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Restaurants · head to head

ChowNow vs PAR Brink POS

ChowNow logo

ChowNow

Restaurants

Commission-free online ordering

From
$249/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PAR Brink POS logo

PAR Brink POS

Restaurants

Cloud point of sale for enterprise quick service chains and their franchisees

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ChowNow limited website customization with only pre-built Squarespace templates available; PAR Brink POS the suite was assembled by acquisition, so loyalty, ordering, back office and POS still carry separate data models and administration consoles rather than one unified system.
  • They diverge on capability: ChowNow covers Branded ordering, PAR Brink POS covers Enterprise menu and price control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ChowNow and PAR Brink POS actually diverge.

Attributes where ChowNow and PAR Brink POS differ
AttributeChowNowPAR Brink POS
Starting price$249/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Android, Windows
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ChowNow

  • Branded ordering
  • Website integration
  • Mobile app
  • Customer database
  • Marketing tools
  • Delivery integration
  • DoorDash Drive
  • Google

Only in PAR Brink POS

  • Enterprise menu and price control
  • Drive through and speed of service
  • Open integration interfaces
  • Loyalty through Punchh
  • Back office through Data Central
  • Hardware range

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ChowNow

  • Point of Salenot PAR Brink POS
  • Order Managementnot PAR Brink POS
  • Inventory Controlnot PAR Brink POS
  • Staff Schedulingnot PAR Brink POS

PAR Brink POS

  • A franchisor standardising the point of sale across hundreds of franchised locationsnot ChowNow
  • A quick service brand where drive through timing and speed of service reporting drive operationsnot ChowNow
  • A chain that wants POS, loyalty and back office contracted through a single vendornot ChowNow
  • A brand needing documented interfaces so its own developers can build ordering and delivery integrationsnot ChowNow

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ChowNow

  • Limited website customization with only pre-built Squarespace templates available
  • No multi-language support, limiting service to non-English speaking customer bases
  • Multi-location management requires separate dashboard for each location
  • Delivery reliability issues with reported order delays and non-arrivals
  • Limited customer support responsiveness with long phone wait times

PAR Brink POS

  • The suite was assembled by acquisition, so loyalty, ordering, back office and POS still carry separate data models and administration consoles rather than one unified system.
  • Pricing and contracting assume estate scale, which leaves an individual franchisee paying enterprise rates without enterprise negotiating leverage.
  • Hardware and implementation are separate line items that typically exceed the first year of software subscription at a new site.
  • Roll outs are project managed over months, so a brand needing a system live at a site opening in a few weeks will struggle.
  • PAR is a listed company under margin pressure and has raised prices as it consolidates its acquisitions, which makes renewal costs harder to forecast across a long franchise agreement.

Pricing, plan by plan

ChowNow

$249/month
  • Launch$249/month
    • Commission-free ordering
    • Website and mobile app
    • Basic POS integrations
  • Grow$349/month
    • All Launch features
    • Advanced marketing tools
    • Email and SMS campaigns
  • Elevate$449/month
    • All Grow features
    • Advanced reporting
    • Priority support

PAR Brink POS

On request
  • Brink POS$undefined/year
    • Priced per site per month under a franchisor or corporate agreement
    • Terminals, kitchen displays and drive through hardware quoted separately
    • Implementation and roll out delivered as a project

Which should you pick?

Choose ChowNow if

  • You need branded ordering.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want website integration.
ChowNow review

Choose PAR Brink POS if

  • You need enterprise menu and price control.
  • You work on Web, Android, Windows.
  • You also want drive through and speed of service.
PAR Brink POS review

Questions people ask

Is ChowNow or PAR Brink POS better?
Neither clearly leads. ChowNow starts at $249/month and PAR Brink POS at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ChowNow or PAR Brink POS?
ChowNow starts at $249/month and PAR Brink POS at On request.
Does ChowNow or PAR Brink POS run on more platforms?
ChowNow runs on Web, iOS, Android. PAR Brink POS runs on Web, Android, Windows.
What is ChowNow best used for?
ChowNow is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling. Of those, point of sale and order management are not what PAR Brink POS is typically brought in for.
What can ChowNow do that PAR Brink POS cannot?
ChowNow covers Branded ordering, Website integration, Mobile app, Customer database. PAR Brink POS covers Enterprise menu and price control, Drive through and speed of service, Open integration interfaces, Loyalty through Punchh.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ChowNow: Is ChowNow truly commission-free?

Yes, ChowNow charges no commission on orders placed through your website, app, or marketplace channels. However, you pay a monthly subscription ($249-$449), payment processing fees (2.95% plus $0.29 per transaction), and optional delivery fees ($7.98 per order with Flex Delivery).

Source
PAR Brink POS: Who chooses Brink, the franchisor or the franchisee?

Almost always the franchisor, as an estate standard. The franchisee implements and pays for it.

ChowNow: Does ChowNow integrate with my POS system?

Yes. ChowNow integrates with over 45 POS systems including Toast, Square, Clover, and Revel. Orders are automatically synced to your POS and kitchen printers without manual entry.

Source
PAR Brink POS: Does PAR supply loyalty as well as POS?

Yes, through Punchh, which PAR acquired. It is licensed separately from the POS.

ChowNow: Can I use ChowNow with delivery platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats?

ChowNow handles direct orders but also supports order aggregation from third-party delivery platforms including DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub through integrations.

Source
PAR Brink POS: Is it suitable for an independent restaurant?

Not really. The value is in central control across many sites, which an independent does not need and still pays for.

ChowNow: How much does ChowNow cost?

ChowNow plans start at $249/month (Launch), $349/month (Grow), and $449/month (Elevate) when billed monthly. Annual billing saves 8-9%. Additional fees include payment processing (2.95% plus $0.29 per transaction), setup fees ($119-$499), and optional delivery charges.

Source
PAR Brink POS: Does it work offline?

Terminals continue to operate through network interruptions, which matters in drive through environments where a stall is measured in seconds.

ChowNow: What platforms are supported by ChowNow?

ChowNow is available on web, iOS, and Android. Restaurants get a website ordering interface and can offer a branded mobile app. Customers discover restaurants through Google Maps, Apple Maps, Yelp, and the ChowNow Marketplace.

Source
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