Clever Till vs TouchBistro: Which Restaurant EPOS System Wins in 2025?

Operating a profitable restaurant in the competitive hospitality sector of today takes more than good food and service—it takes intelligent technology. At the hub of this technology is your EPOS system, which serves as the nerve center for sales, stock, staff, and customer management.

 

If you're deciding between TouchBistro and Clever Till, you're already heading in the right direction. Both are veteran providers in the restaurant technology space, yet they serve different business models and requirements. In this blog, we'll give you a side-by-side Clever Till vs TouchBistro comparison, so you can determine which system will suit your hospitality business best in 2025.

 

Understanding the Basics

 

What is Clever Till?

 

Clever Till is a hospitality EPOS system for cafes, bars, and restaurants with a UK presence. It's aimed at owners who require speed, ease of use, and control of the business remotely. It provides hardware and software integration with ease—perfect for small to medium-sized establishments requiring a good, all-in-one point of sale system.

 

From live reporting to sophisticated stock control, Clever Till is all about simplifying everyday tasks, making them quicker and more efficient. It offers integrated card payments, monitors staff performance, and assists owners in making the right choices based on real-time data.

 

 

What is TouchBistro?

 

TouchBistro is a Canada-made, iPad-based point-of-sale solution that emphasizes front-of-house mobility and productivity. It is very popular with US and Canadian restaurants and enables servers to take orders at the table with iPads, providing a visually driven and interactive user experience.

 

TouchBistro boasts a distinctive characteristic of add-ons such as loyalty schemes, online booking, and promotions. Though the majority of them are add-ons, and ultimately you'll have to pay, they do contribute to its market strength. Though competitive, TouchBistro is ideal for companies already invested in Apple hardware.

 

 

Cloud vs On-Premise: Which Provides Greater Control?

 

Clever Till is an actual cloud POS system, so you can log in and run your business from wherever you are. Whether you're taking a vacation day or checking sales late at night, you have total visibility from any internet-enabled device. Cloud backups also help safeguard against system crash and data loss.

 

TouchBistro, on the other hand, is an on-premise iPad POS first and foremost, so most of your data is locally stored on your device. While it does offer optional cloud reporting through paid upgrades, it doesn't offer the same level of remote access and real-time control that Clever Till offers out of the box.

 

 

Key Features Comparison

 

As you compare restaurant EPOS systems, you'll want to consider the essential features that affect everyday operations. TouchBistro and Clever Till both provide essential tools like:

 

•Table management

• Menu customisation

• Staff clock-in/out

• Sales reporting

• Inventory tracking

• Integrated payments

 

 

But Clever Till has most of these as inbuilt features, whereas TouchBistro provides them as tiered pricing or add-ons. This makes Clever Till a more affordable option for small to medium-sized restaurants seeking predictable monthly costs.

 

Hardware Flexibility

 

Clever Till provides complete hardware bundles that include touchscreen tills, receipt printers, and cash drawers. These packages are robust and appropriate for high-energy spaces like quick-service restaurants and high-traffic cafés.

 

On the other hand, TouchBistro exclusively runs on Apple products, specifically iPads. This is convenient for mobile ordering but might not be ideal for all businesses—particularly those who are new to iOS or accustomed to conventional till systems.

 

 

Real-Time Reporting and Analytics

 

Clever Till's real-time reporting is impressive. Managers have access to up-to-the-minute sales data, customer information, and stock levels from any device at any time. This kind of flexibility is priceless when making timely decisions during the fast-paced shifts or while managing multiple locations.

 

TouchBistro isn't entirely without reporting capabilities, though, since it's mostly on-premise, real-time reporting isn't an option unless you pay for extra services or report manually.

 

Customer Service and Localisation

 

Clever Till's UK support provides it with a clear advantage for companies based in the UK and Europe. The presence of a local support team guarantees quicker response times and an improved appreciation of local tax regimes and laws.

 

TouchBistro, while offering 24/7 support, is North American-based. This can occasionally lead to delayed response times for UK-based customers due to time zone variances.

 

Pricing Transparency

 

Pricing is probably the most important consideration for any business. Clever Till provides transparent, straightforward pricing with no hidden surprises. You can opt for an upfront package or a monthly subscription that covers hardware, software, and support.

 

TouchBistro offers modular pricing. Though the base price can be low, adding features such as must-haves like loyalty, online ordering, or reservations can drive the total monthly price significantly.

For establishments aiming to expand, Clever Till's fixed pricing plan is more budget-friendly.

 

Why Clever Till Is the Better Option for 2025

 

If you are seeking a robust, feature-rich, and affordable EPOS system for your restaurant, Clever Till is one of the best options available in 2025. It offers everything contemporary restaurant owners require:

 

• Full cloud-based control

• Rapid staff training via intuitive interface

• Real-time analytics and inventory tracking

• Flexible payment integrations

• UK-based customer support

• Competitive and transparent pricing

 

TouchBistro is still a viable choice for highly mobile restaurants, those already invested in Apple hardware, and those who don't mind paying extra for added modules. That said, if you need a more robust and affordable solution with greater flexibility, Clever Till is a better value in the long term.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Selecting TouchBistro over Clever Till or the reverse depends on your business requirements, budget, and operational specs.

Clever Till is best for restaurants that put a high emphasis on ease of use, remote access, and UK-based support—while TouchBistro is best for iPad-based businesses with mobile ordering and taking tiered pricing requirements.

Ready to upgrade your restaurant’s technology?

Go to clevertill.com to discover Clever Till's complete EPOS features and learn how it can revolutionize your hospitality enterprise today.