For restaurant operators, the right point-of-sale system isn’t just about processing payments—it’s about enabling efficiency across every part of the business.
A robust POS can directly impact profitability, customer experience, and long-term growth, from streamlining service workflows to improving visibility over multi-site performance.
This comparison looks at five leading restaurant POS systems used across Australia. We’ve broken down each platform’s key features and integration capabilities to help you evaluate which solution aligns best with your operational needs and strategic goals.
1. Fedelta (POS): Best Overall Restaurant Point of Sale System
Need a restaurant POS system that can boost your business operations? Fedelta POS has become a strong player in the restaurant point-of-sale market because of its detailed features and flexibility. This Australian-developed system brings a fresh approach to restaurant management through cloud-enabled yet locally managed solutions.
Fedelta (POS) Key Features and Capabilities
Fedelta dominates the POS system and works as an all-in-one restaurant management platform that optimises operations and cuts costs.
Fedelta’s user-friendly interface makes staff training simple and reduces operational errors. Restaurants benefit from smoother service during rush hours. The platform offers these resilient features:
- Table management that organises seating efficiently
- Online ordering systems that create new revenue streams
- Inventory tracking that reduces waste and maintains optimal stock
- Real-time data access from any device with internet
The cloud-based structure lets restaurant owners manage their operations from anywhere. Multi-location businesses find this particularly useful for centralised control. Regular updates add new features and improvements that help restaurants keep up with industry trends and customer expectations..
Fedelta POS Integration Options
Fedelta POS integrates with a wide range of platforms, allowing fast-paced restaurants to connect the tools they already use and simplify day-to-day operations. From accounting to online ordering, the POS system is built to support the different moving parts of a sit-down hospitality business.
Here are some of the integration areas supported:
Accounting & Reporting Integrations
- Avero – Business intelligence integration for daily export of sales and operational data.
- Xero – Connect financial data for simplified bookkeeping and reporting.
Online Ordering & Delivery Integrations
- Chewzie – Enable click-and-collect, dine-in ordering, and loyalty through one platform.
- DoorDash – Manage third-party delivery services directly within Fedelta.
- Google Food Ordering – Allow customers to place orders via Google Search and Maps.
Reservations Integrations
- OpenTable – Two-way integration for bookings and walk-ins.
- NowBookIt – Combines CRM, table reservations, guest experience, and gift card tools.
- ResDiary – Offers table management and reservation tools that help reduce no-shows.
- SevenRooms – Data-driven reservation and retention platform focused on guest experience.
- InLine – Cloud-based reservation automation system (integration coming soon).
Workforce Management Integrations
- Ento – Roster and shift data export to align labour with revenue performance.
- Humanforce – Helps manage rosters, compliance, and employee timesheets.
API access is available for businesses that need additional custom integrations or have specific workflows. This flexibility allows venues to keep their preferred systems while centralising key operational tasks through the POS.
2. Square POS: Best for Small Business Restaurants and Food Trucks
Small restaurant and food truck owners need a POS system that balances cost with capability. Square POS stands out as an available entry point into modern restaurant management technology. We chose it because it offers a free plan without monthly subscription fees.
Square Restaurant POS Features and Functionality
Square’s restaurant POS system delivers a complete toolkit designed for smaller food service operations. The system’s user-friendly interface helps new staff become proficient in under an hour. Most users get up to speed in less than 15 minutes. This quick learning curve helps food trucks and small restaurants that face high staff turnover.
Food truck operators will find these standout features:
- Offline payment processing that keeps operations running without internet connection
- QR code ordering capability that cuts down lines and frees up staff
- Live sales data you can check from anywhere to track performance across locations
- Free online ordering page with a branded website for pickup orders
Menu management excels in this system. Operators can customise their item grid and categories to match their food truck menu quickly. This customisation extends to item variations and modifiers, which makes offering food customisations simple for loyal customers.
Square is an all-in-one platform that handles payment processing, inventory management, and team management. The POS software seamlessly integrates with Square’s integrated hardware solutions, creating an uninterrupted operational experience even in tight food truck spaces.
Square Hardware Options and Compatibility
Square’s hardware solutions fit different restaurant environments. These options include:
- Square Terminal: A compact, all-in-one device that accepts payments and prints receipts—perfect for tableside ordering in tight spaces
- Square Register: A fully integrated, two-screen solution to run entire operations
- Square Stand: Changes an iPad into a powerful point-of-sale solution
- Square Reader: A portable device for contactless and chip cards
- Square Kiosk: An iPad-driven device for self-checkout that reduces lines
The POS app runs on iPads and Square Register only, not on iPhones, Android tablets, or computers. This focus ensures peak performance but limits hardware choices. All the same, the system works with standard kitchen printers, receipt printers, and cash drawers. This lets restaurants use their existing equipment.
Square helps food trucks minimise upfront costs with interest-free installment plans for hardware purchases over 3, 6, or 12 months—without surprise interest charges. Their hardware comes with free 30-day returns and one-year or two-year limited warranties, depending on the product.
Is Square POS Right for Your Restaurant Size?
Square POS fits food trucks and small restaurants well for key reasons. The free plan cuts out monthly overhead costs that strain limited budgets. The system’s user-friendly interface cuts training time—a big plus given high turnover rates in small food establishments.
Simple operations benefit most from this platform. Food trucks love Square’s mobile-friendly setup and reliable offline payment processing. These features matter when working in different locations with spotty internet. The built-in QR code ordering helps cut down lines—a common headache for food trucks.
Small restaurants looking to grow will find Square’s online ordering integration and marketing tools helpful. The system has automated marketing features to text and email customers about specials and new menu items. These tools build customer loyalty without taking much time from busy owner-operators.
Larger operations with complex needs might find Square limiting. The free plan lacks advanced features like ingredient-level tracking and stock ordering. Restaurants needing extensive inventory management might outgrow Square’s simple offerings.
Square POS works best for:
- New food truck owners learning POS software
- Small restaurants avoiding monthly overhead costs
- Food service businesses with straightforward operations
Square doesn’t require long-term contracts, which makes it low-risk for small food service operations to test their business model or just start.
3. Clover POS: Best for Professional Restaurant Hardware
Clover POS stands out from other restaurant technology providers because of its exceptional hardware quality and design. While other systems focus mainly on software, Clover builds devices that can handle tough restaurant conditions. These devices look elegant and add to your establishment’s visual appeal.
Clover POS System Features for Restaurants
The restaurant software from Clover has specialised features that work well for both quick-service and full-service establishments. Clover Dining gives full-service restaurants detailed front-of-house management tools. You’ll find digital floor plans, quick bill splitting options, and precise course timing controls. Servers can handle complex dining situations efficiently with these functions.
The system connects service smoothly from the host station to the kitchen. Orders go straight from servers to kitchen display systems, which come in 14″ and 21″ sizes. This setup helps front and back-of-house teams communicate better. Order errors drop substantially and food arrives at the right time.
Clover’s restaurant POS features shines when it comes to payment handling. Customers can split their bills in several ways, and the system processes all major payment types securely. The user-friendly menu customisation makes it easy to add modifiers and special requests—something modern restaurants just need.
Quick-service restaurants benefit from Clover’s self-checkout kiosks. Customers place orders themselves, which means fewer staff members at the counter. These kiosks sync menus across all devices automatically and help boost sales through upselling and cross-selling. Restaurants often see bigger orders and better efficiency.
Clover Payment Processing and Integration Capabilities
Clover adapts well to different restaurant workflows through various integration options:
- Native integrations that run directly on Clover hardware as apps
- Semi-integrations that let existing software work with Clover devices through SDKs
- E-commerce integrations for online ordering and payments
Restaurants with existing systems can use semi-integrated solutions. Your current POS software handles orders, while Clover devices take care of payments. This lets you keep your operational setup while getting EMV compliance through Clover’s secure payment system.
Clover creates a secure space where cardholder data stays encrypted within its ecosystem. This separates risk and meets data processing standards. The system takes credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, and contactless payments like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
The App Market has over 100 applications that help you manage inventory, employees, and other operations. Multi-location restaurant owners can run their business from anywhere with internet access thanks to a cloud-based architecture.
Clover POS Customer Support and Training
Support is available 24/7 through multiple channels, which helps restaurants that operate outside normal hours. You can reach support teams by phone, email, or live chat. Most users say good things about Clover’s customer service.
The quickest way to get help is through your Clover Help account. You’ll find support options tailored to your system setup, with articles about your specific devices and features. Clover devices have a Help button right on the home screen for instant assistance.
Clover runs industry-specific webinars to show you how everything works. Restaurant owners learn about Clover Dining features like floor plans, coursing, employee management, modifiers, and reporting. These sessions include Q&A time with Clover team members to answer specific questions.
A detailed online knowledge base helps restaurant operators fix common issues on their own. If you want hands-on help during setup, Clover works with third-party installation services, though this premium support costs extra.
The system’s biggest training advantage is its user-friendly design. New staff members learn quickly, which helps restaurants where employee turnover often causes training issues with POS systems.
4. Lightspeed Restaurant: Best for Customer Loyalty and Retention
Customer loyalty leads to long-term profits in today’s competitive restaurant industry. Lightspeed Restaurant stands out as a point-of-sale system that helps restaurants build stronger customer relationships and increase repeat business.
Lightspeed Restaurant POS Features
Lightspeed Restaurant has core POS features that improve customer experience and make operations smoother. The system shows live colour indicators for table status—free, occupied, or ready to pay—with customisable floor plans that you can change quickly for last-minute bookings. This flexibility means customers don’t wait needlessly, even during rush hours.
The platform makes complex service tasks simple. Staff can create customer tabs that show all orders, which makes guests feel right at home. The powerful menu management lets owners update their menu from any device and display high-quality food images that boost order sizes.
The Kitchen Display System combines smoothly with Lightspeed Restaurant and improves communication between servers and kitchen staff. Each order appears with images, modifiers, and timers. This ensures accurate orders and builds trust with customers.
Lightspeed’s Customer Engagement Tools
Lightspeed shines with its customer engagement features built to create loyalty:
- Customer data tracking to watch buying patterns and visit frequency
- Automated promotions that start and stop without manual work
- Customer-facing displays that show clear pricing
- Gift card capabilities that grow business through recommendations
- Guest tracking and sales insights to understand customer habits and bring them back
The timed promotion feature handles happy hour pricing or special deals automatically. Staff can focus on service instead of manually changing prices.
Lightspeed strengthens customer relationships through customer loyalty programs that reward repeat visits and encourage long-term engagement. These tools work together to create customised experiences that keep diners coming back.
Lightspeed’s Inventory Management Capabilities
Lightspeed’s inventory management keeps customers happy by preventing out-of-stock situations. Staff can update stock counts live from any device, so they never sell items that aren’t available.
The system offers powerful inventory tools:
- Instant food cost calculation shows the total costs of dishes and ingredients during recipe creation
- Par levels and recommended orders keep stock optimal without excess
- Detailed purchasing analytics spot trends, supplier performance, and waste sources
Restaurants can do automated stocktakes using mobile devices and track live depletion as items sell. This automation saves time and cuts food waste and costs.
Lightspeed POS Integration Ecosystem
Lightspeed’s integration features extend its core functions through partnerships. The system seamlessly combines with accounting software like Xero and connects with CRM platforms like Mailchimp and HubSpot for targeted marketing.
For inventory-focused businesses, Lightspeed connects with Unleashed. This gives livestock updates, accurate margin calculations based on landed costs, and central sales figures across retail and wholesale channels.
The system also works with various business tools, including Google. This creates a complete ecosystem that helps restaurants deliver great customer experiences everywhere.
5. SpotOn: Best for Restaurant Employee Management
Restaurant owners know that employee management directly impacts their bottom line, especially when dealing with labour costs and staff scheduling. SpotOn emerges as a game-changer in restaurant point of sale systems. The system shines in helping restaurants manage their most valuable asset—their staff.
SpotOn Restaurant POS Core Features
SpotOn delivers a complete restaurant POS system that combines top-rated software with flexible hardware to match each restaurant’s unique needs. The cloud database manages all menus—from front-of-house to online ordering and handhelds. This eliminates the need to resolve multiple databases.
The system’s standout feature lets managers edit menu items directly on POS terminals without disrupting service through system refreshes. On top of that, it supports dual pricing to reward cash payments through programmed menu discounts rather than surcharges.
SpotOn’s Staff Management and Scheduling Tools
SpotOn Teamwork stands out as the restaurant industry’s most complete labour management software with:
- Employee scheduling backed by immediate POS sales data for analytical staffing decisions
- Two-way sync between Teamwork and POS eliminates human error
- Smart detection of under and overstaffed periods reduces costs
- Tailored tip distribution programs follow restaurant-specific rules
The user-friendly scheduling interface helps managers create templates, copy and past schedules, and use drag-and-drop features to build staff schedules quickly. SpotOn Teamwork shows staffing needs for multiple locations, which lets managers move employees between restaurants as needed.
SpotOn’s Reporting and Analytics Capabilities
SpotOn enterprise delivers standard reports through Connect Analytics. Restaurant owners can see product mix, revenue totals, payment details, audit actions, and inventory updates. These reports refresh every 15 minutes and come with default export options.
Restaurant owners love the automated report feature that sends updates to their emails. They can check important numbers from anywhere without logging into back-office systems. The immediate manager alert system notifies them when specific actions—like excessive voids or comps—happen.
These reporting features help restaurant owners make smarter business decisions, boost revenue, and cut costs through analytical insights.
Struggling to choose the best restaurant POS system for your venue?
Fedelta offers tailored solutions designed to suit the way you operate—whether you run a single site or a multi-location group.
