Take orders and process payments easily using a small business POS from Synapse Payment Systems. Every retail establishment needs a reliable POS system to perform essential functions like recording inventory and tracking sales. Synapse offers the lowest transaction fees in the market alongside cutting-edge technology and real-time reporting so you get the support you need without overpaying. Our café POS system is designed to empower small business owners to operate more efficiently and grow their revenue by improving the customer experience.
Make More Sales, Keep More Profit
Our payment solutions are designed with small business owners in mind. Most payment processors charge exorbitant transaction fees that increase the more you sell. This can be especially frustrating for retail businesses that sell a high volume of goods per day. If you own a deli, pub, or café, you’re probably tired of costly transaction fees diminishing your profit margins. Our small business POS and flexible subscription model allow us to charge the lowest transaction fees in the market. We offer customers a stable, monthly plan that remains consistent no matter how much business you do.
Complimentary Small Business POS
Every customer that signs up for a plan with Synapse Payment Systems receives a complimentary credit card terminal or Clover POS system. Clover is one of the leading manufacturers of small business and café POS systems. Their technology is powerful and efficient, yet intuitive and easy to use. Take customer orders, track sales, and generate reports with confidence. When you choose a plan with Synapse, your complimentary Clover small business POS system will be shipped to you in about a week. It comes pre-installed with the necessary software, so all you have to do is plug it in and start taking orders.
Track Sales in Real Time
Small business owners need a reliable way to track sales and generate reports. With Synapse Payment Systems, you have access to an online portal that provides you with real-time reports on your current business activity. Whether you’re looking to track your inventory, estimate revenue or view your gross sales, all your information is in one place. Plus, we make it easy to handle discounts and gift cards so you always keep your customers satisfied.
Synapse is a payment processor designed for small business POS systems. We offer the lowest transaction fees anywhere, flexible plans, and innovative technology that will help you streamline your business and increase revenue. We understand the pressures of running a small business and want to help you succeed with affordable, reliable payment processing. Fill out the contact form on our website or call us directly at 800-925-5191.
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Comparison of POS Systems: Which Is Best for Your Business?
While many systems come with tons of features, add-ons, and integrations, what works for a larger business may not be the best option for your local pub or food truck. Our advice is to stick with the essential criteria and don’t pay for what you don’t need.
Below, we’ve compared some of the most popular options for cafés and small restaurants to help you make an informed choice.
Clover is a small business POS system suited for locally owned and operated restaurants. Its multiple hardware options make it the perfect system for fast-paced and takeout establishments. For example, delivery and curbside orders can be quickly paid for using a handheld Wi-Fi or LTE-enabled terminal.
Not only is it our top choice for restaurant owners, but Synapse customers also get a free Clover POS system when they sign up for a subscription payment processing plan.
Standard features of the Clover system include:
- Reporting tools, showing busiest times and best-selling items, aggregated sales, end-of-day reports, employee performance, and more
- Digital and physical gift cards
- Ability to create and send marketing campaigns via email or SMS
- Customer loyalty programs
- Accepts payments online through a virtual terminal, including PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
- Syncs with third-party apps such as DoorDash
- Supports restaurant floor plans, check splitting, and more depending on restaurant size
Let’s weigh more features against the drawbacks:
Pros
- Free when you sign up with Synapse Payment Systems
- Low flat rates for payment processing
- 24/7 customer service phone support
- Robust reporting capabilities
- Multiple hardware options
- Supports brand loyalty channels (gift cards, etc.)
- Well designed
Cons
- Hardware is pricier than competitors for non-Synapse customers
- Monthly service fee
Part of the PayPal family of payment services, Zettle was acquired in 2021 to replace the PayPal Here card reader app. It is a small business POS system that lets cafés accept in-person customer payments via their PayPal account.
One of its main advantages is that it’s free to open a Zettle and PayPal account and download the full-featured POS app on your mobile device. However, other equipment such as card readers and checkout stands come at a cost.
Standard Zettle features for restaurants include:
- Accepts payments online through a virtual terminal, including PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and others
- Inventory tracking capabilities and stock alerts
- Sales and employee performance reporting
- Invoice management
- Ability to set up both digital and physical gift cards
- Ecommerce integrations to Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce to sync product data and inventory
Pros
- No monthly fees
- Multiple hardware options
- Free mobile and desktop app
- Accept credit, debit, contactless, PayPal, and Venmo payments in person
Cons
- Needs a cellular or Wi-Fi signal to work
- Fewer reporting capabilities than competitors
- Limited accounting integrations
- No loyalty program support
- Can’t create marketing campaigns within Zettle
- Requires PayPal as a processor, which means higher merchant fees
NCR Aloha is a cloud-based platform that offers restaurants an all-in-one subscription model which includes a fixed and mobile POS system, online ordering, analytics, contactless dining, and other capabilities. Provided by NCR, a large payment technology provider, it is touted to be the most widely used POS system worldwide.
Restaurants looking for a more robust small business POS with all the bells and whistles of a larger platform can choose NCR Aloha Essentials instead, which provides more options on top of the basics.
Other features include:
- Menu building options
- Check splitting capability
- Both handheld and fixed hardware options
- Ability to set up digital loyalty and marketing programs
- Sales and employee performance reporting
- Inventory management capabilities
Pros
- Menu-building options
- Custom features for different restaurant types
- Multiple hardware options
Cons
- No payment processing flexibility with limited options
- Pricing isn’t transparent
- Fewer reporting capabilities than competitors in Aloha Cloud; it requires an upgrade to Aloha Essentials
- Some features that are standard in other small business POS systems come at an additional cost
A pub or café POS comparison would be remiss without adding Toast to the list. Both a POS system and credit card processor, the Toast system was built specifically for the restaurant industry. As such, it has lots to offer food service businesses, including a tableside ordering device called Toast Go.
However, this specialization also makes for limited features compared to other small business POS systems developed for broader applications.
Other features of Toast include:
- Runs on Android operating systems, thus cheaper and more versatile than competitors
- Sold as an all-in-one POS package, including software, hardware, and payment processing
- Has a free plan for small restaurants
- Inventory management
- Sales and employee reporting
- Ability to set up digital loyalty and marketing programs
Pros
- Menu management, tableside service, and multi-location management
- Offers a variety of integrations
- Built-in loyalty system
- Robust kitchen display system
- Easy online ordering
Cons
- Monthly charges
- Requires in-house payment processing which makes it more expensive
- High transaction fees
- Long-term contracts and high cancellation fees
- Expensive equipment
Go For Value With Endless Possibilities
Now that you have a sense of what to look for when choosing a small business POS, which system do you feel offers your restaurant or deli the best value?
Clover is our top pick — which is why we offer the system for free. With multiple features and integrations, it’s a great choice for any food service business.
Get in touch if you have any questions about its integration with Synapse or how to save on your monthly card processing fees.