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9 Top Alternatives to Square for Modern Restaurants
Find the Perfect Square Alternative for Your Restaurant.
March 14, 2025
Hey there! If you have a restaurant, you probably know about Square. It’s like the most popular kid on the playground when it comes to payment systems. But sometimes, the most popular thing isn’t always the best fit for you. Maybe Square is too expensive, or maybe it doesn’t have all the features you need. Don’t worry! There are lots of other options out there that can help your restaurant run smoothly. These are called square alternatives. Let’s check out nine of them!
Peblla: A Comprehensive Square Alternative
Imagine you have a magic toolbox that can do almost anything you need for your restaurant. That’s what Peblla is like. It’s a square alternative that’s like a Swiss Army knife for restaurants. It has everything you need all in one place, so you don’t have to use lots of different tools.
Peblla offers a POS system (that’s where you take payments from customers), a kiosk (a self-ordering station where customers can place their orders themselves), a branded app (an app just for your restaurant), and a loyalty program (to reward your regular customers).
Think of it as having a super-smart robot helper that can do lots of different jobs. Instead of using one tool to take payments, another tool to track inventory, and yet another tool to keep your customers happy, Peblla can do all of that from one place.
For example, let’s say you’re a busy restaurant owner and you need to keep track of how much food you have in the kitchen. With Peblla, you can easily see how many burgers or pizzas you’ve sold and how much more food you need to order. It’s like having a magic window into your kitchen!
And the best part? Peblla is designed just for restaurants. It’s like a tailor-made suit that fits perfectly. It understands the unique needs of your business, whether you’re a small café or a big restaurant chain.
Peblla is also great for small businesses. It’s like a friendly helper that grows with you. As your restaurant gets busier and you need more features, Peblla can adapt to help you manage everything smoothly.
In fact, many restaurant owners who switch to Peblla find that it saves them time and money. They don’t have to worry about different systems that don’t work well together. Instead, they have one powerful tool that does everything they need.
So, if you’re looking for a square alternative that can handle payments, manage orders, and keep your customers happy all in one place, Peblla is a great choice. It’s like having a personal assistant who never takes a day off!
Toast: Built for Restaurants, By Restaurant People
Hey there! Imagine you have a restaurant, and you need a helper that knows exactly what you need—like a friend who’s been working in restaurants for years. That’s what Toast is like! It’s a squareup alternative made just for restaurants, by people who know restaurants inside and out.
Toast is like having a team of chefs and servers working behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly. Their POS system is super fast and reliable, which means you can take orders and payments quickly, even when your restaurant is super busy.
For example, let’s say you have a big family coming in for dinner, and they all want different things—some want burgers, some want salads, and some want pizza. With Toast, your servers can quickly enter all those orders into the system, and the kitchen can start cooking right away. It’s like having a magic button that makes everything go faster!
Toast also has some really cool features. They offer digital menus, which means you can show your food and drinks on a screen instead of a paper menu. This is great because you can easily change prices or add new items without having to print new menus. Plus, it looks really fancy and modern!
Another awesome thing about Toast is that it helps with delivery tracking. If you offer delivery, Toast can help you keep track of where your food is going and how long it will take to get there. This means your customers can know exactly when their food will arrive, and you can make sure everything runs smoothly.
The best part about Toast is that it focuses only on restaurants. Unlike some other tools that try to do everything for every kind of business, Toast is like a specialized chef who knows exactly what you need. You won’t get lost in a sea of generic tools. Toast is made just for you and your restaurant!
Toast is also a great square competitor. It’s like a friendly rival that wants to help you win. Many restaurant owners who use Toast say it’s one of the best apps like square because it’s easy to use and has lots of features that make their lives easier.
For example, did you know that Toast helps over 100,000 restaurants in the United States? That’s a lot of happy restaurants! And because Toast is so popular, they’re always adding new features and making sure their system works perfectly.
Lightspeed: Flexible Like a Gymnast
Imagine you have a friend who can do all sorts of amazing tricks, like flipping and twisting in the air. That’s what Lightspeed is like for your restaurant—it’s super flexible and can do lots of cool things to help your business grow!
Lightspeed is a square competitor that’s perfect for restaurants of all sizes. Whether you have a small, cozy café or a big, bustling restaurant chain, Lightspeed can handle it all. It’s like a magical system that grows with you, no matter how big or small your restaurant gets.
Let’s say you start with a tiny café where you sell coffee and pastries. With Lightspeed, you can easily manage your orders and payments. But as your business grows and you decide to add more menu items or open a second location, Lightspeed can keep up! It’s like a gymnast who can do a backflip today and a triple somersault tomorrow.
One of the best things about Lightspeed is that it’s super flexible. You can start with just the basics, like a POS system (that’s where you take payments from customers) and then add more features as you need them. For example, you can add a kitchen display system that shows orders on a screen in the kitchen. This way, your chefs can see what needs to be cooked without having to write everything down. It’s like having a magic board that tells them exactly what to do!
Lightspeed also has a loyalty program to help you keep your customers happy. Imagine you have a customer who loves your coffee and visits your café every day. With Lightspeed’s loyalty program, you can reward them with free drinks or discounts. It’s like giving them a special thank-you for being such a great customer!
And if you’re worried about managing your inventory (that’s the food and supplies you need), Lightspeed can help with that too. It can tell you when you’re running low on something, so you can order more before you run out. It’s like having a smart helper who keeps an eye on everything for you.
Lightspeed is also great for small businesses because it’s easy to use and doesn’t cost too much. In fact, many small restaurant owners say that switching to Lightspeed helped them save time and money. It’s like finding a hidden treasure chest full of useful tools!
Did you know that Lightspeed helps over 120,000 businesses around the world? That’s a lot of happy restaurants! And because Lightspeed is so popular, they’re always working to make their system even better. They listen to what restaurant owners need and keep adding new features to help you succeed.
Clover: The Jack-of-All-Trades
Imagine you have a magic toolbox that can do almost anything you need for your restaurant. That’s what Clover is like! It’s a square alternative that works for all kinds of businesses, from tiny food trucks to big full-service restaurants. It’s like a superhero that can help you with lots of different things!
Clover is like a Swiss Army knife for restaurants. It has a POS system (that’s where you take payments from customers) that you can customize just the way you want. For example, you can create special buttons on the screen for your most popular dishes. If you sell a lot of cheeseburgers, you can make a big, easy-to-find button that says “Cheeseburger.” This way, your staff can take orders super fast!
Clover also lets you track your sales in real-time. This means you can see exactly how much money you’re making right away. Imagine you’re having a busy day and you want to know how many pizzas you’ve sold. With Clover, you can check it instantly, just like looking at a scoreboard in a game!
Another cool thing about Clover is that it can connect with other important tools. For example, it can work with your accounting software. This is like having a smart helper who keeps track of all your money and makes sure everything adds up. You don’t have to worry about keeping track of receipts or doing math by hand.
Clover is also great for small businesses. It’s like a friendly helper that grows with you. Let’s say you start with a small food truck and then decide to open a restaurant. Clover can handle both! It’s like a magic tool that can change and adapt to whatever you need.
For example, did you know that Clover helps over 200,000 businesses around the United States? That’s a lot of happy restaurant owners! And because Clover is so popular, they’re always adding new features to make your life easier.
Clover is also a square competitor that offers lots of features similar to Square, but with more flexibility. It’s like having a choice between two great superheroes, but Clover gives you more powers! You can use it to manage your staff schedules, track inventory, and even offer loyalty programs to keep your customers coming back.
Revel: Built for Speed
Imagine you’re in a race, and you need a super-fast car to win. That’s what Revel is like for restaurants! Revel is the Formula 1 car of restaurant tech. If your restaurant is fast-paced—like a busy burger joint or a food truck on the go—Revel’s POS system is like a turbocharged engine that keeps everything running smoothly and quickly.
Let’s say you have a food truck, and people are lining up to get your famous tacos. With Revel, your staff can take orders and process payments super fast. It’s like having a magic button that makes everything happen in the blink of an eye! This way, your customers don’t have to wait long, and you can serve more people in less time.
Revel is also great because it works with delivery apps like Uber Eats. Imagine someone orders your food from their phone. Revel can make sure that order gets to your kitchen quickly, so you can start cooking right away. It’s like having a secret tunnel that sends orders straight to your kitchen, so nothing gets lost or delayed.
The best part? Revel is a squareup alternative that’s budget-friendly for small businesses. This means you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a great system that works really well. It’s like finding a treasure chest full of useful tools without having to pay a fortune.
Revel is also a square competitor that understands the needs of restaurants. Unlike some other tools that try to do everything for every kind of business, Revel focuses on making your restaurant life easier. It’s like having a friend who knows exactly what you need and helps you every step of the way.
For example, did you know that Revel helps thousands of restaurants and food trucks around the country? These businesses use Revel to make their lives easier and their customers happier. And because Revel is so popular, they’re always adding new features to make your restaurant even better.
Revel is also great for small businesses because it’s easy to set up and use. Imagine you’re just starting your food truck or opening a small café. Revel can help you get everything up and running quickly, so you can start serving customers right away.
TouchBistro: For the Tech-Savvy Chef
Imagine you have a magic tablet that can do all the hard work for you while you run your restaurant. That’s what TouchBistro is like! It’s a square alternative designed for restaurants that love using cool technology. TouchBistro is like having a tech genius on your team who helps you do everything faster and easier.
TouchBistro uses tablets instead of old-fashioned cash registers. These tablets are like mini-computers that your servers can carry around. They can take orders right at the table, so customers don’t have to shout across the room or wait in line. It’s like having a personal assistant for every table in your restaurant!
For example, let’s say a family comes into your restaurant and they all want different things. One person wants a burger, another wants spaghetti, and the kids want ice cream. With TouchBistro, your server can quickly tap the items on the tablet, and the order goes straight to the kitchen. It’s like sending a secret message that gets the food made super fast!
TouchBistro also makes it easy to split checks. Imagine a group of friends who want to pay separately. With just a few taps on the tablet, the server can split the bill into as many parts as needed. It’s like magic! No more messy math or arguing over who pays for what.
Another cool thing about TouchBistro is that it helps you keep track of reservations. You know how sometimes people call ahead to save a table? TouchBistro can remember all those reservations, so you always know who’s coming and when. It’s like having a super-organized planner that never forgets anything.
TouchBistro is also great for small businesses because it’s easy to use and doesn’t cost too much. It’s like a friendly robot that helps you run your restaurant without breaking the bank. In fact, many small restaurants and cafes use TouchBistro to make their lives easier and their customers happier.
Did you know that TouchBistro is used by over 15,000 restaurants worldwide? That’s a lot of happy chefs and customers! And because TouchBistro is designed specifically for restaurants, it understands the unique challenges you face every day. It’s like having a friend who knows exactly what you need and helps you every step of the way.
Upserve: The All-Around Athlete
Imagine you have a friend who is really good at lots of different things—like playing soccer, solving puzzles, and making people laugh. Upserve is kind of like that friend for your restaurant! It’s a square competitor that can do a little bit of everything you need to run your restaurant smoothly.
Upserve is like a three-course meal: it has an appetizer (for taking payments), a main course (for managing your kitchen), and a dessert (for helping you keep your customers happy). Let me explain how it works!
First, Upserve has a POS system (that’s short for Point of Sale). This is where you take payments from customers when they buy food. Imagine you have a busy restaurant and lots of people are ordering food at the same time. Upserve’s POS system can handle all those orders quickly, so no one has to wait too long to pay. It’s like having a super-fast cashier who never gets tired!
Next, Upserve helps you manage your kitchen. This is like the main course of your restaurant. Upserve can keep track of what’s in your kitchen, like how many eggs you have or how much flour is left. It can also help you make sure your chefs are cooking the right dishes at the right time. For example, if a customer orders a pizza, Upserve can send that order straight to the kitchen so the chef knows exactly what to make. It’s like having a smart helper who makes sure everything in the kitchen runs smoothly!
Finally, Upserve has some really cool marketing tools. These are like the dessert of your restaurant—they help you keep your customers happy and coming back for more. Upserve can help you create special offers or rewards for your customers. For example, you could give a free dessert to someone who visits your restaurant five times. This way, your customers feel special and want to come back again and again.
Upserve is also great for small businesses because it’s easy to use and doesn’t cost too much. It’s like having a friendly helper who understands your needs and helps you save money. In fact, many small restaurants and cafes use Upserve to make their lives easier and their customers happier.
Did you know that Upserve helps thousands of restaurants around the country? These restaurants use Upserve to take payments, manage their kitchens, and keep their customers happy. And because Upserve is designed specifically for restaurants, it understands the unique challenges you face every day. It’s like having a friend who knows exactly what you need and helps you every step of the way.
BIM POS: The Budget-Friendly Choice
Imagine you’re running a small restaurant or a food truck, and you need a helper that won’t cost too much but can still do a lot of important things. That’s what BIM POS is like! It’s like finding a $5 bill in your pocket when you really need it. BIM POS is a square alternative that’s perfect for small businesses because it’s affordable and packed with useful features.
Let’s say you have a little café where you sell coffee and pastries. You need a way to take payments from customers, keep track of your staff’s work hours, and make sure your customers are happy. BIM POS can do all of that for you, and it won’t cost a lot of money. It’s like having a super helper that fits your budget!
One of the best things about BIM POS is that it’s easy to set up. Imagine you just opened your food truck and you need to start taking orders right away. With BIM POS, you can get everything ready quickly, so you can start serving customers without waiting too long. It’s like having a magic button that makes your business ready to go!
BIM POS also helps you manage your staff. You can use it to make schedules for your workers, so everyone knows when they need to be at work. For example, if you have a busy weekend coming up, you can easily plan who will be there to help. It’s like having a smart planner that keeps everything organized for you.
Another cool thing about BIM POS is that it helps you keep track of what your customers think. Imagine someone comes to your café and they really love your coffee. With BIM POS, you can see their feedback and know that you’re doing a good job. Or if someone has a suggestion, you can use that to make your café even better. It’s like having a friend who tells you what people think, so you can keep improving.
BIM POS is also great because it’s designed to be simple. You don’t need to be a computer expert to use it. It’s like having a friendly tool that talks to you in a way you can understand. This makes it perfect for small businesses that might not have a lot of time or money to spend on complicated systems.
Did you know that many small restaurants and food trucks use BIM POS to help them run their businesses? These small businesses find that BIM POS is a great square alternative because it gives them all the tools they need without breaking the bank. In fact, BIM POS is like a treasure chest full of useful things that can help your business grow.
Payhip: For Digital-First Restaurants
Imagine you have a magic wand that can help your restaurant sell food and keep customers happy, even if they’re not in your restaurant. That’s what Payhip is like! Payhip is a square alternative that’s perfect for restaurants that do a lot of things online. It’s like a magician that helps you manage all your digital orders, subscriptions, and memberships in one place.
Let’s say you have a restaurant that sells meal kits—those are boxes of ingredients that people can cook at home. With Payhip, you can make it super easy for people to order these meal kits online. They can choose what they want, pay for it, and get it delivered right to their door. It’s like having a magic delivery service!
Payhip is also great if you offer online classes. Maybe you teach people how to cook special dishes, like sushi or pizza. With Payhip, you can let people sign up for these classes online and pay for them easily. It’s like having a magic sign-up sheet that works on the internet!
Another cool thing about Payhip is that it helps with loyalty programs. Imagine you have a program where customers can earn points and get rewards for buying your food. Payhip can help you manage all of that. It’s like having a magic points counter that keeps track of everything for you.
Payhip is also perfect for small businesses because it’s easy to use and doesn’t cost too much. It’s like finding a magic lamp that grants you all the wishes you need to run your restaurant. In fact, many small restaurants and food businesses use Payhip to make their lives easier and their customers happier.
For example, did you know that Payhip helps thousands of businesses manage their online orders and subscriptions? These businesses find that Payhip is a great square alternative because it focuses on making digital sales easy and efficient. It’s like having a friend who knows all the tricks to help you sell more food and keep your customers coming back.
Which One Should You Choose?
Every restaurant is unique, so the best alternative to Square depends on your goals. Peblla, for example, is ideal if you want a complete package (POS, apps, loyalty) tailored just for restaurants.
Thousands of restaurants already trust Peblla, and they love how easy it is to use. One restaurant owner told us that after switching to Peblla, they saved hours every week because everything was in one place. Another owner said their customers loved the branded app so much that they were coming back more often just to earn loyalty points!
Ready to See for Yourself?
If you’re curious about how Peblla can help your restaurant, we’d love to show you! Visiting our website at www.peblla.com is like opening a treasure chest of possibilities. You can schedule a free demo, which means you get to see how everything works without spending a penny. It’s like trying on a new outfit to see if it fits before you buy it.
So, are you ready to make your restaurant life easier and more fun? Click on over to www.peblla.com and let’s get started together. We can’t wait to help you make your restaurant the best it can be!