TouchBistro Review and Pricing

Why We Chose TouchBistro for Restaurants

We like that TouchBistro POS is made specifically for restaurants; it doesn’t try to cater to all industries and pack in retail POS system features as many other platforms do. This focus allows TouchBistro to offer restaurant-specific tools, including drag-and-drop table management, customizable menu dashboards and ingredient-level tracking. TouchBistro also has features that make life easier for servers and bartenders, including seat management, forced modifiers, upsells and various bill-splitting options. While these features may not be relevant to a retailer, they’re incredibly helpful for restaurants and can streamline your overall operations.

TouchBistro impressed us as a reliable POS system that streamlines restaurant management. It reduces operational headaches and allows restaurant owners to focus on excellent, efficient customer service.

In addition, TouchBistro was one of the only hybrid POS systems we reviewed. Hybrid POS systems combine the flexibility of cloud-based POS software with the reliability and stability of a locally installed connection. Restaurants will continue to operate on a server if they lose their internet connection during a dinner rush — a benefit that can significantly impact your restaurant’s bottom line.

TouchBistro’s restaurant-specific table management features help boost table turn times, reduce errors and improve the customer experience. Source: TouchBistro 

Ease of Use

When we tested the software, TouchBistro impressed us with its ease of use; it’s one of the most straightforward POS systems we evaluated. We particularly liked how effortlessly businesses can set up the TouchBistro POS dashboard to match their menu and table layout. Here are some other ease-of-use features we noted: 

• Familiar functionality: As an iPad-based POS system, TouchBistro’s functionality will be familiar to anyone who’s used iPhones and iPads. 
• Customizability: We appreciated the platform’s seamless customizability. While most POS systems allow some customization, we found TouchBistro’s customizations to be next-level. Restaurants of all types and sizes can quickly modify the solution to meet their specific needs. Restaurants can effortlessly customize forced menu modifiers and upsell items, simplifying the serving process for waitstaff. Additionally, it’s simple to add features to handle reservations, online ordering and customer loyalty programs, allowing you to take customer service to the next level. 
• Mobile functionality: We really like that TouchBistro’s mobile POS allows for easy table-side ordering and checkout. We were impressed that servers can view helpful information, including ingredient lists, allergy information and menu item images — something not all competitors provide. 
• Easy staff training: Many restaurants experience high employee turnover rates. TouchBistro is so easy to learn and use that training new staff members will be a breeze. They’ll be able to learn the system in less than an hour, and navigation is extremely user-friendly for anyone familiar with iOS devices.

TouchBistro Features

There’s a good reason TouchBistro is a leader in the restaurant POS market: Its vast feature set supports the industry comprehensively. Additionally, we like that TouchBistro updates its software frequently, regularly adding new POS system features and enhancements.

Here’s an overview of TouchBistro’s most impressive features. 

Restaurant Management

TouchBistro is a server-friendly system that makes floor management easier during busy times. Here are some of its notable general restaurant management tools: 

• Table management: When testing the software, we liked how the drag-and-drop table-management tools make it easy to create a floor plan that mimics your restaurant’s layout. This function will help you efficiently manage tables and seats while maximizing occupancy. 
• Tracking tools: We really liked the platform’s robust tracking tools, which provide detailed information on a restaurant’s performance. For example, an employer can record how frequently tables are turned over and evaluate staff efficiency.
• Online ordering: TouchBistro’s online ordering functionality impressed us. Restaurants can take orders via their website or Google profile and move them into the TouchBistro POS system. Guests can place online orders for ASAP pickup or delivery and schedule future orders. We found these capabilities impressive because not all competitors offer this integrated functionality. Companies can also brand their online ordering page — another touch we really like.  
• Menu management: Quick-service and full-service establishments will appreciate the platform’s customizable menu management. Users can modify menus for different days and add item modifications, allergen warnings, and upselling and cross-selling options. 

TouchBistro’s online ordering functionality can boost restaurants’ sales. Source: TouchBistro

Employee Management

We like that TouchBistro allows restaurants to customize employee management with these tools: 

• Customized user profiles: You can create user profiles for each employee and assign them to staff roles. This tool gives you total control of the information and features your staff can access. For example, you may want only hosts to make reservations or managers to be able to comp meals.
• Data-based employee management: We were impressed by TouchBistro’s data-based approach to employee management. For example, you can run reports on staff members to determine your best performers based on sales. This feature makes it easy to run staff competitions and encourages servers to offer upsells. The platform also has a built-in time clock and in-app messaging to help you communicate with employees. 
• Robust scheduling: We like TouchBistro’s robust scheduling tools — a necessity in an industry with varying weekly shifts. The platform allows users to determine staff availability, organize split shifts, ensure coverage and record overtime hours. Notably, Touch Bistro also integrates with 7shifts to help with scheduling. 

TouchBistro allows you to set user profiles and permissions for staff members. Source: TouchBistro

Inventory Management

We found TouchBistro’s inventory management among the industry’s best. The platform’s integrated MarginEdge back office solution is a significant aspect of this functionality, allowing you to use digital inventory management to track food costs and pinpoint areas of consistent waste. 

We were very impressed that MarginEdge has a team of real people — not AI — reviewing costs line by line by menu category before publishing food cost numbers. This data can help restaurant owners determine which parts of the menu to keep and which parts to change to ultimately help increase your restaurant’s profits. 

TouchBistro allows you to manage your inventory down to the specific ingredients used in each dish. The platform can flag items that are running low and automatically remove offerings from the menu when you’re out of a specific ingredient. You can add inventory using a barcode scanner or enter items manually.

During our testing, the initial inventory setup required some time and patience when we were manually adding ingredients, recipes and associated menu items. However, once the initial work is done, stock levels are updated automatically as customers place orders. This high level of inventory management can streamline kitchen and restaurant management functionalities because you won’t need to track ingredients by hand at the end of every shift.

TouchBistro’s digital inventory management system (powered by MarginEdge) helps you track food costs and minimize waste. Source: TouchBistro

Customer Management

Excellent customer management is essential to earn repeat business and customer loyalty. TouchBistro excels in these areas with its customer accounts feature, which allows you to record customer preferences, view purchase histories and manage balances. You can track 24 different data points as customers interact with a restaurant location onsite or online.

We were also impressed by the platform’s in-house TouchBistro Reservations platform (available as an add-on for a flat monthly fee), which facilitates two-way texts and emails between establishments and their customers. It also helps to provide detailed reports by tracking spending versus a customer’s in-restaurant time. 

TouchBistro Reservations helps you manage your restaurant’s capacity and note customer needs and requests. Source: TouchBistro

Customer Loyalty Programs

We like that TouchBistro makes it easy to create and use loyalty programs. The platform helps you collect customer data to provide branded loyalty cards, gift cards and other rewards.

Although most POS system competitors have some customer loyalty features, we were impressed that TouchBistro offers a dedicated program, TouchBistro Loyalty, as an add-on (customized pricing). TouchBistro Loyalty provides the following functions (many can be customized with your restaurant branding):  

• CRM features for gathering important customer information (e.g., number of visits, spending, order information, birthdays)
• Targeted marketing campaigns that you can distribute through TouchBistro Marketing
• Integrated online ordering to reward customers no matter how they interact with your restaurant
• Customized loyalty programs by eatery type (e.g., food truck, quick-service or full-service restaurant)

We also really like that TouchBistro can help you set up a customer-facing web app, which makes their loyalty info easy to see and access on the go.

TouchBistro Loyalty ensures customers earn rewards whether they dine in-house or place an online order. Source: TouchBistro 

Reporting

TouchBistro’s POS reports impressed us. The platform stores reporting data in the cloud, which makes the information easy to access from anywhere, even when you’re away from the restaurant. This functionality is excellent for restaurateurs that have multiple locations and need a detailed bird’s-eye view and the ability to make informed changes on the go.

TouchBistro has roughly 90 detailed reports, including the following:

• Total sales
• Menu items, categories and promotion sales
• Customer behavior and spending patterns
• Statistical summaries
• Payments and payment types
• Shifts, staff tips and activity
• Discounts, deletions and voids
• Taxes and accounting
• Inventory tracking (by ingredient)

Mobile App

TouchBistro’s mobile app, TouchBistro Reports To Go, is geared specifically toward reports. This is great for employers and managers who want to review daily sales data and reports while they’re away from the restaurant. However, employers should remember that this app is not intended to be a full-service mobile POS system like some competitors offer. Its functionality is limited compared with the standard TouchBistro POS dashboard.

Integrations

TouchBistro doesn’t have the plethora of integration options that some competitors offer. However, the platform provides essential integrations that many restaurants will appreciate. In particular, it has partnered with companies to provide functionality in areas such as loyalty, marketing and reservations.

TouchBistro has also partnered with several payment processors to provide payment processing services. Because it outsources payment processing, it can offer transparent pricing and doesn’t tack on fees to make more money. It also supports third-party payment integrations, so if you’re looking for a new POS setup and really love your payment processor, you could keep it with TouchBistro.

TouchBistro Pricing

When it comes to POS system costs, we appreciate that TouchBistro is transparent with its pricing. Its website clearly lists its POS plans’ starting costs and prices for add-on services. This transparency makes it easy for restauranteurs to quickly estimate how much they might spend on their POS system based on their needed features. In contrast, some competitors aren’t as upfront about their pricing.

Here are TouchBistro’s starting prices (your needs may incur additional costs):

• POS system: $69 per month (includes menu management, reporting and analytics, table-side ordering, floor plan and table management, and staff management)
• Kitchen display system: $19 per month
• Profit management: $330 per month
• Online ordering: $50 per month
• Reservations: $229 per month
• Gift cards: $25 per month 
• Loyalty program: $99 per month
• Marketing: $99 per month

TouchBistro also gives you access to TouchBistro Payments (powered by Chase), its in-house payment processing service. 

Implementation/Onboarding

We were impressed by TouchBistro’s easy implementation and onboarding process, particularly its seamless customizability. You can easily do the following:

• Add functions like reservations, online ordering, gift cards and loyalty programs 
• Modify features such as table layout, menu setup and forced modifiers for each dish or drink.
• Control menu adjustments for multiple locations or make one-off tweaks for individual locations. 

Although modifying your system is straightforward, setting up and customizing it will take time, as with any new restaurant software.

When it comes to hardware, we appreciate that a TouchBistro onboarding team will help you decide what’s best for your restaurant. Depending on your business-specific needs, the company may recommend implementing a mix of stationary terminals, line busters and table-side devices.

Once your system is set up, training employees should be straightforward and quick. We like that the POS dashboard is intuitive and user-friendly, so the learning curve isn’t steep. Setting up forced modifiers within the system can reduce the overall time you spend training employees on the menu. 

We were particularly impressed that you get a dedicated onboarding manager to help guide you through onboarding and implementation and ensure your system is set up correctly. Not all competitors provide this service.

TouchBistro hardware offerings are iPad-based, with options for stationary terminals, line-busting devices and table-side ordering. Source: TouchBistro

Customer Support

TouchBistro offers 24/7 customer support, which is on a par with the industry standard. You can contact a representative by phone, email or chat. You can also access a wealth of POS system knowledge via TouchBistro’s searchable support hub. From the support hub, you’ll find articles, videos, workshops and a VIP community willing to help out. TouchBistro continually updates its software with new features and performance enhancements, so we like that it offers a user tutorial on keeping the software updated.

TouchBistro’s searchable help center boasts a wealth of information on numerous topics to supplement the company’s 24/7 service. Source: TouchBistro

Limitations

TouchBistro is a robust solution for restaurants, but we discovered a few limitations you should be aware of:

• No BBB accreditation: TouchBistro is not currently accredited by the Better Business Bureau and, therefore, has an F rating. While businesses aren’t required to seek BBB accreditation, this status is worth noting. Additionally, a number of customer complaints have been filed. While these complaints may not accurately represent the service you’ll receive from TouchBistro, they may be a consideration. If you’re a stickler for businesses with BBB accreditation, check out our review of Brilliant POS, which boasts an A+ rating.
• Limited integrations: TouchBistro doesn’t have as many integrations as some competitors. However, it does have essential options for accounting, analytics, inventory management, online ordering, payment processing, staff scheduling and payroll. If you are looking for a POS solution with hundreds of integrations, check out our Lightspeed POS review and our review of Square.
• No Android options: TouchBistro is an iPad-based POS system that doesn’t offer Android or other operating system options. If you’re looking for hardware built on a more diverse array of operating systems, check out our CAKE review.
• No free trial: Some businesses want to test their POS system before fully committing, but TouchBistro doesn’t offer this option. If this is a dealbreaker for you, check out our review of Toast, which has a free Quick Start plan that can give you a feel for the platform, or our Clover review, which explains the vendor’s generous 30-day free trial.

Methodology

We researched and analyzed dozens of the best POS systems to identify the top industry solutions. We examined pricing, contracts, hardware, platform compatibility, must-have POS features, reports, payment processing, integrations, usability and customer support to help businesses choose the right POS system for their needs. When looking for the best POS system for restaurants specifically, we prioritized features such as inventory management, customer management, loyalty programs, table management, usability and customization. 

Bottom Line

We recommend TouchBistro for …

• Any size or type of restaurant (e.g., full service, quick service, cafes, bars, food trucks or breweries).
• Restaurants that need a hybrid POS system.
• Restaurants that are looking for advanced inventory management features.
• Restaurants that want flexible payment processing options.
• Restaurants that need a server-friendly platform that’s easy and quick to learn.

We don’t recommend TouchBistro for …

• Companies in the retail space.
• Restaurants that want an Android-based POS platform.
• Restaurants that want a free trial to test a POS system.

Elizabeth Crumbly contributed to this review.