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Restaurant POS costs in the UK: a worked 2026 example

A POS bill includes software, selected extras, equipment and card processing. This guide uses an August 2026 model to explain those lines, with its exclusions made clear. It is a worked example to review against your venue, rather than a current supplier quote.

By Amaan Tanveer, Co-founder · 11 Jul 2026 · 9 min read

The four costs that make up your real POS bill

Build each quote from four components: the subscription, selected extras, required equipment and processing fees. Check the same requirements and payment mix with every provider.

1. Software subscription: match the tier to your needs

Basic app tiers and hospitality subscriptions serve different needs. Square Restaurants Plus is £69/month per location as checked on 7 October 2026; confirm other providers’ current tiers in a written quote. Servio publishes Starter at £89, Growth at £219 and Enterprise at £449 per month, excluding VAT. Starter includes QR, single-station KDS and basic reporting; Growth adds inventory, tables, staff permissions and advanced analytics. Monthly and annual billing have their own terms.

2. Add-ons and third-party subscriptions

Check included features before adding modules. Square Restaurants Plus already includes KDS and Team Plus; confirm inventory and loyalty costs separately. The August model combines SumUp POS Plus and POS Pro, so check any overlap before relying on its subscription total. It uses storekit ordering and estimated loyalty for Zettle, with kitchen printers on the equipment line; that is not a native multi-station KDS. Servio Growth includes inventory and multi-station routing. Review the sources and assumptions and obtain a current quote for your chosen setup.

3. Hardware: budget for devices, readers and kitchen equipment

The selected historical Square kit is Register Kit £1,139, Terminal £149 and a 21.5-inch kitchen display £399: £1,687 in total. That is a dated model configuration, not a current quote. Servio requires no proprietary till, but integrated in-person payments need a supported Stripe smart reader; the S700 is listed at £229 excluding VAT as checked on 7 October 2026. Compatible tablets and printers may also be needed. External-reader payments are recorded manually. The August Servio hardware allowance excludes the reader and existing devices.

4. Card processing fees: the biggest line on the bill

Processing depends on the channel, card category and ticket size. Servio uses Stripe’s published rates: 1.5% + 20p for standard UK online cards, including QR payments; 1.4% + 10p for EEA in-person cards; and 2.9% + 10p for non-EEA in-person cards. Other online cards differ. Servio has zero default platform markup; configured platform fees may apply. A 0.4 percentage-point difference on £40,000 is £160, before differences in fixed transaction fees. The table preserves historical provider-rate assumptions, which need checking against current quotes.

What that adds up to: a worked example

The older profile is dated 23 August 2026: £40,000 monthly card sales, a £25 average order, 70% in person and 30% QR/online, with equipment allowances spread over 12 months and all prices excluding VAT. Its recorded totals retain the original exclusions and module assumptions. The newer October profile uses one reader and owned tablets; do not combine the two. Our pricing page lists Servio subscriptions and eligible extras, and how we compare POS costs explains the assumptions.

These are historical model estimates, including unresolved kit and module assumptions. They are not current verified quotes or proof of equivalent kitchen workflows. Confirm equipment contents, feature inclusions, payment rates and VAT with each provider before buying.

The difference between the recorded £999 and £1,092 totals is approximately £93 a month. That spread applies only to this historical model. Servio’s £0 equipment line excludes devices and the payment reader; the other allowances and any overlapping modules also need reconciliation. Add the actual equipment your venue needs before comparing a current bill.

Extra costs to ask about before you sign

Ask each provider to itemise the following alongside the four main cost lines:

Per-device charges. Confirm which tills, handhelds and kitchen screens incur separate fees, and which are included in the plan.

Setup and onboarding. Ask whether configuration, training, installation or menu work carries an additional charge.

Support tiers. Check the included support channels and terms for the plan you are buying.

Billing term and exit charges. Compare the monthly or annual commitment, renewal rules and cancellation notice. Monthly billing still has contractual terms.

Menu preparation. Allow time to review an imported draft. Servio accepts a menu file or URL and produces a draft for you to check, including completeness, prices, modifiers and operator-verified allergens.

Five ways to keep your POS cost down

1. Compare a complete quote. Use the required features, equipment and your actual payment mix to build a total for each provider.

2. Reuse suitable equipment. Check compatibility before relying on owned devices, and budget for readers and any missing kitchen equipment.

3. Calculate processing at your volume. A 0.3 percentage-point difference on £20,000 is £60 a month, before fixed transaction fees. Include channel and card-category differences in the calculation.

4. Avoid paying twice for features. Compare what a plan includes with each proposed add-on or external subscription, then remove overlaps.

5. Choose a suitable billing term. Compare an annual discount with the flexibility of monthly billing, including notice and remaining charges.

Where Servio lands

Servio publishes Starter at £89/month, with QR ordering, single-station KDS and basic reporting, and Growth at £219/month, adding multi-station routing, inventory, tables, staff permissions and advanced analytics. Enterprise is £449/month; prices exclude VAT. No proprietary till is required, but compatible payment equipment may need buying. Check current Growth signup terms, the published plans on the pricing page, and the feature details on the comparison page before choosing.

Questions

How much should a restaurant POS cost in the UK?

The bill depends on software, extras, required equipment and processing at your payment mix. This page’s August model records about £999-£1,092 a month on £40,000 of card sales, with equipment exclusions and assumptions still to reconcile. Use it to identify cost lines, then request current quotes for your venue.

What’s the cheapest POS system for a UK restaurant?

There is no universal cheapest setup. A free basic app may suit a simple counter, but equipment, processing and any ordering, kitchen or stock tools still affect the bill. Compare the complete setup at your venue’s requirements and payment mix.

Do I need to buy hardware for a restaurant POS?

Check what you already own and what is compatible. Servio needs no proprietary till, but integrated in-person payments require a compatible browser-supported Stripe smart reader. Existing external readers are used separately, with payments recorded manually. A £0 upfront equipment cost applies only when all required equipment is already owned.

What card fees do restaurant POS providers charge in the UK?

Ask for rates by channel and card category. Stripe charges 1.5% + 20p for standard UK online cards, 1.4% + 10p for EEA cards presented in person and 2.9% + 10p for non-EEA in-person cards; other online cards differ. Servio has zero default platform markup, with configured platform fees possible. Include fixed fees and your card mix when comparing quotes.

What extra costs should I check in a POS quote?

Check paid modules or external tools, device charges, readers and other equipment, setup or training, support terms and cancellation charges. Ask for a complete written total using your required features and payment mix.