CAKE POS Pricing, Features, Reviews & Alternatives

Pros
I like that I can access it anywhere remotely to make changes, add menu items, and view sales.

Cons
I don't like the new update. I feel the original version is easier to use.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 10/10

Pros
We switched to CAKE from another POS system in 2016, after being in operation for 1.5 years. We have been impressed with the way CAKE constantly tries to provide new features. As a farm-to-table quick-service restaurant, our menu changes weekly and we find it simple and straightforward to make updates each week. Due to COVID-19, we recently activated the online ordering and we believe it has saved our business. We were able to activate and integrate it quickly and we love the reporting capabilities the system gives us. Our customer service has been top notch--from our sysco rep to our CAKE customer support manager, we have received a quick response to any question we've had. We feel very comfortable requesting new features and integrations based on our needs and we feel like they really listen to us and try to incorporate our ideas quickly and simply. We did not have this level of customer support with our previous POS system and we really value being able to get a live person on the phone quickly and easily when we have an issue. We love the intuitive, easy-to-read sales analysis reports and use them each week with our management team to evaluate our menu items and determine our next round of specials. We really like that we can make menu edits both on the POS and with the online platform---hoping for a mobile app next for very quick and simple edits!

Cons
We first purchased in Spring 2016. The software felt a little sluggish and honestly, we were not sure if it would easily keep up with our pace. But we have been very impressed with CAKE's constant evaluation and roll-out of new features and integrations--they haven't missed a beat! We don't use all the features yet, but because of the recent success with our online activation, we are now considering two more apps. I would prefer a tiered/capped monthly pricing system depending on how many apps/additional software platforms we integrate (like accounting, customer management, 3rd party delivery apps, etc)--rather than installing each a-la carte, but hopefully that will be an option in the future. The additional monthly fee per app has made us hesitant to try new ones. We would also like to have more control over the look and feel of the online ordering page--functionally it meets our needs, but would love to integrate it into our own website and select the background color, text color, etc, to make it feel like a seamless integration rather than making our customers feel like they are "leaving" our site to go to another. There are some features/edits that are only available from the POS system (not menu items, but system preferences/settings categories) In the future, I hope they make those features editable from the online access platform as well, because sometimes I want the flexibility of making certain adjustments from home on my computer during off-hours.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 10/10

Pros
We went thru a total of 7 product demos before selecting CAKE. Hands down was the most inclusive and best reporting features for our Bar / Restaurant / Bowling Alley. The couple times I have had questions, I've had great support and resolution very quickly. I'm not a tech person, and this was a super easy install and implementation for me to do with the rep over the phone. My menu build was very quick and the questions I have had since original upload have been answered quickly.

Cons
The only issue I have had is occasionally something will disappear that I know I have added as a modifier. Unsure if its a glitch, but it's been so minor that we haven't been inconvenienced at all.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 10/10

Pros
Its useful that this POS offers 3 party features to install, to bad you gotta pay of them. Reports are easy to understand, what comes in and what your taxes are. Easy point of sale to use for your staff.

Cons
Alright after 2+ years of using Cake here it is for you guys. 1. On the phone with customer service probably 4 - 6 times a month. This is from reporting / dashboard issues, POS issues. Reporting issues: about 2 times a month we have to call about some kind of labor reporting issue and takes the engineers around 1 to 4 days to fix. Note - same issue occurs, another day or so for engineers to fix. Dozens of times we will be on the phone with a customer service rep, and both them and I will be having issues loading the reports to examine them. One time we were literally both waiting over 25 minutes for it to load. As a restaurant one of the best reports you could have is when the system literally tells you the cost of EVERYTHING. Ya, you won't be getting this with cake. Sure, you can add the cost of a single item to you (why even have this feature if it doesn't deduct it for you) but it wont deduct it for you at the end of the day. You'll have to do this on your own to figure out what it actually cost you. Cake takes into account on recommendation that their customers give them, I think and thats at least what they say except their features are almost non-existent. No marketing, No rewards, very basic reporting. Their hardware is super expensive, our kitchen printer stopped working and they quoted us like $450, I found it on amazon for $115. Just remember the 2.50% + $.10 a swipe, will actually really be costing you 3.50%. I could go on but I'm limited on characte

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 5/10

Pros
We don't spend any time on training new team members to use our POS System (CAKE). Seriously, it's so easy we show them a few features and they are running it like a pro on day one. That in it's self has saved us a ton of payroll we use to spend on training. From a ownership perspective, we have four locations and I'm able to track them from my central office, Wonderful!

Cons
Negatives only fall on one piece of the equipment. The cash drawer and the insert in it are not built for the type of abuse they can take in some operations. I wish there was an option to purchase extra drawer inserts. There are no other negatives about CAKE.

Rating breakdown

Likelihood to recommend: 10/10