Toast vs Clover – Ultimate Showdown
Hey there,
If you were wondering,
Toast vs Clover – Which Restaurant POS is Better?
You are in the right place.
As a restaurant consultant with years of experience, I understand the importance of choosing the right POS system for our businesses. The eternal debate: Toast vs Clover has been a hot topic for years, and today, I’ll be sharing my insights to help you make the best decision for your restaurant.
Let’s get comfortable with a cup of coffee and get down to business, where I’ll compare these two industry giants and explain why considering Mstar POS could be a game-changer for you.
Toast vs Clover: What Every Restaurant Owner Should Look For
Before diving into Toast and Clover’s details, let’s talk about what every restaurant owner should look for in a POS system.
Ease of use: You and your staff need a user-friendly system that can quickly learn and operate with minimal training.
Integration: Your POS should easily integrate with other essential software like inventory management, employee scheduling, and accounting.
Customization: Your business is unique, and your POS should be able to adapt to your specific needs with customizable options.
Reliability: Downtime can cost you customers and money, so a reliable system is necessary.
Reporting and analytics: Comprehensive reporting features help you make data-driven decisions to grow your business.
Customer support: A responsive support team can save you time and frustration when you need assistance.
Cost-effectiveness: The pricing should be transparent and provide good value for money.
Now that we know what to look for let’s dive into the details of Toast vs Clover.
Toast POS: Overview and Features
Toast is a popular cloud-based POS system designed specifically for the food service industry. Its features include:
Order management: Toast makes splitting bills, managing tabs, and accepting payments from multiple sources easy.
Inventory management: Track your inventory levels in real time to always know what’s in stock and what needs to be reordered.
Employee management: Manage your staff’s schedules, track hours worked, and monitor performance with built-in tools.
Online ordering and delivery: Toast offers integrated online ordering and delivery options to help you reach more customers.
Loyalty programs: Create customizable rewards programs to keep customers coming back.
Reporting and analytics: Toast provides real-time insights and detailed reports to help you make data-driven decisions.
Clover POS: Overview and Features
Clover is a versatile POS system suitable for various businesses, including restaurants. Its main features are:
Customizable interface: Clover offers a range of hardware options and allows you to tailor the interface to suit your needs.
Payment processing: Accept various payment methods, including credit cards, mobile wallets, and gift cards.
Inventory management: Keep track of your stock levels and set up automatic reordering for popular items.
Employee management: Manage your staff’s schedules, track hours worked, and monitor performance with Clover’s built-in tools.
Marketing tools: Leverage Clover’s built-in marketing tools to promote your business and attract new customers.
Third-party integrations: Clover’s App Market allows you to integrate with other essential software to streamline your operations.
Toast vs. Clover: The Showdown
Now that we know more about Toast and Clover let’s see how they stack up against each other.
Ease of Use
Both Toast and Clover have intuitive interfaces that are easy to navigate. However, Toast is specifically designed for the food service industry, so its features and interface are tailored to restaurant workflows. On the other hand, Clover caters to various industries, so its interface might not be as specialized for restaurants. In terms of ease of use, Toast has a slight edge.
Integration
Both systems integrate essential software like inventory management, employee scheduling, and accounting. Toast has a more extensive list of built-in integrations, whereas Clover relies on its App Market for third-party integrations. Depending on your specific needs, one system’s integration options might suit your business.
Customization
Clover shines when it comes to customization. With various hardware options and a customizable interface, Clover allows you to create a POS system that fits your unique needs. Toast also offers customization options but may not be as flexible as Clover.
Reliability
Toast and Clover are cloud-based systems that rely on a stable internet connection. However, Toast’s offline mode allows you to continue operations even when your internet connection is down. Clover doesn’t have a native offline mode, which could be an issue during internet outages.
Reporting and Analytics
Toast and Clover both offer comprehensive reporting and analytics features. Toast’s reporting tools are more tailored to the restaurant industry, while Clover provides a more general set of tools. Depending on your specific needs, one system’s reporting features might be more suitable for your business.
Customer Support
Both companies offer 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and live chat. According to some user reviews, toast has a reputation for excellent customer service, while Clover’s customer support can be hit-or-miss.
Cost-effectiveness
Toast and Clover have transparent pricing, but Toast’s pricing is generally more competitive. Clover’s hardware can be more expensive, and some third-party apps from the Clover App Market may have additional fees.
Advantages and Insights
Essential distinctions and perks:
CLOVER
User-Friendly Experience: Clover’s platform is designed for ease of use with touch-screen capabilities, making it compatible with smartphones and tablets. Its fast and straightforward setup ensures smooth navigation.
Real-Time Insights: Keep an eye on sales, inventory, and crucial data to identify best-selling items, overall revenue, employee sales, and more. Make strategic decisions and rectify any issues with in-depth insights into your business performance.
Enhanced Security: Card readers with encryption capabilities, PCI-compliant hardware, end-to-end data encryption, and access authorization can help keep malicious software out of your system.
TOAST
Effortless Onboarding: Toast University can help you save time and money on employee training by providing helpful videos and hands-on guides. Smart Technology: Let customers eating in to use their phones to place orders and make payments. Let customers pay for their orders at the restaurant’s kiosk, via their mobile app, or right at the counter using the Order & Pay feature, speeding up service.
Enterprise-Friendly: Enhance your new business’s capabilities with the Starter Kit. Quickly place orders and customize your system with preferred hardware and software solutions at flat-rate pricing.
Increased Profits: Integrate with third-party software providers like Grubhub and OpenTable to expand your customer base and boost sales.
Accessibility: Efficiently complete time-sensitive tasks by storing information for multiple outlets, viewing data by location, updating menus, monitoring employee activity, and accessing performance reports, all with remote and offline accessibility.
Key Features
Unique capabilities of each product:
CLOVER
Data-Driven Reporting: Obtain real-time, actionable insights and track performance metrics with comprehensive reports. Integrate third-party apps and analytics to monitor revenue, sales per employee, monthly sales trends, top-selling items, refunds, transaction volume, open orders, and more.
Efficient Payments: Speed up transactions with user-friendly, PCI-compliant payment methods. Set up tax rates, process offline sales, ensure fraud protection, and accept payments across devices. Customers can securely pay using various methods, including credit and debit cards, gift and Apple Pay, cash, EMV chip cards, and NFCs.
Invoice Handling: Generate online invoices for customers and send them via email. Receive payment confirmation without needing POS hardware and software. Integrate invoicing apps for a seamless experience.
Customized Gift Cards: Give your consumers a reason to smile by customizing gift cards and rewarding loyalty. Digital gift cards of your design can be redeemed by selecting one of several premade designs or uploading a file with your logo. Credit may be issued at the register, and sales can be viewed in real-time through snapshots and reports.
Exceptional Customer Service: Use methods of participant involvement to establish lasting bonds with your clientele. Respond to comments, provide discounts and special offers to repeat buyers, encourage user-to-user communication, and boost site traffic with clever advertising.
TOAST
Online Ordering: Enable guests to order food online for takeout and delivery, schedule orders ahead of time, access online menus, and make contactless payments. Receive new orders directly in your restaurant’s POS system, customize your online ordering page, and gather customer insights to refine your services.
Gift Cards and Loyalty Programs: Attract customers and increase revenue by selling modern e-Gift Cards. Allow users to text or email cards for in-store and online purchases. Monitor card balances and schedule gift cards in advance to foster customer relationships. Sell customized physical gift cards and review detailed reports on gift card sales.
Swift Delivery: Establish an on-demand delivery network with local drivers for a single per-order fee. Streamline the process with real-time order tracking, advance scheduling, online payment options, and customer behavior-based restaurant service reviews using reporting and analytics.
Email Marketing: Enhance communication and drive customer retention with targeted email campaigns. Increase revenue, automate outreach, create custom email lists, run A/B tests to refine communication, and send personalized messages to deepen brand loyalty.
Self-Service Solutions: Speed up the online ordering experience with self-help kiosks. Reduce wait times, boost staff productivity, and offer a tailored dining experience with order SMS notifications, add-ons, and real-time menu updates.
Efficient Workspace Management: A consolidated employee management system is invaluable for improving team communication and collaboration. Employee time and attendance may be recorded, tips calculated, timesheets checked, wages recorded automatically, new hires added to the system, and more, all using electronic means. Use comprehensive reports and analytics to learn about each employee’s performance.
Clover and Toast offer unique advantages and features catering to various business needs.
Clover excels in user-friendly experience, real-time insights, and enhanced security, while Toast stands out with its effortless onboarding, tech-savvy features, and enterprise-friendly solutions.
The key features of each product highlight their strengths in reporting and analytics, efficient payments, and customer service. The final decision between the two options should be based on your unique needs and goals as a business owner.
Introducing Mstar POS: A Powerful Alternative
Now that we’ve compared Toast vs Clover, let’s look at a lesser-known but equally powerful alternative: Mstar POS.
Mstar POS is designed specifically for the food service industry, with features like order management, inventory tracking, employee management, and customer loyalty programs. What sets Mstar apart is its competitive pricing and commitment to providing restaurant owners with a high-quality, personalized experience.
Why Choose Mstar POS?
Tailored to Restaurants: Like Toast, Mstar POS is designed specifically for the food service industry, ensuring its features are tailored to restaurant workflows.
Affordable Pricing: Mstar POS offers competitive pricing, making it an attractive option for cost-conscious restaurant owners.
Personalized Customer Support: Mstar POS provides dedicated customer support, ensuring you receive the attention and care you deserve.
Customizable Interface: Mstar POS offers a customizable interface, allowing you to create a POS system that fits your unique needs.
Seamless Integrations: Mstar POS integrates with the essential software, streamlining your operations and saving time.
Conclusion: Toast vs Clover – Which Restaurant POS is Better?
In conclusion, regarding the Toast vs Clover debate, both systems have strengths and weaknesses. It’s crucial to consider your specific needs and preferences when choosing the right POS system for your restaurant.
Don’t forget to explore other options like Mstar POS, which offers a competitive alternative tailored to the food service industry. Your business deserves the best, and the right POS system can make all the difference in your success.
Jeff Smith is a Restaurant Consultant with over 20 years of hospitality experience ranging from server to owner and general manager. He focuses on Restaurant POS technology as well as restaurant marketing.Check out our world-famous restaurant resources resources page for a comprehensive offering of hand-picked resources and tools to help your business. You can also check out some of our other restaurant business articles.