10 Best Restaurant Management Software for Your Business

Most of the time, restaurant owners have to contend with the daily grind of running their businesses. Managing a restaurant is undoubtedly one of the most daunting tasks that an entrepreneur can undertake.

Restaurant management involves a lot of processes that, if done right, would ensure the smooth flow of enterprise and even increased profits. While profits may be harder to achieve with the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurateurs can still capitalize on the pent-up demand for on-premise dining as well as the increased demand for off-premise dining. And you do that—and save time—by employing restaurant management software. Here, we discuss the 10 leading in the field so you can find one that works for you.

The restaurant industry is one of the most badly hit industries by the COVID-19 pandemic. A report detailing how Americans changed eating habits during the pandemic revealed that 55% of shoppers have been eating at home more since the pandemic began. However, eating at home is not without its challenges, with consumers saying that their biggest struggles are grocery shopping and planning different meals.

Eating at home also doesn’t mean that consumers don’t want to return to restaurants at all. On the contrary, a report on the state of the restaurant industry reveals that 67% of adults in the U.S. said that they are not eating on-premise at restaurants and fast food places as often as they would like.

Restaurant management applications allow restaurateurs to oversee all processes of their operations using a single solution. For first-time users, focus on certain areas can be useful in their selection of restaurant management software providers. Ideally, key features should include functions such as billing, CRM, stock and inventory, and reporting and analytics. Automation of these tasks helps ease management burdens while improving sales and enriching customer experience. Using restaurant management software can equip you to reopen your business and ride the wave of recent restaurant trends.

10 Best Restaurant Management Software

1. Toast POS

Toast POS is a tool specifically targeted at US-based businesses such as bars, coffee shops, and restaurants. It allows for the improvement of worker efficiencies and customer experience while reducing costs. The software has a menu management feature that can handle menu pricing, customization for both online and offline clients, and preparation of the entire menu. An ordering capability allows managers to split items and customer bills and can generate notification upon the completion of an order.

The vendor offers a great free demo that lets you try out all the key features first. You can easily sign up for Toast POS free demo.

Toast POS

Try out Toast POS with their free demo

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Orders are taken using POS Android-based tablet computers, eliminating the need to make runs in between kitchen, terminals and tables. Also, the system can monitor stocks and add or remove menu items. Customers can use the interface to sign receipts, pay, and hand out tips. Automation of loyalty and discount workflows, along with menu customization is achievable using the app; staff performance can be monitored through daily email alerts that the solution automatically sends out.

Transactions are hastened using the interface’s Quick Order feature as working from tablets servers easily take orders and receive payments at tableside. Another useful feature is that the application presents restaurant clients with reasonable tip percentages. All these transactions can be remotely monitored in real-time. However, as mentioned previously, this platform is only available to businesses that operate within the US.

2. MarketMan

MarketMan is a complete restaurant management system for bars, cafes, and supply chains. Its seven modules streamline backend and frontend workflows and lower overhead costs for businesses of all sizes. The modules include restaurant, inventory, purchasing and order, expense tracking, multi-units and chains, recipe, and payment management. MarketMan is easily customizable, and large enterprises can even create individual databases for each branch and related business and access them from a centralized database.

This software offers recipe-costing tools, with price and ingredient breakdowns for every menu item and concept dishes that could be added to your restaurant’s menu, simplifying the process. It lets you create a digital cookbook for food prep in your branches.

MarketMan

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MarketMan’s inventory management tools are robust, allowing you to track inventory, waste, theft, and branch transfers in real time. It automatically orders inventory from suppliers based on your budget and delivery deadlines. The platform also automatically tracks credits and price changes and sends you updates. It lets you automatically pay vendors using credit cards, online banking, and ACH. With QuickBooks integration, a digital ledger automatically records these activities.

MarketMan works with many business tools like QuickBooks, Dinerware, Sage Intacct, bill.com, Brink POS, Invu, and Touchbistro . It has three pricing plans, invoice scans, vendor integrations, and a commissary module. Request a demo and have the vendor set up the software for a one-time fee.

3. TouchBistro

TouchBistro is an application targeted at restaurants and just about every type of foodservice there is. The platform is designed to automate virtually every business process involved in restaurant management. It can effectively manage orders, tables, and staff scheduling, among others. The software can be accessed by iPad, making tasks such as access reporting and analytics easy to do anytime, anywhere.

Operating on local area networks, the system does not need to be online to do its job. This means that no downtime will ever occur, even if an internet outage takes place. This important feature is complemented by the application’s capability to report and manage menus using the cloud, which enables managers to continually monitor their businesses from anywhere.

TouchBistro

Try out TouchBistro with their free trial

TouchBistro comes with a Self-Ordering Kiosk, which can benefit fast-food services by helping cut costs associated with labor as it speeds up the ordering process. The application’s smart features help cater to the needs of most restaurants, which include table management, bill splitting, and menu updates. All these are done through the system’s iPad interface.

Also, TouchBistro can provide restaurant staff with needed mobility by customizing the ordering process. This feature enables employees to cater to incoming customers, generating more tips and sales in the process. Order errors are also prevented, allowing for a richer customer experience.

4. When I Work

When I Work is an employee scheduling and time tracking software that helps organizations save time on scheduling, improve communication, and support transparency among staff when it comes to time tracking. It landed on our list of leading restaurant management tools because it simplifies the management of shifts in the foodservice industry. The app is also easy to use and is available on both desktop and mobile devices so that teams can access it no matter where they are located.

Setting up your team’s work schedules takes only a few minutes using When I Work’s intuitive interface. Its scheduling features include one-click scheduling, labor forecasting, shift change schedule alerts, and labor reports. The platform also has a schedule enforcement feature that lets managers and team leaders limit clock-ins to employee shifts and locations so there is better control over work schedules. As a result, it’s easier to make sure everyone is where they need to be at the right time.

When I Work

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Using When I Work as your company’s time tracking solution also gets rid of paper time cards and cumbersome managing of things like timesheets, staff attendance, and pay rates and differentials. The platform is a scalable and integrated app that can fit teams of any size and companies in a wide range of industries. Aside from improving time tracking and attendance management, When I Work is can also be an effective solution to simplify payroll and prevent unauthorized overtime.

5. Lightspeed Restaurant

Lightspeed Restaurant is an integrated POS system that offers advanced features for restaurant management. For instance, one of the most useful features of the platform is letting users build customized menus in minutes and update these menus from any device. You can also include photos and descriptions of menu items to make it easier for customers to choose their orders.

The software provides a view of the restaurant’s floor plan. You can use custom images for tables and seats so your space is represented accurately. Color indicators reveal whether a table is free, occupied, or ready to pay, improving table turnover rates and potentially boosting sales. Users can add or remove tables as needed to accommodate peak periods and rush hours.

Lightspeed Restaurant

Try out Lightspeed Restaurant with their free trial

Moreover, the software makes the ordering experience easier for customers and staff alike. Through Lightspeed Restaurant, for instance, you can set up a mobile POS to serve customers wherever they are on your property. Customers can directly order from their phones, with the orders and requests automatically sent to the kitchen. This self-service option allows servers to focus on upselling and improving the overall customer experience.

Lightspeed Restaurant comes with various customer management features, so you can set up customer profiles that include customers’ favorite menu items and visit history. This feature helps you provide personalized customer service.

6. 7shifts

7Shifts is, like When I Work, an employee scheduling software. This is, however, not the biggest reason we’ve included it in our top 10 list. This software is specifically made for use by restaurant managers because it can improve employee attendance and schedule shifts seamlessly. As a result, your restaurant will be staffed accordingly, without redundancies and conflicts.

The best thing about 7shifts is that it simplifies the creation and modification of schedules. It has a native mobile app, so you can clock in anywhere and managers can approve schedule requests on the go. Other features include in-app messaging, push and email notifications, and integrations with payroll software.

7Shifts

Try out 7Shifts with their free trial

7shifts also has comprehensive analytics with forecasting features. This software can allow you to project costs and budgets and give you numerical data on the performance of your restaurant—in real-time.

The system facilitates communication between managers and staff through integrated communication tools. One-on-one and group chat features make it easier for employees and management to communicate shift changes and other concerns. Managers can also use the system to send one-way and all-call messages to staff.

7. Oracle Hospitality

Oracle Hospitality is not a single application but rather a suite of software, hardware, and cloud solutions designed to enhance hotel and restaurant operations while at the same elevating each guest’s experience.  This represents Oracle’s full commitment in transitioning its hospitality unit into the digital economy.

Designed to create solutions that enable growth for the hotel and restaurant business, Oracle Hospitality provides the tools to create property management and point-of-sale systems that can better manage operations, increase efficiency, and provide improved guest experiences.

The complete suite is designed to maximize both profits and productivity by providing deeper insights into client behaviors. Through Oracle Hospitality, you can gather feedback from your customer base, tailor personalized services, and encourage direct reservations and bookings. At the same time, it can help address concerns in reservations, housekeeping, finances, guest management, and loyalty programs.

8. Sapaad

Sapaad is a POS and delivery management designed to make running a restaurant easier. The system works seamlessly for food service businesses of all sizes, from cafes and take-away counters to large multi-chain restaurants and fast-food chains. The Sapaad system can also accommodate all types of orders, including dine-in, take away, and online ordering.

Aside from being versatile, Sapaad is designed to be easy to use. The system’s dashboard allows restaurant staff to browse available menu categories, place orders, and add customer preferences to orders. Moreover, the system’s Dine In module also provides a convenient overview of the status of all tables at the restaurant, so front-of-house staff know exactly how many tables are available, no matter how busy it gets.

Sapaad also helps streamline the back-office processes involved in running a restaurant. The dashboard’s Inventory tab provides features for managing suppliers, sending purchase orders, and checking received goods against invoices. The software can also help restaurants account for wastage by tracking damaged items, expired items, and cancelled orders.

For easier restaurant management, Sapaad also provides a robust business dashboard. This dashboard gives users a real-time view of the restaurant’s performance, with live updates for orders and sales as these come in. Widgets on the dashboard can be resized and rearranged so restaurant owners can focus on the most important metrics.

9. Clover

Clover is an integrated POS system specially designed for small and medium restaurants. With its user-friendly interface, the system makes it easier for restaurant staff to take orders and accept payments. The software allows restaurants to accept credit and debit cards and checks as well as payments through NFC and mobile wallets.

Using Clover’s POS hardware and software, restaurants will also be able to improve the dining experience for customers. Digital receipts and one-touch tipping become available, and safer transactions become possible through contactless payments. Through Clover’s POS system, restaurants can also accept payments even offline.

Clover also facilitates seamless online ordering for restaurants. Online orders are routed directly to the POS system to ensure accuracy. Orders can also be customized with more descriptive modifiers to ensure orders are prepared correctly. Additionally, the software allows staff to easily combine multiple orders, open tabs, and split bills.

This POS software also makes it easier for restaurant owners to track sales and revenue. The system provides accurate data on a wide variety of metrics, including overall and hourly revenue, open orders, and top-selling items. Sales can be monitored as they come in, and reports are accessible via mobile devices as well.

10. Revel Systems POS

Revel Systems POS is a comprehensive and scalable iPad-based POS platform made specifically for retail stores, bars, and restaurants. It allows you to fully stay on top of your business with its employee management, inventory management, and sales reporting capabilities.

The POS system comes fully integrated with both finance and accounting tools, along with a flexible payment system to ensure the smooth operation of your business. The inventory module informs you which item is currently selling most so you can prevent running out of stock and ensure satisfied customers.

For flexibility, Revel Systems POS lets you accept multiple payment types, hold bar tabs, and split bills. Versatile table management, cash management, and delivery management features let you deliver the best service to your customers according to their preferences.

While it’s a cloud-based tool, it’s fully capable of offline mode, syncing data once internet connection is fully restored.

Manage Your Restaurant With a Powerful Tool

After reading this top 10 restaurant management software guide, you should now be able to choose the one that’s appropriate for you. But keep in mind that you need not stare at the flashy features, consider your needs and pick the one that can give them to you.

Our top pick is Toast POS, which has all the things you need to manage your restaurant operations—and a bit more. It’s tooled specifically for restaurants and other food and beverage establishments, but its flexible features allow it to find work in places that serve clients using a POS system if you want to know more about the features, you can easily sign up for a Toast POS free demo.

Otherwise, you can take a look at our list of inventory management software. These are programs that can complement your restaurant management application by making sure your restaurant or establishment has the necessary stocks on hand, helping your business survive during and even beyond the pandemic.

By Shaun Baker

With 5 years of experience in digital marketing and retail strategy under his belt, Shaun Baker is the resident eCommerce expert at FinancesOnline. A contributor to Entrepreneur, The Atlantic, and other business portals, he has spoken and written about various eCommerce subjects, from AI and headless commerce to the economics of Black Mirror’s “Fifteen Million Credits”. His (highly) opinionated pieces on the ebbs and flows of eCommerce as an industry remain both a dynamic resource of talking points and entertainment in itself.