Upserve vs Toast Inventory: Features, Pricing & Reviews 2025
Upserve vs Toast Inventory: Features, Pricing & Reviews 2025
Updated: November 13, 2025
Important Note: Upserve was acquired by Lightspeed in 2020 and is now branded as Lightspeed Restaurant. This comparison reflects the current Lightspeed Restaurant (formerly Upserve) platform compared to Toast.
Both Toast and Lightspeed Restaurant (Upserve) are comprehensive restaurant POS systems with integrated inventory management. Both target full-service restaurants but take different approaches to features, pricing, and market positioning.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Toast | Lightspeed Restaurant (Upserve) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $165/terminal (Point of Sale) | $189/month (Essential) |
| Contract | 3 years | Monthly or annual |
| Processing | 2.49% + 15¢ | Separate processor |
| Inventory | xtraCHEF integration | Built-in |
| Analytics | Good | Excellent (renowned) |
| Hardware | Proprietary Toast | More flexible options |
| Best For | Integrated all-in-one | Analytics-driven operators |
What is Lightspeed Restaurant (Upserve)?
Lightspeed Restaurant, previously known as Upserve, is a cloud-based restaurant POS known for exceptional analytics and reporting. After the Lightspeed acquisition, it combines Upserve's analytics strength with Lightspeed's e-commerce and multi-location capabilities.
Key Features:
- Advanced analytics and business intelligence
- Cloud-based POS with table management
- Integrated inventory management
- Menu engineering tools
- Employee scheduling
- Customer relationship management
- Choose your own payment processor
Learn more about Lightspeed Restaurant
What is Toast?
Toast is an all-in-one restaurant platform that combines POS, payments, inventory (via xtraCHEF), and online ordering in a single integrated ecosystem. Known for excellent customer support and regular innovation.
Key Features:
- Integrated POS and payment processing
- xtraCHEF invoice automation
- Online ordering (commission-free)
- Labor management
- Kitchen display systems
- Gift cards and loyalty
- 24/7 support
Learn more about Toast and Toast inventory features
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Inventory Management
Toast (xtraCHEF):
- OCR invoice scanning and processing
- Automatic inventory depletion with sales
- Recipe costing and menu engineering
- Variance reports (theoretical vs. actual)
- Included in Point of Sale plan ($165/month)
- Excellent for invoice automation
Lightspeed Restaurant:
- Built-in inventory tracking
- Recipe and menu costing
- Purchase order management
- Stock level tracking and alerts
- Waste tracking
- Good foundational inventory features
Winner: Toast - xtraCHEF provides superior invoice automation
Analytics and Reporting
Toast:
- Real-time sales dashboards
- Labor cost reporting
- Menu item performance
- Sales forecasting
- Good operational reports
- Mobile app access
Lightspeed Restaurant:
- Industry-leading analytics platform
- Predictive forecasting
- Server performance scorecards
- Guest insights and CRM
- Revenue management tools
- Exceptional data visualization
Winner: Lightspeed Restaurant - Best-in-class analytics
Payment Processing
Toast:
- Integrated Toast Payments (required)
- 2.49% + 15¢ standard rate
- Flat fee option available (custom pricing)
- Next-day funding
- Cannot use external processor
- All-in-one convenience
Lightspeed Restaurant:
- Choose your own processor
- Lightspeed Payments or third-party
- Rates vary by processor
- Flexibility to negotiate
- Can switch processors
- More complexity but potential savings
Winner: Depends on preference - Toast for simplicity, Lightspeed for flexibility
Hardware and Setup
Toast:
- Toast-branded proprietary hardware
- Toast Flex terminals and Go handhelds
- Kitchen display systems
- Hardware costs: $1,000-$3,000+
- Professional installation included
Lightspeed Restaurant:
- iPad-based or compatible hardware
- More hardware flexibility
- Works with various tablets
- Lower hardware costs possible
- Self-install or professional setup
Winner: Lightspeed - More hardware flexibility
Online Ordering and Delivery
Toast:
- Commission-free online ordering
- Branded website and mobile app
- Integrates with DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc.
- Online menu management
- Strong online capabilities
Lightspeed Restaurant:
- Lightspeed e-commerce integration
- Third-party delivery integrations
- Online ordering available
- Good but less comprehensive than Toast
Winner: Toast - Better integrated online ordering
Customer Support
Toast:
- 24/7 phone and email support
- Excellent reputation for support
- Dedicated implementation team
- Toast University training resources
- Regular webinars
Lightspeed Restaurant:
- Phone and email support (hours vary)
- Good knowledge base
- Implementation assistance
- Training resources
- Active user community
Winner: Toast - 24/7 support is valuable
Pricing Comparison 2025
Toast Pricing
Point of Sale: $165/month per terminal
- Full POS features
- xtraCHEF invoice automation
- Online ordering
- Gift cards and loyalty
Processing: 2.49% + 15¢ (or custom flat fee)
Example (single location, 2 terminals):
- Software: $330/month
- Processing (on $30K sales): ~$750/month
- Total: ~$1,080/month
Lightspeed Restaurant Pricing
Essential: $189/month
- Core POS features
- Basic reporting
- 1 location
Premium: $399/month
- Advanced analytics
- Employee management
- Multi-location
Enterprise: Custom pricing
Processing: Separate (2.0-3.0% typical)
Example (single location):
- Software: $189-$399/month
- Processing (on $30K sales): ~$750/month
- Total: ~$939-$1,149/month
Cost Analysis
Pricing is relatively comparable. Toast bundles everything while Lightspeed offers more flexibility. High-volume operators may save with Lightspeed by negotiating processor rates.
Use our ROI Calculator for your specific situation.
Pros and Cons
Toast Advantages
✅ All-in-one integrated platform
✅ Excellent xtraCHEF invoice automation
✅ 24/7 customer support
✅ Commission-free online ordering
✅ Strong ecosystem of features
✅ Regular innovation and updates
✅ Great for operations wanting simplicity
Toast Disadvantages
❌ 3-year contract requirement
❌ Proprietary hardware (higher cost)
❌ Cannot change payment processor
❌ Processing fees can be high
❌ Less flexibility overall
Lightspeed Restaurant Advantages
✅ Best-in-class analytics and reporting
✅ Choose your own payment processor
✅ More hardware flexibility
✅ Monthly contract available
✅ Strong CRM and guest insights
✅ Good for data-driven operators
✅ Part of larger Lightspeed ecosystem
Lightspeed Restaurant Disadvantages
❌ Less comprehensive online ordering
❌ Support hours not 24/7
❌ More complex setup (multiple vendors)
❌ Invoice automation not as strong as xtraCHEF
❌ Requires managing multiple relationships
Which is Right for You?
Choose Toast If You:
- Want all-in-one integrated solution
- Need excellent invoice automation
- Value 24/7 support
- Want commission-free online ordering
- Prefer single-vendor simplicity
- Don't mind 3-year commitment
- Are okay with integrated payments
Best for: Operators wanting comprehensive, integrated platform with minimal vendor management.
Explore Toast or read our Toast guide
Choose Lightspeed Restaurant If You:
- Need industry-leading analytics
- Want to choose your payment processor
- Value CRM and guest insights
- Prefer hardware flexibility
- Want monthly contract option
- Are data-driven in decision making
- Can manage multiple vendor relationships
Best for: Analytics-focused operators who want flexibility and best-in-class reporting.
Implementation Comparison
Toast: 6-8 weeks
- Hardware delivery and installation
- Menu programming and setup
- xtraCHEF configuration
- Staff training
- Go-live support
Lightspeed Restaurant: 4-6 weeks
- Hardware setup (self or professional)
- POS configuration
- Payment processor setup
- Inventory and menu build
- Training and launch
Read our implementation guide for detailed strategies.
Alternative Solutions
Can't decide between Toast and Lightspeed? Consider:
Similar to Toast:
- Square for Restaurants - Lower cost, less features
- Clover - All-in-one alternative
Similar to Lightspeed:
- TouchBistro - iPad-based with flexibility (compare)
- Restaurant365 - Accounting-focused
Browse all options in our directory.
Real User Experiences
Toast Users:
"Toast's xtraCHEF saves us 10+ hours a week on invoice processing. The all-in-one approach means we only deal with one vendor for everything." - Restaurant Manager
Lightspeed Restaurant Users:
"The analytics are unmatched. We use the data daily to make menu, staffing, and pricing decisions. Worth it for the insights alone." - Restaurant Owner
ROI Expectations
Toast:
- Food cost reduction: 3-8%
- Time savings: 10-15 hours/week
- Payback: 8-14 months
Lightspeed Restaurant:
- Revenue optimization: 2-5% through analytics
- Improved decision-making
- Payback: 10-16 months
Calculate your ROI with our calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Upserve now Lightspeed?
Yes, Upserve was acquired by Lightspeed in 2020 and is now called Lightspeed Restaurant.
Which has better inventory management?
Toast with xtraCHEF has superior invoice automation. Lightspeed has good built-in inventory features.
Can I use my own payment processor?
Lightspeed yes, Toast no (Toast Payments required).
Which has better analytics?
Lightspeed Restaurant is renowned for industry-leading analytics.
Which is easier to set up?
Toast is simpler with one vendor. Lightspeed offers more flexibility but requires managing multiple relationships.
Final Recommendation
For all-in-one simplicity with excellent invoice automation: Toast is the better choice. The integrated ecosystem, 24/7 support, and xtraCHEF invoice processing provide tremendous value despite the 3-year commitment.
For analytics-driven operators who value flexibility: Lightspeed Restaurant excels with best-in-class reporting and the ability to choose your payment processor.
Both are excellent platforms. Your decision should prioritize: integration vs. flexibility, invoice automation vs. analytics, and vendor simplicity vs. component flexibility.
Next Steps
- Request Demos: See both platforms in action
- Calculate Costs: Use our ROI calculator
- Compare Features: Review our comparison tool
- Check References: Ask for customers in your restaurant type
Ready to choose? Explore Toast or Lightspeed Restaurant, or read more comparisons like Toast vs Square and Toast vs TouchBistro.
Related Articles
WISK vs BlueCart: Bar Inventory Software Comparison 2025
Detailed WISK vs BlueCart comparison for bar and restaurant inventory. Features, pricing, and which solution is best for your business in 2025.
Wisk vs BevSpot: Bar Inventory Software Comparison 2025
Side-by-side comparison of Wisk AI vs BevSpot for bar inventory management including features, pricing, and recommendations.
TouchBistro vs Square: Restaurant POS Comparison 2025
Compare TouchBistro and Square POS systems for restaurants including features, pricing, and recommendations.