When comparing Toast vs Olo, you’re looking at two distinct approaches to restaurant point-of-sale technology. Toast, rated 4.5/5, offers Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes. Meanwhile, Olo, rated 4.3/5, provides Multi-location chains wanting unified digital ordering. Let’s dive into the details to help you make an informed decision.
Quick Comparison: Toast vs Olo
| Feature | Toast | Olo |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Restaurant | Software |
| Starting Price | $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month | Enterprise pricing (contact) |
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Target Business | Small Business | Mid-Market to Enterprise |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Free Trial | Yes | No |
| Free Version | Yes | No |
| Best For | Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes | Multi-location chains wanting unified digital ordering |
Toast Overview
Toast is a restaurant-specific point-of-sale and management system built exclusively for the food service industry. It offers hardware and software solutions for dine-in, takeout, and delivery operations.
Toast is offered by Toast, Inc. (founded 2012) based in Boston, MA. The system focuses on Full-service restaurants, Quick service, Bars, Cafes, Food trucks.
Key Features:
- Tableside ordering
- Kitchen display system
- Online ordering
- Delivery management
- Menu management
- Payroll integration
Olo Overview
Olo is a leading restaurant ordering and delivery platform powering digital transformation for 700+ brands including Shake Shack, Wingstop, and Denny’s. Provides ordering, dispatch, rails integrations, and guest engagement tools.
Olo is offered by Olo Inc. (founded 2005) based in New York, NY. The system focuses on Quick Service, Fast Casual, Enterprise Chains.
Key Features:
- Digital Ordering
- Delivery Dispatch
- Rails Integration
- Guest Data Platform
- Payment Processing
- Catering
Feature Comparison
Toast Features:
- Tableside ordering
- Kitchen display system
- Online ordering
- Delivery management
- Menu management
Olo Features:
New to POS Systems?
Start with our quick guide for business owners
Get Started- Digital Ordering
- Delivery Dispatch
- Rails Integration
- Guest Data Platform
- Payment Processing
When comparing features, Toast stands out with Restaurant-specific features, while Olo differentiates itself with Powers 700+ restaurant brands. Your choice should depend on which features align better with your specific business requirements.
Pricing Comparison
| Pricing Aspect | Toast | Olo |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month | Enterprise pricing (contact) |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Price Range | Mid-range | Premium |
| Free Trial | Available | Not available |
| Free Version | Yes | No |
Toast offers a free version, which is great for testing or small operations. Consider the total cost of ownership including hardware, processing fees, and add-on modules when making your decision.
Pros and Cons
Toast
Pros:
- Built specifically for restaurants
- Robust reporting
- Excellent kitchen management
- Strong online ordering
- Good hardware durability
Cons:
- 2-year contracts typical
- Can be expensive with add-ons
- Limited to restaurant industry
Olo
Pros:
- Powers major restaurant brands
- Comprehensive digital platform
- Strong delivery integrations
- Public company stability
Cons:
- Enterprise-focused pricing
- Complex implementation
- Not for small operations
Who Should Choose Toast?
Toast is ideal for Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes. The system is particularly well-suited for Full-service restaurants, Quick service, Bars, Cafes, Food trucks.
However, Toast may not be the best fit for Non-restaurant businesses.
Who Should Choose Olo?
Olo is ideal for Multi-location chains wanting unified digital ordering. The system is particularly well-suited for Quick Service, Fast Casual, Enterprise Chains.
However, Olo may not be the best fit for Single-location independent restaurants.
Our Recommendation
Both Toast and Olo are solid POS solutions, but they excel in different areas. Choose Toast if you’re Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes. Choose Olo if you’re Multi-location chains wanting unified digital ordering. Toast has a higher user rating (4.5 vs 4.3). Also, choose Toast if you want to start with a free version. We recommend trying demos or free trials of both systems before making your final decision.
[posadvice_lead_form title=”Get Custom POS Quotes” description=”Compare pricing from top POS providers for your business”]