Toast POS vs Aloha EPOS

Restroworks

SpotOn

Lavu

Restroworks powers 25,000+ restaurants worldwide with a cloud-based platform combining POS, inventory, kitchen automation, kiosks, and analytics, helping restaurant brands streamline operations, gain real-time insights, and scale efficiently.

SpotOn Restaurant is a cloud-based point of sale (POS) solution designed to help small to medium businesses in the hospitality industry streamline online payments, tableside orders, and fraud protection. The labor management module lets users handle employee hours, gratuities, shifts, and more.

Lavu is an iPad-based restaurant POS system designed for various food service establishments including full-service restaurants, cafes, and food trucks. The platform offers integrated features such as dual pricing options, online ordering, kitchen display systems, and automated payroll processing. Restaurant operators can manage their business remotely with detailed reporting tools while benefiting from customizable menu modules that allow for quick adjustments to inventory and pricing.

Owner

This isn’t our first major issue, and every time it takes a while to get it fixed. If you have a restaurant that does decent volume, I would suggest getting a more dependable POS with a customer service that can actually help and not just provide lip service.

General manager

We lost over £20,000 in the first month of using the system, due to complete negligence by toast staff in supporting us with basic issues, and set up of the toast system.

Director of Training

A one of the longest running TOAST users, almost 10 years, I love it because it's functional, easy to use and customize, if you know the program. If you don't have a TOAST expert on your internal team, it can be challenging as customer service is poor and they don't have operational experience that relates when you are trying to resolve an issue.

Administrator

Toast POS solution is a cloud-based restaurant management platform for restaurant owners to reduce staff & operational costs and improve customer experience

Access Controls/Permissions

Accounting Integration

Activity Dashboard

AI Copilot

Alerts/Notifications

Barcode/Ticket Scanning

Billing & Invoicing

Built-in Accounting

Cash Management

Commission Management

Contact Management

Credit Card Processing

Customer Accounts

Customer Management

Customizable Branding

Customizable Reports

Data Import/Export

Data Security

Delivery Estimate

Delivery Management

Discount Management

eCommerce Management

Electronic Payments

Electronic Signature

Email Marketing

Employee Management

Food Delivery Dispatching

For Bakeries

For Bars/Clubs

For Food Trucks

For Restaurants

For Retail

Gift Card Management

Inventory Control

Inventory Management

Inventory Optimization

Inventory Tracking

IoT Integration

Item Management

Kitchen/Menu Management

Loyalty Program

Menu Builder

Mobile Access

Mobile Payments

Multi-Location

Online Ordering

Online Payments

Order Entry

Ordering Automation

Order Management

Order Scheduling

Order Tracking

Payment Processing

Point of Sale (POS)

Point of Sale (POS) Integration

Pricing Management

Product Identification

Promotions Management

Real-Time Analytics

Real-Time Monitoring

Real-Time Reporting

Receipt Management

Reporting/Analytics

Reporting & Statistics

Reservations Management

Restaurant POS

Retail Inventory Management

Returns Management

Returns Tracking

Sales Reports

Separate Checks

SMS Messaging

Split Checks

Staff Management

Status Tracking

Table Management

Third-Party Integrations

Tips Management

Transaction History

Wait List Management

Website Personalization

By industry, Toast POS reviewers are most commonly professionals in restaurants (52%). The most frequent use case for Toast POS cited by reviewers is restaurant POS (82% of reviewers).

Users and use cases

Reviewers appreciate Toast POS's reasonable and flexible pricing, often finding it more affordable than competitors. However, some reviewers feel that costs rise quickly with add-ons, and they report concerns about unexpected overall expenses.

Value for money

The Toast POS integrations most frequently cited by reviewers are: 7shifts (an employee scheduling product rated 4.4 out of 5 for its integration with Toast POS), Sling (an employee scheduling product, 4.3), and OpenTable (a reservations product, 4.8).

Integrations

Toast POS is a restaurant POS solution with key features that include reporting and analytics, order entry, order management, payment processing, sales reports, online ordering, and more.

Toast POS

Web-based

Windows

Android

Linux

Square Point of Sale

Clover

Revel Systems

Aloha Cloud

TouchBistro

Aloha EPOS

Maitre'D

CAKE POS

Lightspeed Restaurant

Squirrel POS

Square for Retail

Lightspeed Retail

Starter Kit

Point of Sale

Build Your Own

Unreliable email and receipt handling

Treasurer

This process took more than two months and included email, telephone, and service tickets. When our payments to TOAST stopped due to this problem, we got more attention.

Operations Director

Further, I recently had a support issue that I had to call and email about for 3 weeks straight every day in which they continued to offer no support and today told me they refused to send me to the integrations department because the problem I was experiencing was not a toast problem.

74% of reviewers feel negative about Toast’s email and receipts functionality. Reviewers report problems with support communication via email, including bounced messages, delayed responses, and lack of follow-up. They indicate difficulties in sending receipts, especially for catering or preapproval needs, and mention issues with account management and billing notifications. Users say help tickets often go unanswered and account reps are unresponsive. Some reviewers experience challenges in correcting email addresses and accessing support, leading to frustration and unresolved problems.

High and unclear fees

The billing and invoicing is somewhat troublesome. When Toast charges you for things that you don't subscribe to it took me months to get it fixed while still having to pay for things we did not sign up for or use.

92% of reviewers feel negative about Toast’s fees and charges. Reviewers report frequent issues with unexpected costs, hidden fees, and charges for modules they did not subscribe to. They indicate that credit card processing rates are higher than competitors and refunds for erroneous charges are slow and difficult to obtain. Users mention that monthly bills can add up quickly, impacting their bottom line. Some reviewers feel overcharged for equipment and services, with ongoing problems in billing and invoicing. The lack of transparency and responsiveness regarding fees is a major concern.

Long waits and poor resolution

HR Manager

Support calls can take a long time to get to the right department and have someone know how to fix the issue.

78% of reviewers feel negative about Toast’s phone support. Reviewers indicate that reaching customer service by phone often involves long hold times, repeated callbacks, and unresolved issues. They say support staff frequently lack the knowledge to fix problems, requiring escalation and further delays. Users mention frustration with unreturned calls, lack of follow-through, and difficulty getting answers during urgent situations. Some reviewers report that support cases are not addressed promptly, leaving them without timely assistance. The overall experience with phone support is seen as inefficient and unsatisfactory.

Problematic credit card processing

For example, when credit card processing goes down, which happens often with them for some reason, you then have to key in cards (which Toast then charges  higher merchant fees to do this) and then you have to get to the store and either wait until your slow or closed to fix the issue for the next day.

63% of reviewers feel negative about Toast’s credit card processing. Reviewers report frequent outages, malfunctioning card readers, and discrepancies in deposits. They indicate that promised processing rates are not matched, with higher fees than expected. Users mention issues with gift cards, chargebacks, and inability to use other processors. Some reviewers find adding credit card fees difficult and experience delays in receiving equipment. The reliability and cost of credit card processing are seen as ongoing concerns for their business.

Frequent glitches and slow fixes

It can often be very glitchy and will crash out

Owner/ Manager

I also have have pretty incompetent people not able to troubleshoot with me over the phone and I am on the phone with an issue no less than an hour, which really makes it difficult for me to do my job considering I have one screen and I need to be present for my customers.

77% of reviewers feel negative about Toast’s bugs and issues. Reviewers report recurring technical problems, glitches, and system crashes that disrupt operations. They indicate that resolving these issues often takes a long time, with support unable to provide quick or effective solutions. Users mention inconsistent product stability, operational errors, and difficulties in troubleshooting. Some reviewers find that critical issues linger for months without resolution, requiring repeated explanations and follow-ups. The prevalence of bugs and slow response times are highlighted as significant drawbacks.

Intuitive navigation experience

The interfaces are very simple and easy to learn and navigate.

92% of reviewers feel positive about Toast’s navigation. Reviewers appreciate the intuitive layout and user-friendly interface, which make it easy to find information quickly. They say the search bar and organized screens allow for efficient access to reports and business data. Users indicate that navigating both the POS and backend is straightforward, even for those new to the system. Some reviewers find the software’s design modern and accessible, helping them complete orders and manage tasks with minimal confusion. The ease of navigation is seen as a significant improvement over other POS systems.

Robust feature set and updates

General Manager

Overall features allow for a lot of flexibility and customization

84% of reviewers feel positive about Toast’s features. Reviewers indicate that Toast offers a wide range of customizable and helpful features, supporting both front and back-of-house operations. They appreciate frequent updates and new functionalities, which help streamline business processes and adapt to evolving needs. Users mention that the flexibility in features allows them to tailor the system to their specific requirements, making daily tasks more efficient. Many reviewers say the software’s all-in-one approach and continuous improvements contribute to its value, with features that enhance reporting, transactions, and overall business management.

Efficient employee management tools

81% of reviewers feel positive about Toast’s employee management. Reviewers appreciate how easy it is to train new staff, regardless of prior POS experience. They indicate that entering new employees, tracking labor, and accessing reports are straightforward processes. Users mention that both younger and older employees adapt quickly, with intuitive interfaces supporting daily operations. Some reviewers find the system user-friendly for managers and employees alike, making onboarding and ongoing use simple. The ease of employee management is highlighted as a major benefit, reducing training time and improving overall workflow.

Founder

I would say the only thing about Toast that I don't like is their pricing for implementing integrations. Because even when the integration is necessary, myself or my consulting clients have a hard time justifying the additional spend over necessary expenses.

Manager

The retail inventory UI makes it easy to work through inventory trends and identify products for reorder.

Night Auditor

The company I work for uses Toast POS to charge guests to their room number; sometimes the systems don't communicate and tabs are left unpaid.

Marketing Executive

Handhelds device for contactless payment is the winner as customer don't have to head to cashier to make payment and can pay the meal from the comfort of the table.

Payroll Manager

Als that when viewing an individual check on back end, it is not full screen

I enjoy that the system will lock out after a period of time of not using it; prevents theft and guest information being leaked.

They make  changes  to  reports but the legacy reports  gave better information.    

Admin

Toast sold a gift card for a restaurant that was no longer in business.

WAITRESS

Sometimes most of the aggravations come from managers not updating the information.

Catering Coordintor

They give options to utilize the service in ways that best benefit our business & how we personally operate.

Loan servicing representative

Overall I love using the Toast Pos application to check out at restaurants.

Event sales coordinator

The pros is a lot of the sales summaries can be located online which makes it easy to look up specific bills etc.

Further to this, I have been trying to contact several members of the toast team so we can send the system and hardware back (as we certainly won’t be using it again) and, surprise!

Overall it speeds profitability through short training, consistent operation, while allowing for quick transaction.

They have no customer service for users.  

What I like least about toast POS is that there can be issues with the payment.

The team couldn't deal with troubleshooting terminals on the telephone with support and serving customers at the same time.

Food and Beverage Manager

We have a hard time integrating with InforHMS and sometimes the integration with Resy malfunctions.

Food & Beverage Personnel, Rental/Repir Technician

With over fifteen years of customer service experience covering all types of industries imaginable, the Toast POS software stands out when regraded by it's ease of integration, system set-up and navigation, customization and guest interaction interface.

Chef Manager

I've used it in a few different kitchens to manage the menu and track sales.

I think there is a slight lag from when we get updates & when they actually take place.

The major problem, and the reason for the one star review, is the absolutely disgraceful customer service and support!

The point of sale is easy to update and the staff likes the interface.

Co Owner

I got inspired by their facebook advertising but now I will request all the small business owners not to get inspired by that promises which they can’t fulfill.

Simple and easy to integrate into my workplace's numerous departments, Toast POS offers a user friendly platform to build an inventory into with the option to edit the information therein whenever required, even in real time when alterations are needed to complete a guest's order.

I order  product the messed up my order and charge me and have another the send me and charge me for the sand me label after three day sen the product back after milion call and email and no supervisor to talk and if you do he can Resolve anything and not get my credit back till after 28 days this is the most Ridiculous thing I ever hear you lost me as a customer and you'r not supporting Restarant business

Owner Chef

I've been using toast for seven + years, and the big reason I stick with them, is they are always adding new features.

The system is very capable,except for some issues with payment terminals that were eventually resolved.

TOAST central database has lots of e-learning and resources at your fingertips.

Toast POS is reliable, user-friendly, and well-suited for restaurant operations.

All the payment is securely process by Toast payment processing.

The software runs efficiently and the layout is very organized.

We used it in both our food truck and our brick and mortar.

Toast POS vs Aloha EPOS Comparison (2026)

Toast POS

Aloha EPOS

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives