Square vs Toast for a small restaurant?
By the Menuthere editorial team · Updated
Square suits a small counter or café on a budget: it has a genuine free POS tier with card processing around 2.9% + $0.30 online. Toast is restaurant-specific and more powerful for full-service, but its Point of Sale plan is about $69/month per terminal plus add-ons. Both are hardware-first. If your main goal is commission-free online ordering, Menuthere is $17/month with no hardware. Updated October 2026.
- Square: free POS tier; good for small cafés and counters on Square hardware; online card processing around 2.9% + $0.30.
- Toast: restaurant-specific, strongest for full-service dine-in; Point of Sale about $69/month per terminal plus paid add-ons.
- Toast adds an online-order service fee of about $0.99 over a set amount; Square bundles online ordering into its own plans and fees.
- Both are hardware-first — you buy terminals and card readers to use them fully.
- Menuthere needs no hardware: 0% commission online ordering from $17/month.
Skip the terminal for online orders
If you mainly want your own commission-free online ordering, Menuthere gives you an ordering website, QR menu and dashboard for a flat monthly price with 0% commission on every order. It runs on any phone, so there is no Square or Toast hardware to buy, and Lite and Pro come with a 14-day free trial.
Which is cheaper for a small restaurant, Square or Toast?
Square is usually cheaper to start because it has a free POS tier — you pay card processing (around 2.9% + $0.30 online) rather than a monthly software fee, though its own online ordering has its own plan and fees. Toast's Point of Sale plan is about $69 a month per terminal, and online ordering is a paid add-on with a per-order service fee. For a small place, Square wins on entry cost; Toast wins on restaurant-specific depth.
| Square | Toast | Menuthere | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry software | Free POS tier | ~$69/mo per terminal | Lite $17/mo, Pro $39/mo |
| Online ordering | Own plan and fees | Paid add-on + ~$0.99/order | Included |
| Online card processing | ~2.9% + $0.30 | Processing applies | Your own gateway's fee |
| Commission to vendor | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hardware | Square readers/terminals | Toast terminals | None — any phone |
| Best for | Small counters/cafés | Full-service dine-in | Commission-free online orders |
Which has better restaurant features?
Toast is built for restaurants, so its kitchen display, coursing, floor plan and payroll are deeper and more restaurant-specific than Square's. Square is a general small-business POS that works well for a café or counter but is less tailored to a busy full-service kitchen. If you run table service at volume, Toast earns its higher price; if you are a small or takeout-first place, Square's lighter setup is usually enough.
What if I only want online ordering, not a POS?
Then neither full POS is necessary. A dedicated ordering tool is lighter and cheaper: Menuthere gives you an ordering website, QR menu and optional branded app at a flat monthly price with 0% commission, and no terminals. Many owners run a POS for the in-person till and Menuthere for direct online orders, so the two complement each other rather than competing. See Square online ordering fees.
Who this is a good fit for
- Small cafés, bakeries and takeout spots choosing between Square and Toast mostly for online ordering.
- Owners who want 0% commission and no hardware bill for direct orders.
- New places that want to launch this week from a photo of the menu.
Who this is not for
- Busy full-service restaurants that need a complete dine-in till, kitchen display and payroll — Toast fits that.
- Counters that already run on Square hardware and just want Square's bundled online ordering.
Common follow-up questions
Is Square or Toast better for a small restaurant?
Square is cheaper to start (free POS tier) and suits small cafés and counters; Toast is restaurant-specific and better for busy full-service dine-in but costs about $69/month per terminal plus add-ons.
Do Square and Toast charge commission on orders?
Neither takes a percentage commission on your own online orders. You pay card processing on each order, and Toast adds an online-order service fee of about $0.99 over a set amount.
Is there a cheaper option than both for online ordering?
Yes. If you mainly want commission-free online ordering, Menuthere is $17/month (Lite) with 0% commission and no hardware, and includes a 14-day free trial on Lite and Pro.
Can I use Square or Toast without hardware?
Both are built around their own terminals and card readers, so most restaurants buy hardware. To take orders with no hardware at all, a browser-and-QR tool like Menuthere needs only a phone.
Read next
Sources (3)
- Toast pricing, Toast, read 25 October 2026
- Toast vs Square for restaurants: fees (2026), Chowly, read 25 October 2026
- Menuthere pricing — 0% commission, from $17/mo, Menuthere, read 25 October 2026