The 9 Best Restaurant Payment Apps on the Market
“Pay at table” apps will help you serve more customers — here are the best ones
The restaurant industry is evolving alongside technology. Diners have come to expect information about menus, prices, and allergens on demand. Restaurant payment apps have risen to meet those expectations, consolidating menu and pricing information into a single app. Customers can peruse menus and close tabs on their terms, but the benefits extend to businesses too. The apps let restaurant owners send out marketing material and turn tables more easily than they’ve ever been able to before. “Pay at table” has established itself as a true disruptor of dining, and restaurants need to consider adopting one if they haven’t already.
But what’s the best place to start? Let’s dissect the benefits of restaurant payment apps and the top solutions available today.
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How to find the best restaurant payment apps
Not all of these apps are created equal, and business owners need to know the standout features of restaurant mobile payment apps to make the best choice. One of the first considerations is whether or not you’re looking into a restaurant payment app that is an extension of a POS system. That may offer compelling features but will lock you into that POS solution. An alternative is a restaurant payment app that is platform-agnostic, providing the flexibility to change POS providers down the road.
Pay at Table features are one thing, but the apps should also make marketing painless — and not every app supports that. The following list contains some of the best apps available, and how they’re helping restaurants connect with customers.
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CityCheers
CityCheers offers an easy way for restaurants to market their business and connect with customers, enabling them to seamlessly broadcast new menu items, specials, and more while boasting integrations with the leading POS platforms. The CityCheers app allows customers to view their check, add a tip, and go whenever they’re ready —all without having to ask for a server to bring a check or hand over their credit card. CityCheers’ marketing support and innovative pay-at-the-table solution alone make it a standout option for restaurants of all sizes. Plus, the CityCheers business model means they offer the platform to restaurants and bars at no cost (the company charges consumers a $0.50 transaction fee to cover costs).
Toast
Toast is a robust POS for restaurants that integrates operations like inventory management and ordering as well as customer service. The app eliminates the need for paper menus and checks, creating a streamlined service strategy. Toast offers a solution for practically any type of restaurant, from traditional sit-downs to bars and nightclubs.
DashNow
Recently rebranded to HYFIN, DashNow is designed to be fast and secure, allowing customers to quickly and easily pay their bill from their smartphones. It’s especially useful for restaurants that emphasize to-go orders, like hole-in-the-wall sandwich shops and small bakeries. Customers can order and pay for to-gos from within the app, which will also alert you when the customer has arrived to retrieve their order. It offers pay-at-table functionality via QR codes.
Zapper
Zapper provides the staple payment features of a restaurant mobile payment app, allowing customers to pay on their phones and letting restaurants send out marketing information. Zapper also gives businesses insights into customers’ opinions through an integrated dashboard, which they can use to tailor their menus and marketing in the future.
Square
If there’s a brand that’s notable for its recognizability, it’s Square. The company’s POS systems have become a common feature of small restaurants, food trucks, and countless other shops. The Square Online app features pay-at-table QR codes that allow customers to order, open tabs, and pay when they’re finished. However, while Square is a leading option for pay-at-the-counter establishments, customers will still need to ask their server to bring them a check when they’re ready to pay.
MyCheck
MyCheck is a global booking and payment platform for hospitality industry businesses that integrates both loyalty and POS system features in one package. “Dine” is an easy-to-use and complete solution for restaurant guests. It's especially helpful for restaurants located inside hotels, as the platform supports room service orders and room charge payments.
Ready
Ready emphasizes its ability to reduce the time customers spend dining, which increases revenue and tips. Ready offers the option to pay a restaurant bill , as well as take-out pre-payment functionality. The always-available menu function is also useful, allowing customers to filter menu items by criteria like dietary restrictions.
QikSwerve
QikServe is a solution for restaurants that need finer control over their prep times and ordering slots during rush hours, as it allows businesses to update their offerings in real-time. There’s both a web and native app to pay restaurant bills through QikServe, so customers don’t have to download anything to use it.
Posist
Posist is designed to make the lives of back-of-house and front-of-house staff as easy as possible, creating a unified platform that makes restaurants more efficient. The platform can also identify top-selling items and combos, helping restaurants create more profitable menus. And, of course, the pay-at-table functionality makes the dining experience more convenient for customers. However, Posist is another QR code-driven solution, so it’s limited in its ability to send out marketing messages.
Choosing a payment app
Restaurant payment apps aren’t going anywhere. They’re becoming an expectation rather than a convenient perk for customers. But as much as it’s a plus for diners, it’s just as big a boon for the restaurant or bar.
At CityCheers, we’re ready to help you enhance your POS solution. Our platform ensures that you can connect with your customers through easy-to-use marketing tools that drive traffic to your restaurant. With CityCheers, you let customers control when they check out, so you can focus on turning more tables and driving higher revenue every shift. Contact us today for a demo, and you’ll see how CityCheers fits your restaurant’s strategy.