6 Best POS Systems For Bakeries - Honest Reviews

Bakery businesses are fast-paced businesses that need robust systems in place to accommodate their customers' needs. With so many options out there, it can be difficult to decide on the best point of sale (POS) system for your bakery. To help you in your search, we've reviewed the top POS systems available and given honest ratings.

By the end of this comprehensive guide, you'll know the following:

• What are bakery pos systems for bakery businesses
• The best bakery point of sale (POS) systems for small and large businesses
• Bakery software and hardware features to consider for your bakery business
• How to plan for bakery POS system implementation

Let's get started!

What is a bakery?

A bakery is an establishment specializing in bakery products, such as bread, pastries, cakes, and other sweets. This hospitality business usually differs from other food service operations because it does not typically offer cooked food. Instead, bakery products are sold in the bakery and can either be consumed on-site or taken away.

What is a POS system?

In its simplest form, a bakery POS system is a combination of hardware and software that helps business operations flow more smoothly. This could mean anything from tracking inventory and managing customers to processing payments and analyzing sales.

Retail POS vs. hospitality POS

Two main industries benefit the most from point of sale systems: retail and hospitality. While both involve the sale of goods or services, there are a few key differences between the two (specifically when it comes to software).

POS systems for hospitality professionals tend to offer more features specifically tailored toward restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and other food service businesses. These features may include table management, kitchen display systems (KDS), loyalty programs, and more.

Retail POS systems, on the other hand, focus more on retail-specific features such as barcode scanning, inventory management, customer relationship management (CRM), and payment processing.

Both solutions should come with payment processing services, although depending on the provider, these may be in-house or third-party.

Types of hospitality venues that need a POS system

Alongside bakeries, there are a number of other hospitality venues that benefit from using a POS device. These include:

• Cafés: cafés need a reliable POS to process payments, manage orders, and track inventory.
• Restaurants: restaurants require more sophisticated systems capable of tracking reservations, managing tables, and offering loyalty programs.
• Bars: bars need fast and efficient payment processing and capabilities such as digital menus and age verification.
• Catering: catering businesses need a POS that can manage orders and payments and track customer information.
• Events: events require more advanced systems with ticketing and inventory management features.
• Food trucks: mobile businesses need specialized POS systems that are mobile-friendly and able to work offline.

POS software vs. POS hardware

POS software is a set of programs and applications that enable bakery owners to manage every aspect of their business. Software features include inventory management, customer loyalty programs, analytics and reports, and more.

POS hardware includes everything bakery owners need to use their software. This could mean anything from cash registers and card readers to point-of-sale terminals and scanners. When selecting bakery POS hardware, it's important to make sure that devices are compatible with the software.

What features should bakery software include?

When selecting the software for your bakery, there are a few important features bakery owners should look for. These include:

• Inventory management: Bakery POS systems should be able to accurately manage inventory levels to ensure that customers can always get the items they need. For example, bakery owners should be able to view what inventory is on hand, what items are running low, and how often bakery items need to be restocked.
• Customer loyalty programs: A bakery POS system should be able to create loyalty programs that reward loyal customers. This could mean offering discounts or free products after a certain number of purchases.
• Analytics & reports: To get an accurate picture of bakery performance, bakery owners should have access to detailed analytics and reports. This can help bakery owners better understand their customers' buying habits and make more informed decisions about their operations.
• Employee management: Software should also include employee management features. This could mean anything from tracking employee clock-in and clock-out times to monitoring employees' performance and productivity.
• Delivery management: The best bakery software should easily manage delivery orders. Delivery management could mean keeping track of customer addresses, order status updates, and driver locations.
• Payment processing: Bakery software should be able to process payments quickly and securely. This is especially important for bakery owners who accept digital payment methods such as credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
• Customer management: Bakery software should include customer management features allowing bakery owners to store customer contact information, track orders, and send promotional messages.

#1 Epos Now

Epos Now is a cloud-based POS system designed specifically for retail and hospitality businesses, such as bakery owners. This bakery software is easy to use and includes features like inventory management, customer loyalty programs, analytics and reporting, employee management, payment processing, and customer management. We've named it number 1 on our best bakery pos systems list.

Plus, Epos Now integrates with other bakery tools like accounting software and online ordering platforms. So you can make sure all bakery operations are running smoothly.

Let's take a closer look at some of the features:

Powerful menu management features

Tap into powerful menu management features to create a more intuitive ordering and payment process. Assign ingredients to menu items, automatically deducting stock with each order. Add product notes to help customers with allergens and dietary restrictions. Create combination offers through multiple-choice ordering options. Make menu changes instantly to prevent confusion and errors.

Suppose you own a small bakery selling custom cakes and vegan pastries. You could use Epos Now's menu management features to create custom menus for different occasions, assign allergens and ingredients to each cake, and set up multiple-choice ordering options for customers who want to buy more than one item.

Highlights your customers

Create detailed customer profiles with the bakery software. Track their buying habits and reward loyalty with points, discounts, or special offers. Make sure your customers come back for more by understanding what they need and upselling. Use built-in marketing tools to stay in touch with them through email campaigns and SMS notifications.

Suppose you're running a holiday-themed promotion for your bakery. You could use Epos Now's customer management features to create special offers for loyal customers, send them promotional emails and SMS notifications about the promotion, and track their buying habits to better understand their needs.

Integrates with leading third-party apps

Integrate with leading third-party apps to streamline bakery operations. Connect with accounting software like Xero, and tools for online ordering, delivery, and payments. Automate processes between different systems so you can save time and money.

For example, if you've connected Epos Now to your online ordering system, it could automatically update stock levels when orders are placed. This would ensure that you don't run out of ingredients while reducing the time it takes to keep track of inventory.

Detailed reporting and analytics

Easily track bakery performance with detailed analytics and reports. Get an overview of bakery profits, sales, staff performance, customer visits, and more. These detailed reports make it easy to identify areas of improvement and stay on top of bakery operations.

For example, if you want to find out which items are selling the most in your bakery, you could use Epos Now's reporting and analytics features to get an overview of sales performance quickly. This would allow you to focus on promoting those items more aggressively and make sure you're always maximizing profits.

Take orders from anywhere

Take orders from anywhere with Epos Now Order & Pay. Customers can order and pay for bakery items through a unique app-free platform. Create a digital menu that syncs with bakery inventory, and customers can track order status and schedule a pickup time.

For example, if your customer wants to order a custom cake for their birthday, they can use Epos Now's Order & Pay feature to place the order and pay for it through their mobile device. They can also track the order's status and schedule a time to collect it from your bakery. This reduces wait times and makes the ordering process easier and more efficient.

Integrated payments

Make payments simpler with integrated payment processing. Epos Now Payments offers all the advantages of the latest payment technology with the very best transaction rates. Become one of the thousands of businesses already making payments simpler. You can accept online payments, as well as contactless, chip and pin, and more!

Best POS systems: alternatives to Epos Now

Lightspeed Restaurant

Lightspeed Restaurant is hospitality software designed to help bakery owners streamline operations. This bakery software solution includes self-order functionality, offline mode, and quick-serve mode. It also comes with an added cost for advanced features.

Limitations of Lightspeed restaurant:

Lightspeed Restaurant's added features come with an added cost. That means that bakery owners with modest budgets may be unable to take advantage of all the available features.

Touchbistro Point of Sale

Touchbistro is POS software designed to help bakery owners manage operations. This cloud-based bakery software includes features like multiple locations, order management, payment processing, customer loyalty programs, and more. Plus, Touchbistro integrates with other bakery tools, such as accounting platforms and online ordering systems.

Limitations of Touchbistro:

Though Touchbistro offers many features, the bakery software has some gaps in customer service. Plus, bakery owners may find the pricing structure of this bakery software a bit overwhelming.

Square Point of Sale (POS)

Square POS is POS system with free eCommerce, simple processing, and intuitive hardware options. The bakery software also offers features such as inventory management, customer loyalty programs, analytics and reporting, employee management, payment processing, and customer management. Plus, Square integrates with other bakery tools like accounting software and online ordering platforms.

Limitations of Square POS:

Though bakery owners can take advantage of Square's intuitive hardware options and free eCommerce, they may find the occasional fund holds and high processing fees for high-volume sellers a bit overwhelming.

Toast POS

As an android-based bakery software, Toast POS offers bakery owners a number of features, such as a variety of intuitive and resilient hardware, restaurant-specific features, and strong customer support. Toast POS is designed to help bakery owners manage operations more efficiently.

Limitations of Toast POS:

However, bakery owners need to be aware that using Toast comes with long-term processing contracts. This means bakery owners are locked into using Toast hardware, which can limit bakery operations. Plus, Toast software is only compatible with the company's hardware. So if bakery owners want to use different hardware, they can't use Toast bakery software.

KORONA POS

While KORONA is not ideal for full-service restaurants, its inventory management and deep reporting set make it capable of managing small and mid-sized bakery operations. KORONA bakery software also makes it easy to customize the POS with multiple payment processing options and hardware bundles.

Limitations of Korona POS:

KORONA bakery software does have its limitations. The bakery software only offers basic inventory management, with limited integrations with third-party tools. This means it may be difficult for a bakery owner to find the bakery tools they need to scale bakery operations.

How to plan the right retail POS system for your bakery

No matter what bakery software you choose, it's important to plan the right POS system for your bakery. With this in mind, we're sharing ten tips to consider when selecting bakery software:

Identify bakery operations needs

Before making a bakery software decision, bakery owners need to identify their bakery operations needs. This includes evaluating must-haves, such as bakery-specific features and inventory management capabilities.

Remember, your needs may be different from other bakery owners. For example, suppose you own a variety of bakery stores with multiple locations. In that case, bakery software with multi-location capabilities would be essential. In contrast, basic bakery software may be enough if you own a small bakery with limited operations.

Check what integrations your system can offer

Once bakery owners have identified their bakery operations needs, it's important to check what integrations the bakery software can offer. For example, bakery owners need bakery software that integrates with popular accounting platforms such as QuickBooks and Xero. Plus, bakery owners should also make sure the bakery software supports online ordering and delivery platforms like Grubhub, DoorDash, and UberEats.

Check what hardware your provider offers

Another important consideration bakery owners should keep in mind is the hardware options provided by the bakery software. For example, bakery owners need to ensure their bakery software supports multiple payment processing methods and mobile ordering solutions. Plus, bakery owners should also check if the bakery software offers touchscreen terminals, barcode scanners, kitchen printers, or any other hardware solutions for bakery operations.

Some common hardware features you'll want to consider include:

• Receipt printers: These printers are necessary for printing orders and receipts
• Barcode scanners: This hardware is important for tracking inventory and checking customer loyalty cards
• Cash drawers: These drawers securely store cash during transactions
• Credit card readers: This hardware allows bakery owners to accept credit/debit payments
• KDS screens: These screens display orders in the kitchen and help ensure accurate order preparation
• IPADs: These devices allow customers to order directly from their tables

Compare pricing structures

Price is another important factor to consider when choosing bakery software. You want bakery software that fits into your budget and offers competitive processing fees. Compare bakery software pricing structures to see which option offers the best value for bakery operations.

Having a budget plan in place and doing research ahead of time can make bakery software shopping much easier. Bakery owners can better understand their bakery operations needs, compare bakery software solutions and select the best option for bakery operations. With the right bakery software, owners can improve bakery operations and optimize customer experiences.

Consider customer service and support

Bakery owners need to consider customer service and support when selecting bakery software. Good bakery software should offer 24/7 customer support via phone, chat, or email. Bakery owners also want bakery software with online resources, such as tutorials or FAQs for self-service solutions.

Some ways you can research a POS provider's customer service and support include:

• Reading online reviews and ratings.
• Contacting customer support for a more in-depth discussion
• Requesting a demo of the bakery software before making a purchase
• Speaking to other bakery owners who have used the software

Look for analytics and reporting capabilities

Bakery owners should look for bakery software with analytics and reporting capabilities to get the most out of data in bakery operations. Bakery software with detailed reports can help bakery owners identify bakery trends, track bakery performance and make informed decisions for bakery operations. Furthermore, bakery software with predictive analytics capabilities can help bakery owners forecast future bakery sales and better plan bakery operations.

Some reports bakery owners should look for in bakery software include:

• Sales reports: Track sales and revenue by time, location, or product. This allows bakery owners to identify which products are the most popular.
• Inventory reports: Monitor inventory levels and track when bakery items need to be restocked. By utilizing this reporting function, bakery owners can track which products are selling and when they need to be reordered.
• Employee reports: Track employee performance by store or shift. This report can help bakery owners spot any issues or inefficiencies happening with bakery operations.
• Customer reports: Identify customer trends and preferences based on customer data. This information allows bakery owners to tailor product offerings and promotional campaigns to meet customer needs.

Get a free demo of bakery software

It's best bakery owners get a free demo of bakery software to understand the bakery software's features and capabilities. Bakery owners should ask bakery software providers questions on how they can use the bakery software for bakery operations. Bakery owners should also clarify any doubts to make sure it meets their bakery operations needs before making a purchase.

Think about scalability

As your business grows, bakery owners have to think if bakery software can scale with operations. Bakery software that offers add-ons, such as additional workstations or users, is ideal for businesses that plan to expand bakery operations in the future. Bakery software with scalability capabilities can help bakery owners save time and money when scaling bakery operations.

Understand bakery software security

Security is critical in bakery operations. Bakery owners should check the bakery software's security features, such as data encryption. To protect bakery operations from hackers and cybercriminals, bakery owners should also ensure that bakery software complies with industry standards and regulations.

Your payment processing bakery software should be PCI-DSS compliant, and reputable bakery software providers should have certifications to prove it. Bakery owners should also inquire about bakery software's data storage policy to ensure bakery operations information is secure

Ensure your POS can assist with marketing your bakery

Marketing is essential for bakery operations, but bakery owners might not have the resources or time to do it. Bakery software with marketing capabilities can help bakery owners save time and money in bakery operations. Some examples of bakery software features for marketing include loyalty programs, email campaigns, and push notifications for discounts and promotions.

Some marketing tips for bakery owners include:

• Focus on customer rewards and loyalty programs to boost customer engagement
• Create targeted campaigns with email marketing
• Integrate social media into bakery operations for maximum exposure
• Keep customers informed about new products, services, and promotions.

Final thoughts

So there you have it. Our best bakery pos software guide.

When looking for the best POS system, ensure it has the features and capabilities to support your bakery operations. Consider customer service and support, analytics and reporting capabilities, scalability, security and marketing features when selecting a bakery POS. And don’t forget to get a free demo before making a purchase. You can focus on growing your business and increasing bakery profits with the right software.

Good luck!

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