Best POS Systems for Takeaways
What makes a good POS system for a takeaway?
A takeaway doesn't run like a sit-down restaurant. Orders come in faster, the Friday rush hits harder, and at a lot of sites the phone still brings in a big share of the night's orders. Most of the food goes out the door as collection or delivery. The POS has to keep up with that.
What a takeaway actually needs from it:
- Quick order entry, so items hit the kitchen in seconds
- Collection and delivery orders kept separate
- A link to your own website and app, not just Just Eat and Deliveroo
- Some way to log or automate phone orders - a missed call is a lost order
- A kitchen display that shows order type, collection time and what's next
- Reporting by channel, so you can see which orders actually make you money
The best POS systems for takeaways in the UK and Ireland
1. Flipdish
Flipdish is the best POS for takeaways in the UK and Ireland. It's built for restaurants and takeaways, and it comes with direct online ordering, branded mobile apps and an AI Phone Agent that takes phone orders when staff are too busy to pick up.
Where it differs from most POS options is that everything is connected. Counter, website, app and kiosk orders all land in the same kitchen queue. You don't need a separate tablet for each channel, and nobody has to reconcile four order streams at closing time.
What it covers for a takeaway:
| Feature | Flipdish |
|---|---|
| Direct online ordering (your own website) | ✓ |
| Branded mobile app | ✓ |
| AI Phone Agent for automated phone orders | ✓ |
| Kitchen Display System | ✓ |
| Loyalty and repeat-customer marketing | ✓ |
| Multi-location management | ✓ |
| Single dashboard for all channels | ✓ |
If you want to pay less Just Eat or Deliveroo commission and build up your own customer list at the same time, Flipdish lets you do both from one system.
2. Epos Now
UK-based, and used by a lot of independent restaurants and takeaways. Entry pricing is low and setup is simple. Online ordering comes through third-party integrations - there's no built-in direct ordering system or branded app. Fine if you want a basic till and you're happy to take online orders through the marketplaces.
3. Square for Restaurants
Square is made for small, simple operations. A café or food truck with a short menu and not many orders will find it easy, and the pricing is clear. It isn't made for takeaways with long menus, busy counters, or plans to build their own ordering channel.
4. Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed has a good name with table service restaurants and a presence in the UK. It's less set up for takeaways. There's no native direct ordering product, and getting it to work for a high-volume collection operation takes more configuration. Better for restaurants than takeaways.
5. Tevalis
A UK hospitality POS for mid-size and larger operations. Well supported, configurable, and it plugs into plenty of other hospitality software. The contracts and implementation suit groups more than a single-site independent.
Marketplace vs direct ordering: the cost comparison
Most takeaways are on Just Eat, Uber Eats or Deliveroo. Commission usually runs at 20–35% per order, depending on the platform and the contract.
Take a £20 order at 28% commission. The platform keeps £5.60. At 800 orders a month, that's £4,480 going to the marketplace instead of your kitchen.
Direct orders through your own online ordering channel on Flipdish cost a lot less, and the customer is yours. You get their email address, their order history, and the chance to send them an offer the next time they're deciding what's for dinner.
For most takeaways, the sensible approach is to stay on the marketplaces so new customers can find you, and push your regulars onto direct ordering. It's slow at first. Within six to twelve months the money you keep per order looks noticeably different.
| Order channel | Commission | Customer data | Can run promotions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Just Eat / Deliveroo / Uber Eats | 20–35% | No | No |
| Flipdish direct ordering | Lower flat fee | Yes | Yes |
Questions to ask before choosing a takeaway POS
- Does it take online orders itself, or do you need a separate integration?
- Are phone orders logged by hand, or automated?
- Can you see revenue split by channel?
- Does it handle collection time slots and estimated wait times?
- What does the hardware cost upfront, and is there a monthly software fee on top?
- Is the kitchen display included, or is that extra?
- If you open a second site, can it run from the same account?
Flipdish has an answer for all seven, for takeaways in the UK and Ireland.
See a demo at flipdish.com