Do I need a POS for my restaurant?
By the Menuthere editorial team · Updated
It depends what you're solving. A POS (point of sale) is for ringing up in-person orders at a counter or table — Toast, Square and Clover do that, from a free Square tier up to about $69/month per terminal on Toast. You do not need a POS to take online orders: a dedicated tool like Menuthere handles your own online ordering from $17/month with 0% commission and no hardware. Many restaurants use both. Updated October 2026.
- A POS is for in-person service — ringing up orders, cash drawer, card terminal, kitchen printing.
- For online orders you don't need a POS; an ordering website, QR menu or app does the job.
- POS prices range from a free Square tier to about $69/month per terminal on Toast and ~$59.95–$89.95/month on Clover.
- Menuthere is 0% commission from $17/month for online ordering, with no terminal to buy.
- A takeout-first or new place can start with just online ordering and add a POS later if it opens dine-in.
Online ordering with no POS and no hardware
Menuthere gives your restaurant its own ordering website, QR menu and dashboard with 0% commission, built from a photo of your menu and running on any phone. There is no terminal to buy. If you later need an in-person till, you can run a POS alongside it, and Lite and Pro include a 14-day free trial.
What does a POS actually do that online ordering doesn't?
A POS handles the in-person side of service: ringing up orders at the counter or table, taking card payments on a terminal, opening a cash drawer, splitting checks, and printing tickets to the kitchen. Online ordering handles the digital side: a customer browses your menu on their phone, orders and pays online, and the order reaches you without anyone at a till. They solve different problems, which is why many restaurants run both.
| POS (Toast/Square/Clover) | Menuthere (online ordering) | |
|---|---|---|
| Rings up in-person orders | Yes | No |
| Card terminal & cash drawer | Yes | No |
| Own online ordering website | Add-on or extra | Included |
| QR menu and table ordering | Varies | Included |
| Hardware needed | Terminals/readers | None — any phone |
| Entry cost | Free (Square) to ~$69/mo per terminal (Toast) | Lite $17/mo, Free $0 to start |
If I'm takeout or delivery only, do I need a POS at all?
Often no. A takeout-first, delivery-only or cloud kitchen that takes most orders online can run on an online-ordering tool alone: customers order from your website, QR code or WhatsApp, pay online or on pickup, and the order lands in your dashboard. You only really need a POS once you have walk-in counter or table service to ring up in person. Until then, a POS is hardware and cost you don't need.
Can I use a POS and an online-ordering tool together?
Yes, and many do. Keep a POS for the in-person till and use Menuthere for your own commission-free online orders, so you stop paying delivery-app commission on direct orders while still ringing up walk-ins at the counter. The two run side by side — your till handles the room, Menuthere handles the website, QR and WhatsApp orders. See the best online ordering system for a small restaurant.
Who this is a good fit for
- Takeout-first, delivery-only and cloud kitchens that take most orders online and may not need a counter till.
- New or small places that want to start taking online orders this week with no hardware.
- Owners who want 0% commission on direct orders and a low fixed monthly price.
Who this is not for
- Full-service dine-in restaurants that need to ring up tables, split checks and print to the kitchen — a POS like Toast, Square or Clover is needed there.
- Counters that want integrated card terminals and a cash drawer at the point of sale.
Common follow-up questions
Do I need a POS to take online orders?
No. A POS is for in-person service. To take your own online orders you only need an ordering website, QR menu or app — Menuthere does that from $17/month with 0% commission and no hardware.
What is the cheapest POS for a small restaurant?
Square has a free POS tier and is a common cheap start; Clover restaurant plans are about $59.95–$89.95/month; Toast's Point of Sale plan is about $69/month per terminal. All need hardware and card processing.
Can a takeout place skip a POS?
Usually yes. A takeout-first or delivery-only kitchen can run on online ordering alone and add a POS only if it opens dine-in counter or table service that needs ringing up in person.
Does Menuthere replace a POS?
No. Menuthere is an online-ordering tool, not an in-person till. It handles your website, QR and WhatsApp orders at 0% commission; pair it with a POS if you need a counter till. Lite and Pro include a 14-day free trial.
Read next
Sources (3)
- Toast pricing, Toast, read 25 October 2026
- Clover POS pricing breakdown (2026), UpMenu, read 25 October 2026
- Menuthere pricing — 0% commission, from $17/mo, Menuthere, read 25 October 2026