When comparing Toast vs Shift4, 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, Shift4, rated 4.1/5, provides Businesses wanting integrated payment solutions. Let’s dive into the details to help you make an informed decision.
Quick Comparison: Toast vs Shift4
| Feature | Toast | Shift4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Restaurant | Multi-Industry |
| Starting Price | $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month | Contact for pricing |
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Target Business | Small Business | Small Business to Enterprise |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Quote-based |
| Free Trial | Yes | No |
| Free Version | Yes | No |
| Best For | Full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, bars, and cafes | Businesses wanting integrated payment solutions |
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
Shift4 Overview
Shift4 is a payment processing and POS technology company serving hospitality, retail, and other industries. Owns POSitouch, Harbortouch, and other POS brands. Offers integrated payments and software.
Shift4 is offered by Shift4 (founded 1994) based in Allentown, PA. The system focuses on Hospitality, Retail, Entertainment.
Key Features:
- Payment Processing
- POS Systems
- Gift Cards
- Loyalty
- Analytics
- Enterprise Solutions
Feature Comparison
Toast Features:
- Tableside ordering
- Kitchen display system
- Online ordering
- Delivery management
- Menu management
Shift4 Features:
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- POS Systems
- Gift Cards
- Loyalty
- Analytics
When comparing features, Toast stands out with Restaurant-specific features, while Shift4 differentiates itself with End-to-end payments. Your choice should depend on which features align better with your specific business requirements.
Pricing Comparison
| Pricing Aspect | Toast | Shift4 |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/month (Starter kit) to $165+/month | Contact for pricing |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Quote-based |
| Price Range | Mid-range | Mid-range to 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
Shift4
Pros:
- Integrated payments
- Multiple POS brands
- Enterprise scale
- Payment innovation
Cons:
- Complex product lineup
- Custom pricing
- May be overkill for small businesses
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 Shift4?
Shift4 is ideal for Businesses wanting integrated payment solutions. The system is particularly well-suited for Hospitality, Retail, Entertainment.
However, Shift4 may not be the best fit for Very small businesses wanting simple solutions.
Our Recommendation
Both Toast and Shift4 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 Shift4 if you’re Businesses wanting integrated payment solutions. Toast has a higher user rating (4.5 vs 4.1). 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.
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