When it comes to running a restaurant, serving great food is just one part of the equation. Behind the scenes, restaurant managers have to ensure that they have the right amount of fresh produce, a well-stocked larder, staff to make and serve the food and keep the whole place clean, and systems to manage bookings, billing and customer satisfaction.
Juggling all these commitments can be challenging. Luckily, restaurant management software is available to help you. In this article, we’ll look at the different types of restaurant management software available and compare the 5 best platforms on the market.
What is Restaurant Management Software?
Restaurant management software (RMS) is a digital platform that automates and streamlines many of the essential operations involved in running a business, including:
- Taking orders
- Processing payments
- Managing inventory
- Scheduling shifts for employees
- Storing employee records, including training certificates
Types of Restaurant Management Software
Using an RMS can have a significant impact on how efficiently a restaurant is run. Using software can enhance communication between employees, improve workflows, increase productivity, and provide data to drive better decision-making.
As there are many aspects to running a restaurant, different RMS exist to meet a variety of requirements within restaurant operations. The following list is an overview of the various types available:
- Reservation management systems: manage bookings, reminders, waiting lists and table assignments.
- Point of sale (POS) systems: taking orders, creating bills and processing payments.
- Inventory management: tracks stock levels, supports reordering to prevent overstocking or shortages and monitors waste.
- HR management: create staff schedules, track working hours, plan for absences, manage payroll and support health and safety compliance.
- Restaurant analytics and reporting: data-driven insights into customer preferences, staff performance and inventory management to help restaurant businesses make better-informed decisions.
Software for Restaurant Management Compared
In this article, we’re comparing five of the best software solutions to support restaurant businesses. If you’re short on time or just want to see a quick side-by-side comparison, we’ve summarised the information in a table for you:
| Platform | Highlight | Pro | Con | Price |
| Factorial | All-in-one business management software | Seamlessly integrated HR, payroll, and time management support | May have more features than needed for smaller operations | From £5.40 per user per month |
| Square for Restaurants | User-friendly POS system | Integrates with the rest of the Square platform and other applications | A simple system means fewer features than some systems | Three plans, from free to £69 per month per location, to custom pricing |
| Lightspeed Restaurant | Robust POS which provides advanced reporting and analytics | Advanced reporting and inventory management | Higher cost compared to simpler POS systems | Three plans ranging from £69 to £219 per month |
| TouchBistro | User-friendly POS for small to mid-sized restaurants | Customisable reporting options and menu management | Lacks a free version and several features are add-on costs | From £50 per month (prices in US dollars) |
| Toast | Comprehensive system for front and back of house requirements | Scalable, durable platform | Higher price with additional features costing more | From £80 per month |
Top Five Best Restaurant Management Software
If you are looking for the best restaurant management software in 2025 to create efficiencies in your operations and improve your customer service, we’ve got five options listed for you here. We’ve included their key features and how much they cost to help you make an informed decision.
1. Factorial
Factorial is a comprehensive business management software system designed to support how you manage your workforce. By providing a platform that automates and streamlines many of the administrative processes involved in coordinating employees in the hospitality industry, Factorial creates efficiencies in the daily operation of a restaurant. With these efficiencies in place, restaurant managers have more time to focus on the strategically significant aspects of running a restaurant, such as the customer experience.
Key features of Factorial:
- Creates shift schedules taking into consideration limitations such as part-time employees, leave plans and overtime.
- Ability to track employee hours in real time as individuals clock in and out.
- Managers can set up notifications to help avoid scheduling conflicts and expired health and safety certificates.
- Native mobile app enables employees to update their movements and request shift swaps on the go.
- Secure storage of key employee documentation, including food handlers’ certificates.
- Support for training requirements to ensure compliance with health and safety standards is maintained at all times.
- Customisable, allowing each restaurant to create workflows and systems tailored to their requirements.
- Reporting tools provide insights into monthly expenses, employee performance, and other relevant data.
- Employee hours and payroll are synced to ensure accurate salary payments.
Pricing
- The Factorial Core plan starts from £5.40 per user per month.
- The Enterprise plan includes more advanced features; the price varies depending on which modules your business requires.
👉 See Factorial in action and get your free 7-day trial.
2. Square for Restaurants
Part of the broader Square platform, Square for Restaurants is a cloud-based RMS that bills itself as an ‘all-in-one restaurant tech’ which covers both front of house processes, such as table and billing management and back of house operations, including employee scheduling. Square for Restaurants is a good option for those needing a simple but flexible system, such as food trucks, independent restaurants and quick service cafes.
Key features of Square for Restaurants:
- Tools to accept takeaway and delivery orders online.
- Schedules employees’ shifts and tracks their working time.
- Supports menu management, inventory tracking and a kitchen display system to enhance communication.
- Integrates with third-party systems to support payroll, delivery services for takeaways and inventory applications.
- Customisable POS system supports quick order entry, split bills and contactless and mobile payments.
- Provides real-time reports and data to keep on top of trends.
Pricing
- Three different plans are available, including the basic ‘free’ version, where you only pay processing fees and a Premium version, which has custom pricing.
- The Plus plan is £69 per month per location.
3. Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed Restaurant is a powerful system that supports reservations, orders, billing, stock inventory, staff management, and the complexities of different locations and delivery options. Designed for growing restaurants with multiple locations, as well as fine dining and upscale establishments, Lightspeed Restaurant supports any operation with complex requirements, offering in-depth reporting and inventory tools.
Key Features of Lightspeed Restaurant:
- Sleek user-friendly interface.
- Advanced features for inventory tracking.
- Customer loyalty programme.
- Detailed and customisable reporting and analytics support.
- Integrated reservation and waiting list management.
-
Systems for multi-menu and multi-location franchise-based operations.
Pricing
- Basic plan: £69 per month, Core plan: £129 per month, Pro plan: £219 per month.
4. TouchBistro
TouchBistro is a user-friendly system designed to support all aspects of restaurant management at both the front and back of house. The POS system utilises iPads that run locally on your network, allowing for seamless operation both online and offline, which can be very helpful for busy restaurants. TouchBistro works well for smaller to mid-sized restaurants, pubs, bars and bistros.
Key features of TouchBistro:
- Easy-to-use, intuitive system for taking orders and payments at tables.
- Menu and inventory management tools.
- Loyalty programme integration.
- Built-in scheduling tools.
- Native online ordering and third-party delivery integration.
- Advanced reporting and analytics tools provide data-driven insights to the business.
Pricing
- Plans start at around £50 per month, but the cost does not include hardware requirements, such as the iPads.
-
Custom pricing for larger operations.
5. Toast
Toast, another US-based system, is an all-in-one restaurant management platform that runs on custom Android hardware, thought to be more durable for fast-paced restaurants. The platform includes ordering, payments, inventory management and kitchen-to-front-of-house communication, as well as employee scheduling and reporting tools.
Key features of Toast:
- Robust and easy-to-use POS system with integrated payment processing.
- Employee management, scheduling and payroll.
- Kitchen display systems and order tracking.
- Built-in online ordering tools and integration options to third-party apps for delivery.
- Advanced sales and performance analytics.
- Customer loyalty programme.
Pricing
- Two main plans: ‘Starter’ plan at £80 per month and ‘Essential’ plan at £150 per month.
- Pricing on request for a custom option covering integration with other apps and customisable hardware.
Choosing the Best Software for Restaurant Management
When selecting the best restaurant management software for your business, it’s worth taking the time to consider your business priorities and the following factors before investing.
- How easy is it to use the system? Software with an intuitive interface makes it easier for employees to use the system immediately, reducing training costs and the chance of mistakes happening down the line.
- Is it scalable? On the other hand, straightforward systems may limit your business as you grow. Some systems work better for smaller restaurants, whereas others support multi-location, larger operations.
- Does the system integrate easily with other software? If you have existing applications that you use, you must understand whether you will be able to use them with the RMS you are selecting.
- Is there a native mobile app? Having a mobile app that employees can use to log on from anywhere can significantly improve operational efficiencies.
- How good is the customer support? Introducing a new system to your business can be challenging, so it’s good to know how the onboarding process will work, as well as the cost of ongoing support.
- Does it provide in-depth reports? Reporting tools are essential for understanding what is happening in your business and driving growth, but they can vary from basic dashboards to highly customisable systems.
- How much will it cost? Some providers have additional features, meaning that costs can increase over time. As well as thinking about your budget now, it is a good idea to brainstorm your potential future needs so you have an idea of how costs could increase as your business changes.
Evaluating the unique needs of your restaurant and thinking about your strategy for growth will help you choose a software that delivers the best value for money while significantly improving your team’s efficiency.
UK Restaurant Software Final Thoughts
In this article, we covered what restaurant management software can do for your business, explained the different types and explored five of the best options available for UK small to medium-sized companies. Getting the right RMS can streamline your operations, enhance your customer service and give you data-driven insights into your business.
While some systems will cover all aspects of running a business, these are often more expensive and complicated to introduce. Another approach is to break down the different operations required to run a successful restaurant business and look at individual systems to support the specific requirements of each area. Utilising a business-focused software like Factorial to enhance your staff management can be a sensible approach to achieving value for money. Let Factorial handle all your core operations from scheduling shifts, tracking employee hours, to storing essential company SOPs and invoices from vendors. Overall, Factorial is a great option for teams looking to simplify their processes and become more efficient.
👉 Reduce your workload and see Factorial in action today! Get your free demo.
