The best takeaway EPOS systems.
Yes, we make one of these. So here's an honest look at all of them, including when ServeMate isn't the right pick.
In short
The right takeaway EPOS depends on what you need beyond the till. Square for Restaurants has a free plan if you only need a basic till. Epos Now suits shops that want hardware and support in one bundle on a 12-month contract. Flipdish and Lightspeed suit bigger or multi-site businesses. ServeMate suits independent takeaways that want the till, own ordering website, kitchen screen, self-order kiosk, loyalty, stock and rotas in one system for £49 a month, with AI phone ordering built in and no contract.
What matters behind a takeaway counter
A restaurant EPOS and a takeaway EPOS aren't the same job. On a Friday night, this is what counts:
- Speed at the till. Sizes, extras and deals on the buttons, not buried in menus.
- One menu everywhere. Change a price once and the till, website, kiosk and menu screens all follow.
- Every order in one queue. Counter, phone, website and kiosk orders on the same kitchen screen.
- The phone. Someone, or something, has to answer it when you're flat out.
- Your own customers. An ordering website with your name on it, and loyalty that brings people back.
- The real monthly total, with the extras you'll actually use, and no contract you can't get out of.
I've judged each system on those, using the prices each company publishes on its own UK pages.
The quick comparison
| System | From, a month | Good pick if |
|---|---|---|
| ServeMate | £49, kiosk included | You want everything in one system at one price |
| Square for Restaurants | £0 (Free) or £69 (Plus) | You only need a basic till for now |
| SumUp POS Pro | £49, shown excluding VAT | You want a simple till and add modules one by one |
| Epos Now | £58, plus a bundle from £299 | You want hardware and support from one supplier |
| Lightspeed Restaurant | £79 for your first terminal | You run a bigger, sit-down operation |
| Flipdish | £99 billed annually | You run several sites and want central control |
| Foodhub | Not published | You also want a marketplace listing |
ServeMate
Good pick if: you're an independent takeaway that wants the till, own ordering website, kitchen screen, self-order kiosk, TV menus, loyalty, stock and margins, rotas and safety logs in one system.
Price: £49 a month per shop, with everything above included and as many kiosks as you like. Sophie, the AI that answers your phone and takes the full order, is 25p a minute, only while she's on a call. She already answers the phones for Domino's franchise stores.
Watch out for: it runs on Android tablets and Windows devices, not iPads. You set it up yourself, though we'll go through it with you over the phone for free if you get stuck. We're also a smaller company than the big names, which is why we publish every price and don't do contracts.
Square for Restaurants
Good pick if: you only need a till for now, or you already use Square.
Price: the Free plan is £0 a month, and Plus is £69 a month per location. In-person card payments are 1.75%.
Watch out for: extras are charged separately. A kitchen screen is £15 a month per screen on Free, and the kiosk is £35 a month per device on Free and Plus.
SumUp POS Pro
Good pick if: you want a straightforward till and are happy to add features as modules.
Price: from £49 a month, shown excluding VAT, with £0 onboarding and no long-term contract.
Watch out for: the kitchen screen is £19 a month per terminal, and advanced loyalty and advanced stock are £19 a month each. Online ordering is charged per order, at 2.7% + 12p for delivery and collection. A kiosk isn't listed on the pricing page.
Epos Now
Good pick if: you want the hardware, software and support from one company in one bundle.
Price: the Countertop 2 bundle is from £299 upfront, shown as down from £849, with a payments, care and support subscription at £58 a month. Card payments are 1.2% on Visa and Mastercard.
Watch out for: it's a 12-month contract. The kitchen screen is from £19 a month, and kiosk and online ordering prices aren't listed.
Lightspeed Restaurant
Good pick if: you run a bigger restaurant that needs table service and lots of depth.
Price: Lightspeed's page says plans begin at £79 a month for your first terminal, across Basic, Core and Pro plans.
Watch out for: the ordering kiosk is an add-on on every plan, and on Basic so are the kitchen screen, loyalty and stock. Add-on prices aren't listed.
Flipdish
Good pick if: you run several sites and want central menu management and reporting.
Price: from £99 a month per site billed annually, or £129 billed monthly, for the POS plus your own branded website.
Watch out for: the kitchen screen, stock, driver tracking and menu screens are add-ons without prices shown, and upfront hardware and setup costs may apply.
Foodhub
Good pick if: you also want your shop listed on Foodhub's own marketplace.
Price: not published. Its takeaway pages offer two months of free EPOS rental and ask you to book a demo.
Watch out for: without published prices you can't compare the full cost until you've spoken to sales.
How to choose in ten minutes
- List what you'll use in the next year, not just today: till, kitchen screen, kiosk, website, loyalty, rotas, the phone.
- Add up the real monthly total for each system with all of it. Our guide to what a takeaway EPOS really costs does the sums.
- Check the contract and what it costs to leave.
- Check the hardware works with what you've already got.
- Trial it on a busy night with your real menu before you commit.
If ServeMate looks right, it's £49 a month with a 30-day free trial and no contract. See every price.
Sources: Square for Restaurants UK pricing, SumUp POS Pro pricing, Epos Now countertop POS, Lightspeed Restaurant UK pricing, Flipdish UK pricing, Foodhub fish and chip shop EPOS. Checked 10 November 2026.
How much does ServeMate cost?
£49 a month per shop. That includes the self-order kiosk, as many screens as you like. Sophie, the AI phone assistant, is the only paid add-on, at 25p per minute only when she's on a call.
Why is ServeMate only £49 a month?
Because we don't pay for the things that make other systems expensive: sales reps, install vans and long contracts. You set it up yourself, we help for free over the phone or WhatsApp, and the same tech already runs franchise stores every night. That's how it stays at £49.
What hardware do I need?
An Android tablet or a Windows device, plus a thermal receipt printer. Any Bluetooth thermal printer works, or a wired one on Windows.
Is there a contract?
No. Pay monthly and cancel any time.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, 30 days.
Run the whole shop from one counter.
30-day free trial. No contract. Cancel any time.
Start before 31 January and your £49 is locked for life.
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