Toast vs TouchBistro
Toast is building a restaurant empire—POS, payroll, scheduling, marketing, lending. TouchBistro does one thing: run your restaurant floor really well. If you want an ecosystem, Toast. If you want focused simplicity, TouchBistro.
Our Verdict
Toast wins for most restaurants. Better online ordering, stronger ecosystem, and more growth tools. TouchBistro is the right call if you want iPad simplicity and hate being locked into one payment processor.
Best for:
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Toast | TouchBistro | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $0/mo + hardware | $69/mo | Toast |
| Payment processing | Toast only (2.49% + 15¢) | TouchBistro Payments required | Tie |
| Online ordering | Built-in, commission-free | Add-on cost | Toast |
| Hardware | Proprietary, restaurant-grade | iPad-based | TouchBistro |
| Offline mode | Excellent | Excellent | Tie |
| Kitchen display | Included in most plans | Add-on | Toast |
| Ease of setup | Moderate (more features) | Very easy | TouchBistro |
| Payroll integration | Built-in option | Third-party only | Toast |
Toast
Pros
- ✓Complete restaurant platform
- ✓Strong online ordering
- ✓Robust reporting
- ✓Restaurant-grade hardware
Cons
- ✗Locked to Toast processing
- ✗Can get expensive with add-ons
- ✗Proprietary hardware
TouchBistro
Pros
- ✓iPad simplicity
- ✓Strong offline mode
- ✓Easier learning curve
- ✓Lower entry cost
Cons
- ✗Add-ons required for full features
- ✗Less robust online ordering
- ✗Smaller ecosystem
In-Depth Analysis
Pricing Reality
Toast's $0 starter is real but limited—you'll likely need the $69+ plans. TouchBistro starts at $69 but add-ons (online ordering, KDS, loyalty) push costs up fast. At full feature parity, Toast usually costs similar or less while giving you more integrated tools.
The Ecosystem Question
Toast wants to run your whole business—POS, payroll, scheduling, marketing, even capital loans. That's powerful if you buy in, limiting if you don't. TouchBistro is more focused: great POS, connects to other tools. Neither approach is wrong, but know what you're choosing.
Hardware Philosophy
Toast builds restaurant-grade hardware that survives kitchen abuse. TouchBistro runs on iPads—cheaper to start, easier to replace, but you're managing consumer hardware in a commercial environment. For high-volume, Toast's hardware wins. For smaller ops, iPad flexibility is nice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I switch from TouchBistro to Toast easily?
Switching POS is never easy, but both have migration support. Budget 2-4 weeks for menu rebuild, staff training, and hardware swap. Most restaurants do it on a slower day and run parallel for a shift.
Which has better customer support?
Toast has more support resources and 24/7 availability on higher plans. TouchBistro support is solid but smaller team. Both have mixed reviews—restaurant POS support is hard, and busy nights expose everyone's weaknesses.