Toast vs Heartland
Toast built restaurant-first from day one. Heartland is a payment processing giant (Global Payments) that acquired restaurant POS capabilities. Toast has a more modern platform and larger restaurant ecosystem. Heartland offers broader business services and local relationships.
Our Verdict
Toast wins for most restaurants—more modern, better ecosystem, restaurant-native features. Heartland makes sense if you value local rep relationships, want payroll bundled, or have an existing Heartland processing relationship.
Best for:
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Toast | Heartland | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant focus | 100% (born there) | Acquired capability | Toast |
| Platform modernity | Modern, cloud-native | Traditional | Toast |
| Online ordering | Excellent | Good | Toast |
| Local sales reps | Limited | Yes | Heartland |
| Payroll integration | Toast Payroll | Heartland Payroll | Tie |
| Breach warranty | Standard | Included | Heartland |
| Hardware | Proprietary, excellent | Various options | Toast |
| Pricing transparency | Published | Quote-based | Toast |
Toast
Pros
- ✓Restaurant-native platform
- ✓Modern technology
- ✓Better online ordering
- ✓Transparent pricing
Cons
- ✗Locked to Toast processing
- ✗Less local support
- ✗Growing pains at scale
Heartland
Pros
- ✓Local rep relationships
- ✓Breach warranty
- ✓Bundled business services
- ✓Established company
Cons
- ✗Less modern platform
- ✗Aggressive sales tactics
- ✗Less restaurant-specialized
In-Depth Analysis
Technology Generation Gap
Toast was built in the cloud era for restaurants specifically. Heartland's restaurant POS evolved from traditional payment processing. The difference shows in interface design, integration capabilities, and feature velocity. Toast ships more restaurant features faster.
The Local Service Model
Heartland has local reps who install, train, and support you. Toast is more self-service with phone/chat support. Some restaurant owners love having a local contact. Others prefer doing things themselves with responsive remote support.
Bundled Services Value
Heartland offers payroll, loyalty, gift cards, and other services as part of their portfolio. Toast offers similar services. The convenience of one relationship vs best-of-breed selection is a personal preference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Heartland's restaurant POS outdated?
Not outdated, but not leading-edge either. It's functional and reliable. If you're modernizing from paper tickets or very old POS, Heartland is fine. If you want the newest features, Toast leads.
Can I negotiate with both?
Heartland pricing is very negotiable—that's their model. Toast pricing is more standardized but will negotiate on larger deals. Always get quotes from both and compare total costs.