What to Look for in a Modern UK Restaurant EPOS System
Choosing the right Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) system is one of the most critical decisions for any restaurant, pub, café, or takeaway owner across Greater London, Birmingham, and the UK. A truly modern hospitality till system does far more than process card payments—it eliminates order errors between front-of-house and the kitchen, tracks stock down to the last ingredient, prevents staff shrinkage, and delivers real-time sales reporting.
How much should you budget for a restaurant EPOS system in the UK?
Restaurant EPOS system costs in the UK vary by venue size, but generally cover upfront hardware (iPad, commercial stand, card reader, receipt printer, and cash drawer) plus a monthly software subscription with no long lock-in contract. Modern cloud-based EPOS systems like CubePOS are much more affordable than legacy fixed-terminal tills because they do not require expensive proprietary hardware. While most UK restaurant EPOS providers charge up to £1,200 upfront, CubePOS offers a complete hardware setup for £599 and monthly software plans starting from £24.99/month—including free installation, staff training, and zero hidden fees.
Engineered for Busy Restaurant Shifts
Replace clunky legacy tills and fragmented tablets. CubePOS unifies every touchpoint of your hospitality business.
Integrated Kitchen Display (KDS)
Send orders straight from tableside or counter to the kitchen screen instantly. No lost paper tickets, reduced preparation times, and flawless communication between front and back of house.
Mobile Waiter Ordering App
Empower your floor staff to take orders and process pay-at-table card transactions directly from a handheld device, speeding up table turnover and increasing average spend per head.
Smart Inventory & Stock Control
Deduct ingredient and packaging levels automatically with every sale. Receive low-stock alerts before items run out and eliminate food waste across your kitchen operations.
100% Offline Mode Resilience
Never miss a sale during internet outages. CubePOS continues taking orders and queuing card payments offline, automatically syncing data back to the cloud the moment connectivity returns.
Integrated Dojo Payments
Seamless payment processing with Dojo. Fast terminal speeds, secure contactless and Apple Pay integration, and zero double-keying errors between the till screen and card reader.
Multi-Site & Franchise Control
Manage centralized menus, pricing updates, and consolidated sales reporting across multiple branches in London, Birmingham, and beyond from a single administrative dashboard.
Compare the Best Restaurant EPOS Systems in the UK
In the UK, a typical restaurant EPOS system costs between £20 and £189+ per month for software and £300 to £1,200+ for upfront hardware. Below is how CubePOS compares side-by-side against leading UK hospitality EPOS providers.
| UK EPOS Provider | Best For | Monthly Software Fee | Upfront Hardware Cost | Offline Mode | KDS, Ordering & Payments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CubePOS
Best Value UK Pick
|
Independent UK restaurants, cafés, takeaways & multi-site franchises |
£24.99 – £27.50/mo
No long lock-in contract
|
£599 complete bundle
Includes iPad, stand, printer, cash drawer + free installation & training
|
✓ 100% Offline
Full order & payment sync
|
Built-in Kitchen Display (KDS), Mobile Waiter App, 0% commission online ordering & integrated Dojo payments |
| Square for Restaurants | Small coffee shops, pop-ups & counter-service venues | £0 – £69/mo Per location on Plus plan |
£199 – £699+ Self-setup hardware |
Limited offline card rules | Square KDS available; locked to Square card processing (1.75% in-person fee) |
| Lightspeed Restaurant | Fine dining, hotels & large multi-venue groups | £75 – £189/mo Tiered Basic, Core & Pro plans |
Custom Quote Typically £800 – £1,200+ |
Yes (Lite offline mode) | KDS and mobile ePOS included only on higher Core (£149/mo) & Pro (£189/mo) tiers |
| Epos Now | General hospitality & mixed retail/catering sites | £25 – £55+/mo Plus paid AppStore modules |
From £249 – £1,000+ Varies by terminal & printer pack |
Yes (Local caching) | Relies on paid third-party AppStore add-ons for delivery, loyalty & advanced stock |
| Goodtill by SumUp | Independent cafés, bars & quick-service venues | £29/mo base + £9/mo per add-on module |
Custom iPad Bundle Hardware sold separately |
Yes (iPad offline mode) | Kitchen display, stock & online ordering charged as separate modular add-ons |
| Clover UK | Pay-at-table bars & casual dining restaurants | From £15 – £50+/mo Plus 1.49%+ card processing |
Proprietary Hardware Clover Flex, Mini or Station Pro |
Yes (Offline payments) | Requires proprietary Clover terminals; cannot run on standard commercial iPads |
CubePOS
Best Value UK PickSquare for Restaurants
Lightspeed Restaurant
Epos Now
Goodtill by SumUp
Clover UK
Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurant EPOS Systems
What does a restaurant EPOS system actually do?
A modern cloud-based restaurant EPOS system like CubePOS manages front-of-house table orders, Kitchen Display System (KDS) tickets, commission-free online ordering, ingredient-level stock tracking, staff permissions, and integrated Dojo card payments from a single iPad terminal.
How long does setup and staff training take?
Most independent restaurants, cafes, and takeaways are fully set up—with your menu built, receipt printers configured, and staff trained—within a few days. Staff typically master order-taking basics in under an hour thanks to our intuitive tablet interface.
Can I run CubePOS across multiple locations?
Yes. Cloud-based EPOS systems like CubePOS are built for multi-site operators and franchises, allowing you to manage centralized menus, pricing, and live sales performance across all your restaurant branches from a single dashboard.
What happens if my internet connection drops during a busy service?
CubePOS features 100% offline mode operation. You can continue taking orders, printing kitchen tickets, and processing card payments offline. All data automatically synchronizes back to the cloud as soon as your broadband connection is restored.
Ready to Transform Your Restaurant Operations?
Get 45% OFF hardware setup, 45% OFF your monthly fee, and a 1-month free trial. Claim your free demo today.