warranty
Includes:
- One-time premium hardware fee
- Built-in payment processing
- Free payment processing hardware
- 2-year hardware warranty
Includes:
*Software and technical support will have additional, custom-quoted monthly fees
Overall Score:
3.80
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of Use
Expert Score
Pros
- Can process cash payments
- Multiple hardware configurations
- Excellent offline functionality
- Industry-grade hardware withstands high-volume use
Cons
- Pricey
- Locked into IT Retail Payments
- Complex configurations require installation assistance
IT Retail Review
What we like:
IT Retail provides the most complex self-checkout kiosk of any system on this list—an excellent fit for small, independent grocers and markets. With this system, you get professional-grade self-checkout tools. IT Retail kiosks come in multiple configurations, with barcode scanners, receipt printers, card readers, and even cash dispensers.
IT Retail is the priciest POS system on this list (that self-checkout hardware costs a pretty penny). So it is best suited for larger operations that need to support a high volume of self-checkout customers.
IT Retail Review
Visit IT Retail
Self-checkout with Cash Dispenser
Compact Self-checkout Kiosk
Full footprint self-checkout stand with card reader, receipt printer, cash dispenser, and bagging area
Small footprint self-checkout stand with card reader and receipt printer
- Customizable hardware
IT Retail offers multiple options for terminal screens, barcode scanners, printers, scales, and more. You can choose pre-built hardware kits in standard configurations to speed your setup or hand-select every hardware component for a completely custom solution. - Cash payments
IT Retail kiosks have the option for built-in cash dispensers, giving your independent market the same streamlined look of a larger chain. You can accept cash and make change right at the kiosk. - Robust inventory
The underlying IT Retail POS has excellent inventory tools, including expiration date tracking. This feature, along with the industry grade hardware, is one of the reasons we love IT Retail for independent grocers. The inventory syncs in real time, so you always know your on-hand stock. - Easily scalable
IT Retail is designed for independent grocers and markets, so whether you need two POS terminals or twenty-two, IT Retail has the hardware and software you need. - Cloud-based data
IT Retail stores your reporting data in the cloud so you can access it from anywhere. So you get the offline functionality of a locally networked system and the flexibility of mobile reports.
IT Retail offers two subscription options and three plans. One is a simple monthly fee for both hardware and software. The other is to purchase hardware upfront and pay a lower monthly fee for software.
IT Retail Flex Monthly
IT Retail Freedom Standard*
IT Retail Freedom Premium*
$149 per month
$1,499 upfront
$1,999 upfront
- Monthly POS hardware fee
- Monthly POS software fee
- Built-in payment processing
- Lifetime hardware warranty
- 24/7 support and unlimited training
Includes:
- One-time hardware fee
- Built-in payment processing
- Free payment processing hardware
- 2-year hardware warranty
Includes:
- One-time premium hardware fee
- Built-in payment processing
- Free payment processing hardware
- 2-year hardware warranty
Includes:
*Software and technical support will have additional, custom-quoted monthly fees
IT Retail kiosks may be more machine than small operations need. If you only need a single self-checkout kiosk, Square and KioskBuddy may be more your speed. For a self-checkout setup somewhere between Square’s small budget option and IT Retail’s big budget option, look at Lightspeed.
Square With KioskBuddy: Best Budget Kiosk for Restaurants & Retail
Overall Score:
3.72
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- POS and kiosk software offer 30-day free trials
- Baseline Square POS is free to use for unlimited terminals
- Kiosk subscription includes software for unlimited terminals
- Easy to self-install POS and kiosk
Cons
- Requires two separate subscriptions; one for the POS and one for the kiosk
- Kiosk prices are transaction limited
- Kiosk sales show as “uncategorized” in POS reports
What we like:
This combination solution is a great fit for businesses on a budget. Square’s retail, restaurant, and appointment POS systems regularly appear in our POS rankings because they are functional, affordable, and self-installable. Users of Square for Restaurants and Retail can add kiosks via an integration with KioskBuddy, a software tool built specifically to operate with the Square POS. Both Square and KioskBuddy offer 30-day free trials (Square, in fact, offers a completely free baseline POS), so you can get started for free with both.
This user-friendly software is built with a streamlined user interface that is less customizable than others on this list. The consumer tablet based hardware also lacks the extreme customization that competitors provide. But this solution is just the right size for small, independent businesses that are frequently overlooked by bigger software companies.
Square for Restaurants Review; Square for Retail Review
Visit Square
Both Square POS and the KioskBuddy kiosk operate on iPads. KioskBuddy also works on Android tablets. You can use devices you already own or purchase hardware from Square directly, alongside Square-designed iPad stands with built-in card readers. The Square Stand Mount enables you to mount kiosks to countertops, walls, or poles for freestanding kiosks.
Square Stand
Square Stand Mount
$149, or $14 per month over 12 months
(without iPad; with iPad, add $329)
Tap and dip card reader-enabled iPad stand for Square POS (swipe reader optional)
Wall or countertop mount for square stand with incorporated tap and dip card reader
(swipe reader optional)
- Unlimited kiosks
With a single subscription, you can use KioskBuddy on unlimited iPads. The only limiting factor is the included number of transactions—which is why KioskBuddy is an ideal choice for pop-up events and microbusinesses like farm stands and market vendors that want to offer contactless order and payment options only for a limited amount of time. - Service fee setting
KioskBuddy’s Service Fee function allows you to charge a set dollar amount or a percentage of the total bill on customer checks. If you go over your monthly limit, you can use this function to offset your KioskBuddy transaction fees or use it to recoup credit card processing fees. But be sure to check local laws first; several states prohibit businesses from passing on credit card fees to customers. - Integrated Square loyalty
You can give your restaurant a polished look by offering automated rewards. KioskBuddy will alert returning customers to any accumulated rewards—and opportunities to redeem them—upon checkout. Every system on this list will track customer rewards; however, some, like Lightspeed, lack the ability to redeem rewards at the kiosk. Rewards redemption at the kiosk is a really great feature offered by this low-cost kiosk. - KDS integration
In addition to printing checks to kitchen printers, KioskBuddy also integrates with the Square KDS if you prefer to use screens in your kitchen. With the Square KDS, your customers will receive a text message that their order is ready when your cooks mark the dish as complete in the KDS.
Using KioskBuddy requires both a Square POS subscription and a KioskBuddy subscription. So, you’ll need to account for monthly fees on both.
Square POS Pricing
Free
Plus
Premium
Monthly fees
$0
$60
Custom quote
Menu and table management
✓
✓
✓
Online ordering
✓
✓
✓
Customizable user permissions
✕
✓
✓
Advanced reporting
✕
✓
✓
All KioskBuddy accounts include software for unlimited kiosks and unlimited locations. The only limitations are the number of included transactions.
Kiosk Buddy Pricing
Starter
Pro
Business
Enterprise
$50
$100
$200
Custom quote
Included transactions
500 (+ 25 cents per additional transaction)
1,500 (+ 20 cents per additional transaction)
4,500 (+ 15 cents per additional transaction)
Flexible
Overall Score:
3.72
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- POS and kiosk software offer 30-day free trials
- Baseline Square POS is free to use for unlimited terminals
- Kiosk subscription includes software for unlimited terminals
- Easy to self-install POS and kiosk
Cons
- Requires two separate subscriptions; one for the POS and one for the kiosk
- Kiosk prices are transaction limited
- Kiosk sales show as “uncategorized” in POS reports
What we like:
This combination solution is a great fit for businesses on a budget. Square’s retail, restaurant, and appointment POS systems regularly appear in our POS rankings because they are functional, affordable, and self-installable. Users of Square for Restaurants and Retail can add kiosks via an integration with KioskBuddy, a software tool built specifically to operate with the Square POS. Both Square and KioskBuddy offer 30-day free trials (Square, in fact, offers a completely free baseline POS), so you can get started for free with both.
This user-friendly software is built with a streamlined user interface that is less customizable than others on this list. The consumer tablet based hardware also lacks the extreme customization that competitors provide. But this solution is just the right size for small, independent businesses that are frequently overlooked by bigger software companies.
Square for Restaurants Review; Square for Retail Review
Visit Square
Both Square POS and the KioskBuddy kiosk operate on iPads. KioskBuddy also works on Android tablets. You can use devices you already own or purchase hardware from Square directly, alongside Square-designed iPad stands with built-in card readers. The Square Stand Mount enables you to mount kiosks to countertops, walls, or poles for freestanding kiosks.
Square Stand
Square Stand Mount
$149, or $14 per month over 12 months
(without iPad; with iPad, add $329)
Tap and dip card reader-enabled iPad stand for Square POS (swipe reader optional)
Wall or countertop mount for square stand with incorporated tap and dip card reader
(swipe reader optional)
- Unlimited kiosks
With a single subscription, you can use KioskBuddy on unlimited iPads. The only limiting factor is the included number of transactions—which is why KioskBuddy is an ideal choice for pop-up events and microbusinesses like farm stands and market vendors that want to offer contactless order and payment options only for a limited amount of time. - Service fee setting
KioskBuddy’s Service Fee function allows you to charge a set dollar amount or a percentage of the total bill on customer checks. If you go over your monthly limit, you can use this function to offset your KioskBuddy transaction fees or use it to recoup credit card processing fees. But be sure to check local laws first; several states prohibit businesses from passing on credit card fees to customers. - Integrated Square loyalty
You can give your restaurant a polished look by offering automated rewards. KioskBuddy will alert returning customers to any accumulated rewards—and opportunities to redeem them—upon checkout. Every system on this list will track customer rewards; however, some, like Lightspeed, lack the ability to redeem rewards at the kiosk. Rewards redemption at the kiosk is a really great feature offered by this low-cost kiosk. - KDS integration
In addition to printing checks to kitchen printers, KioskBuddy also integrates with the Square KDS if you prefer to use screens in your kitchen. With the Square KDS, your customers will receive a text message that their order is ready when your cooks mark the dish as complete in the KDS.
Using KioskBuddy requires both a Square POS subscription and a KioskBuddy subscription. So, you’ll need to account for monthly fees on both.
Square POS Pricing
Free
Plus
Premium
Monthly fees
$0
$60
Custom quote
Menu and table management
✓
✓
✓
Online ordering
✓
✓
✓
Customizable user permissions
✕
✓
✓
Advanced reporting
✕
✓
✓
All KioskBuddy accounts include software for unlimited kiosks and unlimited locations. The only limitations are the number of included transactions.
Kiosk Buddy Pricing
Starter
Pro
Business
Enterprise
$50
$100
$200
Custom quote
Included transactions
500 (+ 25 cents per additional transaction)
1,500 (+ 20 cents per additional transaction)
4,500 (+ 15 cents per additional transaction)
Flexible
KioskBuddy and Square include tools for both retail and restaurant operations. But, KioskBuddy currently doesn’t integrate with Square Appointments. So, if you need a kiosk for your salon or other wellness business, try DaySmart Salon. If you want check-in tools for a restaurant, try Yelp Kiosk.
Yelp Kiosk: Best for Restaurant Reservation Check-in
Overall Score:
3.70
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- 30-day free trial
- New subscriptions come with a free iPad
- Automated SMS text messaging alerts
- Integrates with 8 popular POS systems
Cons
- Only supports reservation and waitlist functions; cannot process payments
- Subscriptions can get pricey
What we like:
Yelp Kiosk is part of the Yelp Guest Manager reservation system for restaurants. Both are part of the Yelp for Restaurants platform, which also includes Yelp Ads. The Yelp Kiosk communicates with Yelp Guest Manager and allows your customers to self-check-in for reservations or add themselves to the waitlist without interacting with any front desk staff. This can save understaffed restaurants time and money.
It scored points for providing a free iPad to new customers, supporting integrations with eight popular restaurant POS systems, and offering a 30-day free trial. This system could have scored higher if it had more included functions like self-service reservations or the ability to pre-pay for meals or events. But if all you need is help at your host stand, Yelp Kiosk is a great solution.
Visit Yelp
Yelp Guest Manager operates on iPads. Yelp provides a free iPad to all new Guest Manager accounts.
- Automated wait times
No need for your front desk team to be wait time experts; the Yelp Guest Manager system automatically predicts expected wait times based on your current traffic and past performance. The kiosk will quote an estimated wait to walk-in customers when they sign in and let them know how many parties are ahead of them. - Supports multiple languages
Your customers can use the kiosk in their preferred language. So, there is no chance of a misunderstanding or miscommunication at the front desk. - Collects guest information
Once entered into the kiosk, customer information is logged and trackable. You can use customer information to track customer behavior for reporting purposes or use customer-provided contact information for marketing campaigns. - POS integrations
Unlike every other system on this list, Yelp Kiosk integrates with multiple POS systems (though only with one reservation system; Yelp Guest Manager). Legacy POS systems Oracle MICROS and NCR Aloha are supported, as are touchscreen systems Positouch, Squirrel, Lightspeed, Dinerware, Omnivore, and Xpient.
Yelp offers a 30-day free trial of Guest Manager. After that, agreements last one year. Yelp regularly waives from one to three months of software fees for new customers that sign a year-long contract.
Guest Manager Basic
Guest Manager Plus
Guest Manager Enterprise
$99
$299
Custom Quote
Booking limits
Up to 500/ month
Unlimited
Unlimited
Waitlist
✓
✓
✓
Online reservations
✓
✓
✓
POS integration
✕
✓
✓
Multilocation management
✕
✕
✓
Overall Score:
3.70
/ 5
RATING CRITERIA
Pricing and Payments
Hardware
Features
Ease of use
Expert Score
Pros
- 30-day free trial
- New subscriptions come with a free iPad
- Automated SMS text messaging alerts
- Integrates with 8 popular POS systems
Cons
- Only supports reservation and waitlist functions; cannot process payments
- Subscriptions can get pricey
What we like:
Yelp Kiosk is part of the Yelp Guest Manager reservation system for restaurants. Both are part of the Yelp for Restaurants platform, which also includes Yelp Ads. The Yelp Kiosk communicates with Yelp Guest Manager and allows your customers to self-check-in for reservations or add themselves to the waitlist without interacting with any front desk staff. This can save understaffed restaurants time and money.
It scored points for providing a free iPad to new customers, supporting integrations with eight popular restaurant POS systems, and offering a 30-day free trial. This system could have scored higher if it had more included functions like self-service reservations or the ability to pre-pay for meals or events. But if all you need is help at your host stand, Yelp Kiosk is a great solution.
Visit Yelp
Yelp Guest Manager operates on iPads. Yelp provides a free iPad to all new Guest Manager accounts.
- Automated wait times
No need for your front desk team to be wait time experts; the Yelp Guest Manager system automatically predicts expected wait times based on your current traffic and past performance. The kiosk will quote an estimated wait to walk-in customers when they sign in and let them know how many parties are ahead of them. - Supports multiple languages
Your customers can use the kiosk in their preferred language. So, there is no chance of a misunderstanding or miscommunication at the front desk. - Collects guest information
Once entered into the kiosk, customer information is logged and trackable. You can use customer information to track customer behavior for reporting purposes or use customer-provided contact information for marketing campaigns. - POS integrations
Unlike every other system on this list, Yelp Kiosk integrates with multiple POS systems (though only with one reservation system; Yelp Guest Manager). Legacy POS systems Oracle MICROS and NCR Aloha are supported, as are touch-screen systems Positouch, Squirrel, Lightspeed, Dinerware, Omnivore, and Xpient.
Yelp offers a 30-day free trial of Guest Manager. After that, agreements last one year. Yelp regularly waives from one to three months of software fees for new customers that sign a year-long contract.
Guest Manager Basic
Guest Manager Plus
Guest Manager Enterprise
$99
$299
Custom Quote
Booking limits
Up to 500/ month
Unlimited
Unlimited
Waitlist
✓
✓
✓
Online reservations
✓
✓
✓
POS integration
✕
✓
✓
Multilocation management
✕
✕
✓
Yelp Guest Manager only handles guest reservations. So, if you need POS integration and want the ability for your customers to order and pay for meals, you’ll need to look at Lightspeed, Toast, or Square with KioskBuddy. Retailers will be better served by Square with KioskBuddy or IT Retail. Service businesses like salons and barbershops should consider DaySmart Salon.
For additional restaurant reservation options, see our reviews of reservation software Tock and GloriaFood.
Methodology—How We Evaluated Self-service Kiosks
We compared over a dozen popular self-service kiosk systems based on what’s important to independent business owners, including overall cost, purchasing functions, POS and payment integrations, and ease of use for customers and staff. We also considered our retail and restaurant experts’ personal evaluations of each software.
Click through the tabs below for our full evaluation criteria:
25%
Pricing & Payments
10%
Hardware
20%
Kiosk Features
20%
Ease of Use
25%
Expert Score
25% of Overall Score
First, we looked at whether or not each software offers a free plan, free trial, and a software option under $75 per month. We also considered hardware costs and looked for kiosk systems that operate on readily available hardware like iPads. We awarded points to systems that integrate with more than one payment processor so restaurant owners can shop around for the best processing rates. And, we also considered how each kiosk handles cash payments.
10% of Overall Score
We awarded points to systems that support multiple hardware configurations or multiple software workflows to support different business types.
20% of Overall Score
Kiosks need to support complex orders with modifications and meal combos. We also looked for systems that upsell onscreen to increase check averages. Since customer preferences vary, we looked for systems that accept a wide range of payment types, from credit cards to mobile wallets and cash. We also looked for kiosks that collect customer information to support your marketing and loyalty solutions to encourage return business. To keep your business running smoothly, we looked for kiosks that integrate directly with restaurant POS systems.
20% of Overall Score
Kiosks need to be easy for customers to navigate without guidance. They also should be easy for owners and managers to update when prices or menu items change. We looked for systems that are easy to self-install or include professional installation at no additional charge. We also awarded points to systems that offer 24/7 customer support. Then we considered how the system notifies customers that their order is ready, giving high marks to kiosks that support integrated SMS text messaging.
25% of Overall Score
Finally, we considered any standout features of each system and whether the combined software and hardware offers a good overall value for the price. We also judged each system’s popularity among small businesses of various types. Then we awarded points based on our personal experience interacting with the software and the company’s customer support.
*Percentages of overall score
Bottom Line
Nowadays there are self-service kiosk options for virtually every business type. In this evaluation, Toast outscored the competition by providing the most comprehensive, user-friendly tools for the businesses they serve—restaurants. With smart cash routing, complex order modifiers, and full communication with your loyalty program, restaurants can save labor hours by rolling out Toast kiosks. With a $0 Starter Kit subscription and pay-as-you-go-hardware, you can get started for $0 upfront.
Visit Toast
