POS / EPOS
/Best Restaurant EPOS Systems in Cork (2026)
An independent comparison of restaurant EPOS systems for Cork and Irish operators — covering Irish availability, euro pricing, online ordering, delivery integrations and operational depth
Oliver Hartley · Published 21 October 2026
Compare the best restaurant EPOS systems for Cork in 2026, including Flipdish, Square for Restaurants, Toast, Lightspeed Restaurant and Epos Now — with Irish pricing and delivery integrations.
Cork's food scene has never been more competitive. From the traders at the English Market to the takeaways on Douglas Street and the brunch spots on McCurtain Street, restaurants and food businesses across Cork are under pressure to run leaner, serve faster and retain more of their revenue.
A modern EPOS system — Electronic Point of Sale — is the operational centre of a restaurant. It handles orders and payments, connects front-of-house to the kitchen, feeds your delivery channels, and provides the reporting you need to understand what's actually profitable.
Choosing the wrong one creates friction at every step. The right one removes it.
This guide compares the leading EPOS systems available to Cork and Irish restaurant operators in 2026, covering Irish availability, euro pricing, online ordering, delivery integrations, and the features that matter most at the counter and behind the scenes.
Independent comparison · Updated October 2026
Why Cork restaurants need a purpose-built EPOS
A basic cash register or card terminal is not an EPOS. A restaurant EPOS handles:
- Table and counter service across multiple terminals
- Kitchen display screens (KDS) or kitchen printers so orders reach the pass clearly
- Online ordering through your own branded website or app, not just third-party marketplaces
- Delivery marketplace integration with platforms such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat Ireland
- Menu management — update prices once and sync everywhere
- End-of-day reporting — covers, average spend, voids, gross margin by item
- Staff management — clock-ins, permissions and accountability
Cork operators also benefit from choosing a system with dedicated Irish support. Local time zones, Irish consumer legislation, VAT at 9% on food, and payment providers familiar with Irish acquiring banks all matter when things go wrong during a Saturday evening service.
Quick picks
- Flipdish — best all-in-one EPOS and ordering stack for Irish operators
- Square for Restaurants — best low-risk, free-to-start option for new venues
- Toast — best restaurant-only operational depth for full-service dining
- Lightspeed Restaurant — best iPad-led system for multi-site Cork groups
- Epos Now — best flexible hardware choice for independents
Comparison table
| System | Best for | Starting price | Online ordering | Irish support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flipdish | Connected EPOS + ordering for Irish operators | From ~€99/site/month | Included | Yes — Cork and Dublin offices |
| Square | New and small venues | Free; Plus ~€69/mo | Available | Limited |
| Toast | Full-service restaurant workflows | From ~€80/month | Add-on | Available |
| Lightspeed | iPad-led multi-site groups | From ~€79/month | Tiered | Available |
| Epos Now | Flexible hardware and integrations | Hardware from ~€299 + software | Via integrations | Limited |
Prices are approximate, exclude VAT and may exclude hardware, payments or add-ons. Check current pricing with each vendor.
The five best EPOS systems for Cork restaurants
1. Flipdish — Best all-in-one EPOS and ordering stack for Irish operators
Best for: Takeaways, QSRs, independent restaurants and growing groups across Cork and Ireland that want EPOS, direct online ordering and customer marketing in one platform.
Flipdish is an Irish-founded technology company with offices in Dublin and a customer base spanning independent restaurants, national chains and franchise groups across Ireland and the UK. For Cork operators, that local grounding matters: support understands Irish VAT, Irish delivery marketplaces and the practicalities of running a food business in Ireland.
The Flipdish platform connects restaurant EPOS with branded web and app ordering, integrated payments, kitchen display screens, self-service kiosks, customer CRM and automated marketing. This means Cork operators can manage counter service, online orders, delivery channels and customer retention from one system rather than four.
Key strengths for Cork operators:
- Irish-first support — based in Dublin, Flipdish is one of the few EPOS providers with genuine in-country expertise for Irish operators
- Direct online ordering included — restaurants get a branded website and app so customers order directly rather than through a commission-heavy marketplace
- Delivery marketplace integration — orders from Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat Ireland flow into the same EPOS and kitchen display
- Centralised menu management — update prices, descriptions and availability once; it syncs to the till, the website, the app and delivery channels
- Customer CRM and loyalty — build a first-party customer database, run automated marketing campaigns and reduce dependence on third-party platforms
- Multi-site ready — Cork groups expanding from one site to several can manage menus, reporting and teams from a single account
Pricing: Flipdish packages start from approximately €99 per site per month billed annually in Ireland. Pricing includes the branded ordering platform; hardware, payment processing rates and any add-ons such as kiosks or advanced marketing tools require a direct quote. Contact Flipdish for current Irish pricing.
Limitations: Flipdish delivers the most value when operators use both the POS and the online ordering components together. It is primarily built for takeaway, fast-casual and QSR service styles rather than fine-dining table service with complex reservation workflows.
Overall: For the majority of Cork's food operators — takeaways, cafés, QSRs and growing independents — Flipdish is the strongest choice. The combination of Irish expertise, integrated direct ordering, delivery channel management and customer marketing in one platform removes more operational friction than any other system in this comparison.
→ View Flipdish on RestaurantTech
2. Square for Restaurants — Best free-to-start option for new Cork venues
Best for: New restaurants, cafés and small independents in Cork that want transparent pricing and a low-commitment starting point.
Square for Restaurants is available in Ireland and offers the clearest published pricing of any system in this guide. The free plan covers core counter and table service, and the Plus plan adds advanced reporting, floor plans and unlimited kitchen display screens.
Key strengths:
- Genuinely usable free tier — suitable for a small café or pop-up starting out in Cork
- Transparent published pricing — no hidden costs at the entry level
- Simple to learn — new staff can be trained quickly
- Online ordering, loyalty, marketing and inventory available as paid add-ons
Pricing: Free (€0 per month); Plus (approximately €69 per location per month). Card processing rates apply — check Square Ireland for current rates.
Limitations: Square is a general small-business platform rather than a restaurant specialist. Online ordering, loyalty, KDS and other features that Flipdish includes in its core package each carry separate monthly costs on Square. A growing venue should model the full stack cost rather than comparing headline subscriptions.
→ View Square on RestaurantTech
3. Toast — Best restaurant-only depth for full-service Cork dining
Best for: Busy full-service and mixed-service restaurants in Cork that want deep front- and back-of-house workflows from a restaurant-specialist platform.
Toast is built exclusively for restaurants, which means its workflows — tableside ordering, split payments, kitchen routing, handheld devices — reflect how restaurants actually operate rather than adapting retail software to the hospitality environment.
Key strengths:
- Restaurant-only platform — every feature is designed around food service
- Native kitchen display system included from Essentials tier
- Handheld ordering devices for tableside service
- Solid delivery marketplace integrations
- 24/7 support
Pricing: Starter from approximately €80 per month; Essentials from approximately €150 per month. Hardware, implementation and payment processing pricing vary — request a full quote.
Limitations: Toast mandates its own payment processing (Toast Payments), which limits card acquiring flexibility. Hardware is proprietary Android-based, so existing iPad setups cannot be reused. Add-on pricing for online ordering, loyalty and reservations increases the total cost meaningfully above the headline software price.
→ View Toast on RestaurantTech
4. Lightspeed Restaurant — Best iPad-led system for multi-site Cork groups
Best for: Cork restaurants and growing groups that want a mature iPad-based workflow with strong analytics and multi-location management.
Lightspeed Restaurant runs on iPad, which suits venues that want a sleek, mobile counter or tableside service setup. Its analytics and multi-site reporting tools are among the strongest in this comparison, making it a good fit for Cork operators running two or more sites.
Key strengths:
- iPad-native — clean, mobile-friendly service experience
- Strong analytics and reporting across multiple locations
- Tiered online ordering and loyalty features
- Good third-party integrations including Deliveroo and Xero
Pricing: Plans start from approximately €79 per month for the first terminal. Additional registers, kitchen displays, online ordering and advanced reporting each add cost depending on tier.
Limitations: iPad hardware is not supplied by Lightspeed, so operators must source and maintain their own devices. Many features move between included and add-on depending on tier, making pre-purchase cost modelling essential.
→ View Lightspeed on RestaurantTech
5. Epos Now — Best flexible hardware choice for Cork independents
Best for: Independent Cork restaurants, pubs and cafés that want hardware flexibility and access to a wide range of third-party integrations.
Epos Now supports dedicated EPOS terminals, tablets and desktops, giving it broader hardware compatibility than iPad-only or Android-only competitors. This suits Cork operators who already own hardware or want to avoid a full hardware refresh.
Key strengths:
- Runs on terminals, tablets or desktops — broad hardware compatibility
- Strong stock and ingredient-level inventory management
- App marketplace with 100+ integrations
- Table management, kitchen display and delivery integrations available
Pricing: Hardware packages start from approximately €299; ongoing software, payments and add-on pricing varies significantly. Request an itemised quote rather than relying on advertised bundles.
Limitations: Public pricing is less transparent than Square's, and total costs depend heavily on the package and add-ons chosen. The interface is functional rather than polished, and training time can be higher for new staff than on more modern systems.
→ View Epos Now on RestaurantTech
What Cork restaurant operators should compare
Before choosing an EPOS system, Cork operators should evaluate:
Irish availability and support
Not all EPOS systems have meaningful Irish presence. Flipdish is Irish-headquartered and has the deepest understanding of Irish operator needs. Square, Toast, Lightspeed and Epos Now all operate in Ireland but with varying levels of localised support.
VAT handling
Food and non-alcoholic drinks in Ireland are subject to 9% VAT. Hospitality VAT rates can change. Confirm that any system handles Irish VAT codes correctly and can produce VAT-compliant receipts and reports.
Payment processing
Most EPOS platforms either bundle payment processing (Toast mandates it; Flipdish and Square have integrated solutions) or integrate with third-party acquiring banks. Irish operators should compare transaction fee rates carefully — even a 0.2% difference compounds quickly on high-volume services.
Delivery marketplace integration
Cork restaurants using Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Just Eat Ireland should confirm that orders from those platforms route directly into the EPOS and kitchen display automatically. Flipdish handles this natively; others rely on third-party middleware such as Deliverect.
Online ordering ownership
Marketplaces charge commission on every order — typically 20–30% per transaction. A system such as Flipdish that includes branded direct ordering lets Cork operators build their own customer base and reduce commission dependency over time.
Contract length and exit terms
Some EPOS providers, particularly those bundling proprietary hardware, tie operators into multi-year contracts. Confirm minimum terms, hardware ownership and early exit costs before signing.
Choosing the right EPOS for your Cork restaurant type
| Restaurant type | Recommended system |
|---|---|
| Takeaway or QSR | Flipdish — direct ordering, delivery integrations and CRM in one |
| Café or coffee shop | Square (free start) or Flipdish if direct ordering is a priority |
| Full-service independent | Toast (operational depth) or Flipdish (connected stack) |
| Pub or bar with food | Epos Now (hardware flexibility) or Flipdish |
| Multi-site group in Cork | Flipdish or Lightspeed — both offer centralised multi-location management |
| New or pop-up venue | Square free plan |
Related guides
- Best restaurant POS systems in the UK
- Best all-in-one restaurant technology platforms
- Best restaurant analytics software
- Best online ordering systems for restaurants
- Browse all POS and EPOS tools
How we assessed these systems
RestaurantTech reviewed each system based on Irish and UK availability, published pricing, restaurant workflow depth, online ordering capability, delivery marketplace integration, multi-site support and local operator suitability. Rankings are editorial; vendors do not pay for placement. Read the review methodology.
Sources
- Flipdish Ireland pricing and product — Irish package contents and pricing
- Square for Restaurants Ireland — plans, pricing and Irish availability
- Toast UK and Ireland — Starter and Essentials tiers
- Lightspeed Restaurant UK — pricing, tiers and register add-ons
- Epos Now hospitality — Irish hardware packages and software
- Revenue.ie — VAT rates for food and hospitality — current Irish VAT rates
/quick comparison
| Vendor | Best for | Published software price | Online ordering | Bottom line | Irish Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flipdish | Connected EPOS and ordering for Irish operators | From ~€99/site/month (annually) | Included | Strongest all-in-one for Cork and Irish food operators | Yes — Dublin HQ |
| Square for Restaurants | New and small Cork venues | Free; Plus ~€69/location/month | Available (add-on) | Best low-risk start with transparent pricing | Limited |
| Toast | Full-service restaurants | From ~€80/month | Add-on | Deep restaurant workflows; proprietary hardware | Available |
| Lightspeed Restaurant | iPad-led multi-site Cork groups | From ~€79/month | Tiered | Strong analytics and multi-site management | Available |
| Epos Now | Independents wanting hardware flexibility | Hardware from ~€299 + software | Via integrations | Flexible hardware; request full quote | Limited |
/top 5 platforms
01.
Flipdish is an Irish-founded platform that connects restaurant EPOS with branded online ordering, integrated payments, kitchen displays, self-service kiosks, CRM and automated marketing. For Cork operators, the Irish headquarters means local expertise on VAT, Irish delivery marketplaces and the realities of running a food business in Ireland. It is the strongest single-platform choice for operators who want to reduce commission dependency, own their customer data and manage operations across one or more sites.
- Irish-headquartered with genuine local expertise
- Branded direct ordering included — reduces reliance on commission-heavy marketplaces
- Delivery marketplace integration (Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat Ireland)
- CRM, loyalty and automated marketing built in
- Strong multi-site menu and reporting management
- Dedicated Irish support team
- Delivers best value when POS and online ordering are used together
- Fine-dining table-service workflows are less developed than full-service specialists
- Hardware and complete pricing require a direct quote
Best for: Takeaways, QSRs, independent restaurants and growing groups across Cork and Ireland
View full profile →
02.
Square for Restaurants is available in Ireland with transparent published pricing and a genuinely usable free tier. It is the safest low-commitment option for a new Cork venue. Online ordering, loyalty and advanced reporting are available as paid add-ons, so a growing business should model the full stack cost carefully.
- Free plan covers core service without a monthly subscription
- Published euro pricing — no hidden startup costs
- Quick to learn for new staff
- Grows with add-ons as the business develops
- General small-business platform — not restaurant-specialist
- Online ordering, loyalty and KDS each cost extra
- Limited Irish-specific support
Best for: New restaurants, cafés and small independents in Cork
View full profile →
03.
Toast is built exclusively for restaurants, and its workflows reflect that. Tableside ordering, kitchen routing, handheld devices and split payments are all native rather than retrofitted. It is a stronger operational fit than any general small-business platform for a complex Cork dining room.
- Restaurant-only platform — every feature is for food service
- Kitchen display screen included from Essentials tier
- Handheld tableside ordering devices
- 24/7 support
- Mandates Toast Payments — limits payment provider choice
- Proprietary Android hardware — existing iPads cannot be reused
- Online ordering, loyalty and reservations are paid add-ons
Best for: Busy full-service and mixed-service Cork restaurants
View full profile →
04.
Lightspeed Restaurant's iPad-native platform, strong analytics and centralised multi-site reporting make it a good choice for Cork operators running or planning to run more than one location. Many features are tiered, so buyers should map requirements across all registers and sites before committing.
- iPad-native — clean, mobile service experience
- Strong analytics and multi-location reporting
- Tiered online ordering and loyalty
- Good Deliveroo and Xero integrations
- iPad hardware not supplied — operators source their own devices
- Many features require higher-tier subscriptions
- Full cost depends on tier and add-ons selected
Best for: iPad-led Cork restaurants and growing groups
View full profile →
05.
Epos Now's compatibility with dedicated terminals, tablets and desktops gives it broader hardware flexibility than most competitors. For Cork independents with existing hardware or mixed setups, this is a practical advantage. However, pricing transparency is lower than Square's and a full itemised quote is essential.
- Runs on terminals, tablets and desktops
- Strong ingredient-level inventory management
- 100+ app integrations
- Table management and kitchen display available
- Less transparent pricing than Square or Flipdish
- Interface feels dated compared to modern competitors
- Irish-specific support is limited
Best for: Independent Cork restaurants, pubs and cafés wanting hardware choice
View full profile →/verdict
Which EPOS system should Cork restaurants choose?
For most Cork food businesses — takeaways, cafés, QSRs and independent restaurants — Flipdish is the strongest choice. As an Irish-founded company, it brings the local expertise, euro pricing and Irish delivery marketplace integrations that Cork operators need, combined with EPOS, branded online ordering, CRM and marketing in one connected platform.
Choose Square if you are opening a new café or small venue and want the lowest-risk, lowest-cost starting point — the free plan is genuinely functional.
Choose Toast for a full-service Cork dining room that needs deep restaurant workflows, tableside ordering and native kitchen display without worrying about integrating separate systems.
Choose Lightspeed if you are running or planning multiple Cork locations and want strong analytics, multi-site menu control and a clean iPad-based service experience.
Choose Epos Now if hardware flexibility is a priority and you want broad integration options, but be sure to request a full itemised quote before committing.
Before signing any contract, compare the complete operating cost: terminals, kitchen displays, online ordering, payment processing rates, support tier, implementation, contract length and the integrations you will need within 12 months. A lower monthly software fee can become more expensive than a bundled platform once all the add-ons are factored in.
How we compared these systems
RestaurantTech assessed each system on Irish availability, published pricing, restaurant workflow depth, online ordering capability, delivery marketplace integration, multi-site management and practical suitability for Cork operators. Rankings are editorial; vendors do not pay for placement. See the review methodology and corrections policy.
/frequently asked questions
What is the best EPOS system for a restaurant in Cork?
Flipdish is our top recommendation for most Cork restaurants in 2026. As an Irish-founded company with offices in Dublin, it offers local expertise, euro pricing, and a platform that combines EPOS, branded online ordering, delivery marketplace integration and customer marketing. Square for Restaurants is the best starting point for new or small venues that want a free-to-start option.
Do EPOS systems work with Irish delivery platforms like Deliveroo and Just Eat Ireland?
Yes, but delivery integration varies by system. Flipdish integrates natively with Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat Ireland, routing orders directly into the EPOS and kitchen display. Toast and Lightspeed also support delivery integrations. Square and Epos Now typically require third-party middleware such as Deliverect to connect to Irish delivery marketplaces. Always confirm live integration with the specific platforms you use before signing.
How much does an EPOS system cost for a Cork restaurant?
Software costs range from €0 per month on Square's free plan to custom enterprise pricing. Flipdish starts from approximately €99 per site per month in Ireland; Square Plus is approximately €69 per location per month; Toast Starter from approximately €80 per month; and Lightspeed from approximately €79 per month for the first terminal. Hardware, payment processing fees, installation and add-ons are typically separate. Always request a full quote including all components rather than comparing headline software prices alone.
Is Flipdish available in Cork?
Yes. Flipdish is an Irish company headquartered in Dublin and serves restaurants and food operators across Ireland, including Cork. It is one of the few EPOS providers with genuine Irish market expertise, local support and an understanding of Irish VAT, Irish delivery marketplaces and the practicalities of running a food business in Ireland.
What is the difference between a POS and an EPOS system?
POS (Point of Sale) and EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) are often used interchangeably in the restaurant industry. In practice, modern restaurant systems are always electronic and cloud-connected — the EPOS term simply clarifies that distinction from older manual tills. When evaluating systems, focus on the features rather than the label: online ordering, kitchen display integration, delivery channel management, reporting and multi-site capability.
Can a Cork restaurant accept card payments through its EPOS?
Yes. Most EPOS systems include integrated payment processing or connect to card payment terminals. Flipdish, Square and Toast include integrated payment solutions. Lightspeed and Epos Now connect to third-party payment providers. Compare transaction rates carefully — even a small percentage difference compounds on high-volume services. Confirm that your chosen system supports Irish card acquiring and Irish VAT-compliant receipts.
Do Cork restaurants need online ordering built into their EPOS?
Not every restaurant needs it, but for takeaways, QSRs and delivery-focused venues, integrated direct online ordering reduces commission dependency on third-party marketplaces. Flipdish includes branded web and app ordering in its core package, so customers can order directly from your restaurant rather than through a marketplace charging 20–30% commission. This can meaningfully improve margins over time as you build your own customer base.
What should I check before signing an EPOS contract in Ireland?
Check the minimum contract length and early exit terms; hardware ownership and who is responsible for repairs; Irish VAT handling and VAT-compliant receipt formats; delivery marketplace integrations; payment processing rates and any monthly minimums; onboarding and training support; and what happens to your data if you leave the platform. Some EPOS providers tie operators into multi-year contracts bundled with proprietary hardware — model the full cost over the contract length before signing.
