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Restaurants · head to head

Epos Now vs Lunchbox

Epos Now logo

Epos Now

Restaurants

Cloud point of sale for hospitality and retail sold with hardware finance and attached payment processing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lunchbox logo

Lunchbox

Restaurants

First party ordering websites, apps and loyalty for growing multi unit restaurant brands

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Epos Now hardware is often placed on a finance agreement with a third party, so cancelling the software subscription leaves the equipment payments running for the remainder of the term.; Lunchbox the fee is charged per location per month regardless of how many direct orders you generate, so brands that do not fund marketing pay for a channel that stays quiet.
  • They diverge on capability: Epos Now covers Cloud till software, Lunchbox covers Branded ordering web and apps.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Epos Now and Lunchbox actually diverge.

Attributes where Epos Now and Lunchbox differ
AttributeEpos NowLunchbox
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 Epos Now

  • Cloud till software
  • Hardware bundles
  • Integrated payments
  • AppStore add ons
  • Stock and product management
  • Multi site reporting

Only in Lunchbox

  • Branded ordering web and apps
  • Loyalty and rewards
  • Guest data platform
  • Marketing automation
  • POS and delivery integrations
  • Catering and group ordering

What people use each for

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

Epos Now

  • A single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quicklynot Lunchbox
  • An independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation projectnot Lunchbox
  • An operator running both a small retail line and a food offer on one systemnot Lunchbox
  • A business replacing a mechanical till that has no reporting or remote access at allnot Lunchbox

Lunchbox

  • A fast casual chain of ten to thirty units trying to shift volume away from delivery marketplacesnot Epos Now
  • A brand that wants its own iOS and Android apps without commissioning a bespoke buildnot Epos Now
  • An operator who needs guest order history for retention campaigns rather than anonymous marketplace ordersnot Epos Now
  • A group launching catering that needs a separate ordering flow from standard checkoutnot Epos Now

Where each one falls short

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

Epos Now

  • Hardware is often placed on a finance agreement with a third party, so cancelling the software subscription leaves the equipment payments running for the remainder of the term.
  • Software, hardware finance and card processing are three separate agreements with different notice periods, which makes a clean exit difficult and is the source of most published complaints.
  • The vendor makes its margin on payment processing, so the low advertised software price is offset by a card rate that costs far more across a year of trading.
  • Sales is telesales led and buyers report pressure to sign quickly, which is a poor fit for a decision involving multi year finance commitments.
  • Useful capability is spread across paid add ons in the application store, so the functional system a restaurant actually needs costs considerably more than the entry subscription.

Lunchbox

  • The fee is charged per location per month regardless of how many direct orders you generate, so brands that do not fund marketing pay for a channel that stays quiet.
  • Moving customers off marketplaces requires sustained discounting and advertising that the restaurant funds, and none of that cost appears in the software quote.
  • The company has been through substantial restructuring since its peak funding, so integration maintenance and roadmap continuity are fair questions to put in writing before signing.
  • Native app launches involve app store review, brand assets and a build fee, so time to first order is measured in weeks rather than days.
  • The integration list is narrower than that of the large enterprise ordering vendors, and a group on an uncommon POS may find order injection limited or unsupported.

Pricing, plan by plan

Epos Now

On request
  • Epos Now$undefined/year
    • Software subscription quoted per till
    • Hardware frequently supplied under a separate finance or lease agreement
    • Card processing contracted separately and priced by negotiated rate

Lunchbox

On request
  • Lunchbox$undefined/year
    • Priced per location per month with modules for ordering, loyalty and marketing
    • One time build and launch fee for web and mobile apps
    • App store submission and brand design handled during onboarding

Which should you pick?

Choose Epos Now if

  • You need cloud till software.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want hardware bundles.
Epos Now review

Choose Lunchbox if

  • You need branded ordering web and apps.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want loyalty and rewards.
Lunchbox review

Questions people ask

Is Epos Now or Lunchbox better?
Neither clearly leads. Epos Now starts at On request and Lunchbox at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Epos Now or Lunchbox?
Epos Now starts at On request and Lunchbox at On request.
Does Epos Now or Lunchbox run on more platforms?
Epos Now runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. Lunchbox runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Epos Now best used for?
Epos Now is most often used for a single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quickly, an independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation project, an operator running both a small retail line and a food offer on one system, a business replacing a mechanical till that has no reporting or remote access at all. Of those, a single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quickly and an independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation project are not what Lunchbox is typically brought in for.
What can Epos Now do that Lunchbox cannot?
Epos Now covers Cloud till software, Hardware bundles, Integrated payments, AppStore add ons. Lunchbox covers Branded ordering web and apps, Loyalty and rewards, Guest data platform, Marketing automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Epos Now: Is the hardware bought or leased?

Frequently financed through a third party agreement rather than bought outright. Ask explicitly which it is and read the term before signing.

Lunchbox: Does it stop me paying delivery commission?

Only on orders that move to your own channels. Orders still placed on DoorDash or Uber Eats carry their usual commission.

Epos Now: Can I cancel the software and keep trading?

You can stop the subscription, but a separate hardware finance agreement continues to its own end date, and processing is contracted separately again.

Lunchbox: Do I get my own branded mobile app?

Yes, native iOS and Android apps under your brand, built and submitted during onboarding for a one time fee on top of the subscription.

Epos Now: Do I have to use their card processing?

It is the commercial basis of the pricing. Using another acquirer, where permitted, changes the software quote.

Lunchbox: Who owns the customer data?

The restaurant. That is the central argument for first party ordering over marketplace ordering.

Epos Now: Is it suitable for a busy full service restaurant?

It handles straightforward hospitality service. Complex coursing, large table management and high volume kitchens are better served by restaurant specific systems.

Lunchbox: What size of brand is it aimed at?

Multi unit groups, broadly five to fifty locations. Single sites usually do better with a cheaper ordering product.

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