Epos Now Alternative for UK Restaurants, Cafes and Takeaways

Why Businesses Look for an EPOS Now Alternative

In general terms, hospitality businesses tend to reconsider their EPOS provider for a handful of common reasons, which apply across the industry and are not specific to any one company.

• Contract length, particularly if a fixed term does not suit a seasonal or growing business
• Hardware bundles that tie the software to a specific terminal or device
• Cost as the business scales up, adding more tills, sites or staff accounts
• Wanting simpler day to day features without paying for modules that are not used
• Wanting to trial a system fully before committing to a paid plan

What to Check Before Switching EPOS Provider

Switching EPOS systems mid-season is disruptive, so it is worth doing this checklist properly rather than switching on price alone. A system that looks cheaper but needs new hardware or a lengthy rebuild of your menu may not save time or money in practice.

• The exact minimum contract term and what happens if you want to leave early
• Whether hardware is owned outright, rented or tied to the software contract
• Whether your current menu, categories and modifiers can be exported or easily rebuilt
• What reporting is included as standard versus paid as an add-on
• Whether staff will need retraining, and how long that is likely to take
• Whether the new system works on devices you already own, or requires new hardware

How Epos Free Compares on the Facts

Rather than making claims about any competitor, here is what can be stated factually about Epos Free.

• Free to use, with a browser based demo on the home page that needs no signup to try
• Sign in to save your own menu, so setup work is not lost between sessions
• Works on any device with a browser, so there is no hardware lock in and no requirement to buy a specific terminal
• Publish your menu to a shareable staff URL, so staff can access the till from their own device
• Order history, voiding orders, and reports covering daily revenue, average order value, popular products and new versus returning customer trends
• Support for eat in or takeaway orders, with takeaway as the default and an optional table number and customer name
• Payment methods covering cash, card, contactless and gift card
• Optional extras and modifiers for menu items
• A pastel, square edged interface designed to be easy to read at a glance

Fair Feature Comparison

Pricing varies between providers and changes over time, so competitor pricing here is intentionally left general rather than quoted, and it should be checked directly on the provider's own site.

Who Epos Free Suits

Epos Free tends to suit small and independent cafes, takeaways, restaurants and bars that want to run a till from devices they already own, keep a saved menu and order history, and access core reporting without a paid subscription or hardware purchase. It also suits businesses that want to trial a proper EPOS workflow before deciding whether to invest in a larger, paid system.

Who a Larger Paid EPOS Provider Might Suit Better

Larger, paid EPOS providers such as Epos Now may suit businesses that specifically need integrated payment terminal hardware, multi site stock management, or dedicated account management and installation support, since these tend to be part of what a paid, hardware-bundled system is built around. Whether that fits your business depends on your own requirements and budget, so it is worth checking the provider's site directly for their current plans.

How to Migrate Your Menu When Switching EPOS Systems

Because Epos Free is browser based, testing a rebuilt menu does not require any new hardware, you can simply open the demo on another device or browser tab and check it before relying on it for live orders.

• List every menu category, item, price and modifier from your current system before you start
• Note which items have optional extras, and how those extras are priced
• Decide whether you want to keep eat in and takeaway as separate flows, and whether table numbers or customer names are needed
• Rebuild the menu in the new system and test it with a few sample orders before going live
• Publish the new menu to a shareable staff URL, if the system supports one, so staff can start using it from their own devices
• Run both systems briefly if possible, so you can compare reports and catch anything missed

Common Concerns When Switching EPOS Systems

Two of the most common worries when switching are losing historical data and disrupting staff during a busy period. Neither is unique to any one provider. Keeping a manual export of your old reports before you cancel a contract, and training staff on the new system during a quieter shift, both reduce the risk of a rocky changeover regardless of which system you move to.

Making a Fair Decision

The right EPOS system depends on your business size, budget and whether you need bundled hardware or multi site features. Comparing providers on contract length, hardware requirements, included reporting and actual day to day usability, rather than on price alone, tends to produce a better long term decision. Trying a free, no signup option such as the Epos Free browser demo is a low risk way to see whether a browser based approach suits your workflow before deciding whether to switch away from a paid provider.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

• Free EPOS system
• What is an EPOS system
• Restaurant EPOS system
• Cafe EPOS system
• Takeaway EPOS system
• Pub and bar EPOS system