Guide · Cafés
How to choose a till for your café.
Seven questions to answer before you buy, so you get a till that keeps the queue moving without paying for things you’ll never use.
+44 (0) 2890 991 247
Mon–Fri 9am–5.30pm
In short: start with how you serve: a counter-only café can run on a tablet till such as ICRTouch TouchPoint lite, while a café with table service or a kitchen needs handhelds or a kitchen screen. Then check card payments are linked to the till, that loyalty is built in, and what support and contract you’re signing up to. For most cafés we recommend ICRTouch; café groups with three or more sites should also look at Boss It.
Seven questions to answer first.
- How do customers order? At the counter only, at the table, or from their own phone? Customers can order and pay from their phone with ByTable.
- Do you have a kitchen? If food is made to order, a kitchen printer or screen saves shouting and lost tickets.
- How much counter space do you have? A tablet till like TouchPoint lite is light on hardware; a full touchscreen till suits busier counters.
- Which card machine? Linking Dojo or Teya to the till means no retyping. SumUp readers suit very small set-ups.
- Will you run loyalty or meal deals? Loyalty points, discounts and promotions should be in the till, not a separate app.
- Do you need stock control? Seeing stock on screen and stopping sales when an item runs out saves awkward conversations.
- Who helps when it goes wrong? Check support hours and whether the team is local. Ours is Belfast-based and 24/7.
A typical café set-up.
| Piece | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tablet till (TouchPoint lite) | Quick sales at the counter, simple for part-time staff |
| Card machine (Dojo or Teya) | Tap-and-go at the counter, linked to the till |
| ByTable (optional) | Customers order and pay from their own phone |
| TouchOffice Web | See what sold, and when, from your phone or laptop |
| Kitchen printer or screen (if you cook to order) | Orders go straight to the kitchen |
Mistakes we see.
- Buying on the weekly price alone. Set-up, support and contract terms often cost more than the headline. Our cost guide shows what to compare.
- A card machine that isn’t linked. Retyping amounts at a busy counter leads to mistakes.
- Paying for features you won’t use. Start with what you need and add handhelds, screens or loyalty later.
Free demo
Want to see it with your menu?
We’ll set up a demo with your own menu, so you can try the till before you decide.
Café till questions.
What café owners ask us most.
What is the best till for a small café?
For most cafés we recommend ICRTouch, often TouchPoint lite on a tablet, with a Dojo or Teya card machine linked to the till. It’s light on hardware and you can add handhelds, kitchen screens and loyalty later.
Can I run a café till on a tablet?
Yes. TouchPoint lite runs on a tablet, which suits a café counter.
Can customers order from their phone?
Yes. With ByTable, customers scan a code, order and pay from their own phone, and the order goes straight to the till.
How much does a café till cost?
It depends on how many tills, handhelds and screens you need. Our EPOS cost guide explains what drives the price, and a free demo gets you a clear quote.
Do you install in my area?
We install and train across Northern Ireland, and look after businesses in the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain too, with Belfast-based support 24/7.
See it working in your venue.
Book a free demo. We'll show you the set-up that fits, answer every question, and give you a clear quote.
+44 (0) 2890 991 247Mon–Fri 9am–5.30pm