Lavu POS Review 2022: Pros, Cons, Alternatives

Lavu is a point-of-sale, or POS, system for eating places. Its software program contains options that cater to meals companies — similar to letting you handle meal orders in individual and on-line and monitoring menu efficiency. Lavu additionally sells {hardware} and gives fee processing providers.

Take into account Lavu if you would like an all-in-one or customizable restaurant POS system. Its a number of providers, add-on integrations and editable API allow you to construct a POS that matches your online business. However in case you received’t make the most of this flexibility, different choices could also be less complicated and cheaper.

With Lavu, you subscribe to a cloud-based software program service that works on {hardware} that you simply both purchase from Lavu or get elsewhere. You pay month-to-month for the software program, and you may add different providers to your subscription (as proven within the desk above).

Lavu says it’s “fee processor agnostic,” which means you shouldn’t have software program compatibility points with third-party fee processors. If you wish to streamline issues, you are able to do your fee processing by way of Lavu Pay, however you’ll must contact the corporate for a pricing quote.

Lavu additionally operates two different notable platforms:

• MenuDrive: a web-based ordering platform that features a advertising system so that companies cannot solely create a web site for buyer orders but additionally ship emails, create flyers, supply coupons, promote numerous menu gadgets and carry out different actions.

• Sourcery: a bill-pay and invoicing instrument that enables companies to retailer invoices, observe stock purchases and pay invoices. It integrates with Xero, Sage, QuickBooks, Netsuite, Sage Intacct and Dynamics GP.

Entry to those platforms is included within the Optimize plan however in any other case should be bought individually.

The corporate sells terminals, kitchen show methods, card readers and money drawers.

• Terminals are iPad and iOS primarily based; Android-based terminals should not obtainable.

• Kitchen show methods and printers are from Epson.

• Card readers embody iDynamo, Vantiv and PayPal.

All three Lavu software program plans work with Lavu Pay and its real-time reporting app (Lavu Pilot). All three may also deal with present playing cards, reductions and loyalty applications, and so they all supply crew administration, stock, and reporting capabilities. Extra integrations fluctuate by plan:

• The Development plan may also embody on-line ordering capabilities, DoorDash Supply and QR code ordering. As well as, you get API entry, which suggests you’ll be able to extremely customise your POS platform and create your personal integrations.

• The Optimize plan contains every thing within the Development plan, plus capabilities for tableside ordering on as much as 5 units, integration with kitchen show methods, accounts payable automation and Quickbooks/Xero integration.

• It’s also possible to do a la carte add-ons. For instance, $30 a month will get you Quickbooks/Xero integration in case your plan doesn’t already embody it.

How a lot does Lavu POS price?

• Lavu gives the Lavu Pay fee processing service however lacks transparency regarding pricing.

• Lavu additionally works with third-party processors, although the fee is $25/month per terminal.

Lavu helps you to choose and select some options, which may also help keep away from having to pay for stuff you don’t really want or need — or keep away from upgrading to a dearer bundle simply to get one additional function.

You should buy entry to Lavu’s open API if not included in your plan, which means you’ll be able to extremely customise your POS platform. If you happen to’ve received the programming chops, you’ll be able to create your personal checkout processes, menu customizations, loyalty applications, reservations and rather more.

Lavu’s {hardware} is iOS-based, so Android customers will most likely wish to look elsewhere. Additionally, Lavu does promote terminals, printers, card readers and different {hardware}, however the variety of choices inside every class is comparatively slim.

Lavu’s open API permits customers to create customized integrations and setups, however that work isn’t straightforward. If you wish to take full benefit of those options, you’ll want programming expertise or want to rent any individual with these expertise.

Toast POS can also be completely for eating places and could also be a greater match for brand spanking new companies. Toast’s New Eating places Fundamentals software program bundle comes with options similar to payroll administration and enterprise insurance coverage, which can profit a enterprise that’s simply beginning. Don’t want these gadgets? Toast additionally gives a primary software program subscription for $0 per 30 days. That will make sense as you work issues out versus utilizing Lavu’s $59 Starter plan or setting up an a la carte POS.

Sq. POS for Eating places gives a number of {hardware} and software program choices and fee processing. Not like Lavu, that processing isn’t an add-on; it’s the central a part of Sq.’s enterprise mannequin. But additionally, not like Lavu, Sq. is upfront about its pricing: In-person funds price 2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction, and on-line funds are 2.9% plus 30 cents. That will make Sq. an excellent match if you wish to mission your potential prices simply.