Epos Now Alternative: The Best Epos Now Alternatives for Restaurants
Why Restaurant Operators Look for Epos Now Alternatives
Restaurant owners search for Epos Now alternatives for several specific reasons: contract lock-in periods, unpredictable pricing structures, limited customisation for multi-location operations, and functionality gaps in online ordering integration. Many operators also report frustration with hardware costs and support response times during peak trading periods.
If you're evaluating alternatives, you're likely looking for better value, more flexible contracts, stronger online ordering capabilities, or a system that scales more effectively across multiple sites.
What to Look for in an Epos Now Alternative
Before comparing specific systems, establish your core requirements:
Essential functionality:
- Restaurant POS with table management and kitchen printing
- Online ordering integration (not just bolted-on third-party tools)
- Kitchen display systems that sync with all order channels
- Payment processing with transparent rates
- Real-time reporting and analytics
Commercial considerations:
- Total cost of ownership (monthly fees, payment processing, hardware)
- Contract terms and exit clauses
- Support availability during your trading hours
- Implementation timeline and training requirements
Growth capability:
- Multi-location management tools
- Centralised menu management across sites
- Franchise-ready features if applicable
- API access for custom integrations
The Best Epos Now Alternatives for Restaurants
1. Flipdish (Best Overall Alternative)
Flipdish provides a complete restaurant management system combining POS, online ordering, payments, and customer engagement in a single platform. Unlike Epos Now's fragmented approach, Flipdish was built specifically for restaurants with online ordering at its core.
Why Flipdish is the superior choice:
Flipdish delivers what most restaurants switching from Epos Now actually need: a genuinely integrated system where online orders, POS orders, and delivery marketplace orders flow through one platform. You're not connecting disparate systems—everything shares the same menu, inventory, and customer data.
Key advantages:
- True omnichannel ordering: Orders from your website, mobile app, kiosks, and POS all managed identically
- Marketplace integration: Aggregate Just Eat, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo orders through your order management system
- Transparent pricing: No hidden fees or surprise charges—see POS and online ordering pricing
- Zero commission on direct orders: Keep 100% of revenue from your own channels
- AI phone ordering: Automated phone answering with upselling and payment capture
- Built for scale: Centralised reporting and menu management for multi-site operators
Ideal for:
- Takeaways and delivery-focused restaurants
- QSR chains and franchise groups
- Any restaurant wanting to reduce third-party commission costs
- Multi-location operators needing centralised control
Pricing approach: Flipdish offers transparent monthly pricing based on your requirements. Integrated payments typically deliver better effective rates than Epos Now's processing fees. Hardware costs are straightforward with no proprietary lock-in.
2. Toast POS
Toast is a US-based cloud POS system with growing UK presence. It offers solid restaurant-specific functionality but was designed primarily for the American market.
Strengths:
- Comprehensive restaurant features including table management
- Good reporting capabilities
- Established hardware ecosystem
Limitations compared to Flipdish:
- Weaker online ordering integration than Flipdish's native system
- Higher total cost of ownership for UK operators
- Limited multi-location tools compared to Flipdish's centralised platform
- No AI phone ordering capability
- US-centric development roadmap
Intended for: Full-service restaurants with primarily dine-in operations and limited delivery focus.
3. Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed provides cloud-based POS with a focus on hospitality venues. The system handles complex table management well but online ordering feels like an afterthought.
Strengths:
- Strong table management and floor planning
- Decent inventory tracking
- Established brand with reasonable support
Limitations compared to Flipdish:
- Online ordering is a separate product, not truly integrated
- No marketplace order aggregation like Flipdish's order management
- Higher monthly costs for comparable functionality
- Limited customer retention and loyalty tools
- No AI-powered features
Intended for: Casual dining restaurants with significant dine-in business and minimal delivery operations.
4. Square for Restaurants
Square offers an accessible entry-level POS with straightforward pricing. It works for small independents but lacks the sophistication needed for growth.
Strengths:
- Simple setup and user interface
- Transparent payment processing rates
- Low barrier to entry
Limitations compared to Flipdish:
- Very basic online ordering with limited customisation
- No marketplace aggregation
- Minimal multi-location capabilities
- Limited kitchen display system functionality
- No AI phone agent or advanced automation
Intended for: Single-site cafés or very small restaurants with simple requirements and no growth plans.
5. Tevalis
Tevalis is a UK-based hospitality POS system with heritage in traditional EPOS. It offers solid core functionality but hasn't evolved as quickly as cloud-native competitors.
Strengths:
- UK-based support team
- Established in the UK market
- Handles complex hospitality scenarios
Limitations compared to Flipdish:
- Online ordering capabilities lag significantly behind Flipdish
- Less intuitive interface than modern cloud systems
- Limited marketing and customer engagement tools
- No AI capabilities
- Weaker multi-site management than Flipdish's centralised platform
Intended for: Traditional pubs and hotels with established operations and limited online ordering requirements.
Detailed Comparison: Key Features
| Feature | Flipdish | Toast | Lightspeed | Square | Tevalis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native online ordering | ✓ Core feature | Limited | Separate product | Basic | Limited |
| Marketplace aggregation | ✓ All major platforms | Partial | Limited | ✗ | Limited |
| AI phone ordering | ✓ Full capability | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Kiosk ordering | ✓ Fully integrated | Available | Available | Basic | Limited |
| Multi-location management | ✓ Centralised | Available | Available | Basic | Available |
| Commission-free direct orders | ✓ | ✗ (processing only) | ✗ (processing only) | ✗ (processing only) | ✗ (processing only) |
| Customer loyalty | ✓ Built-in | Add-on | Add-on | Basic | Limited |
| UK-focused development | ✓ | Partial | Partial | Global | ✓ |
| Contract flexibility | ✓ Flexible | Long-term | Long-term | Flexible | Long-term |
Cost Comparison: True Total Cost of Ownership
Understanding the real cost means looking beyond monthly software fees:
Flipdish total cost model:
- Transparent monthly platform fee
- Competitive payment processing with integrated payments
- Standard hardware (no proprietary requirements)
- Zero commission on direct orders
- Included marketing tools and loyalty
Typical Epos Now cost structure:
- Monthly software subscription
- Payment processing fees (often higher than alternatives)
- Hardware costs (sometimes proprietary)
- Additional fees for online ordering modules
- Third-party commission on online orders (if using their marketplace)
Why Flipdish delivers better value:
Most restaurants switching to Flipdish from Epos Now save money in three ways: lower effective payment processing rates, elimination of third-party commission through direct ordering channels, and reduced need for separate marketing tools. A typical 10-15 order per day takeaway saves £400-600 monthly by moving direct orders from marketplaces to Flipdish channels.
Implementation and Migration Considerations
Switching from Epos Now to an alternative:
- Data extraction: Export your menu, customer data, and historical sales before your contract ends
- Menu migration: Most alternatives including Flipdish provide menu setup assistance
- Hardware assessment: Determine what existing hardware can be reused
- Staff training: Budget 2-4 hours per staff member for comprehensive training
- Parallel running: Consider a brief overlap period if your contract allows
Flipdish implementation timeline:
- Week 1: Menu setup and hardware configuration
- Week 2: Staff training and system testing
- Week 3: Soft launch with monitoring
- Week 4: Full operation with optimization
Flipdish provides dedicated onboarding support, unlike Epos Now's more hands-off approach.
Making Your Decision
Choose Flipdish if you:
- Need strong online ordering and delivery capabilities
- Want to reduce third-party marketplace commission
- Operate multiple locations requiring centralised control
- Value transparent pricing without hidden costs
- Want AI-powered features like phone ordering
- Need comprehensive customer engagement tools
Consider Toast if you:
- Run a primarily dine-in operation with minimal delivery
- Don't need sophisticated online ordering
- Are comfortable with US-centric development priorities
Consider Lightspeed if you:
- Operate a complex full-service restaurant
- Prioritize table management over online ordering
- Have budget for higher monthly costs
Consider Square if you:
- Run a very small single-site operation
- Have simple requirements
- Don't plan to scale
Why Flipdish is the Best Epos Now Alternative
Flipdish solves the core problems that drive restaurants away from Epos Now: fragmented online ordering, unclear pricing, limited multi-location tools, and lack of innovation.
The platform was built specifically for modern restaurants where online ordering isn't an add-on—it's central to the business. Everything from POS to kiosks to AI phone ordering works from the same menu and shares the same customer data.
For multi-location operators, Flipdish provides the centralised management tools that Epos Now lacks. Update menus across all sites instantly, view consolidated reporting, manage staff permissions centrally, and maintain brand consistency.
The AI capabilities represent genuine innovation that increases revenue—automated phone ordering that never misses a call, intelligent upselling, and marketing automation that drives repeat orders.
Most importantly, Flipdish's pricing model aligns with your success. You're not paying commission on your own direct orders, and transparent processing rates mean no surprises.
Next Steps
If you're evaluating Epos Now alternatives, start by clarifying your actual requirements. Most restaurants find they need stronger online ordering integration, better multi-location tools, or more transparent pricing—exactly what Flipdish delivers.
Compare the total cost of ownership, not just monthly software fees. Factor in payment processing rates, hardware costs, and the opportunity cost of third-party marketplace commission.
For more detailed comparisons of restaurant technology options, visit Restaurant Tech for independent analysis.
Request demonstrations from your shortlisted providers, but ensure you're comparing like-for-like functionality. Many POS systems claim online ordering capabilities that are actually separate bolt-on products.
Flipdish offers transparent pricing and straightforward implementation. The platform is designed for restaurants that want to own their customer relationships, reduce commission costs, and scale efficiently—making it the clear choice for operators seeking a genuine Epos Now alternative.