Software · head to head
Square for Restaurants vs ChowNow
Square for Restaurants
Software
Restaurant POS system that works for you
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Square for Restaurants has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Square for Restaurants the Square KDS and Square Kiosk apps are not available on the free plan; ChowNow limited website customization with only pre-built Squarespace templates available
- They diverge on capability: Square for Restaurants covers Table management, ChowNow covers Branded ordering.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Square for Restaurants and ChowNow actually diverge.
| Attribute | Square for Restaurants | ChowNow |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $249/month |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2018 | 2010 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Square for Restaurants
- Table management
- Menu customization
- Split checks
- Offline mode
- Real-time reporting
- Kitchen display
- Caviar
- DoorDash
Only in ChowNow
- Branded ordering
- Website integration
- Mobile app
- Customer database
- Marketing tools
- Delivery integration
- DoorDash Drive
Both cover
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Square for Restaurants
- Point of Sale
- Order Management
- Inventory Control
- Staff Scheduling
ChowNow
- Point of Sale
- Order Management
- Inventory Control
- Staff Scheduling
Both are used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Square for Restaurants
- The Square KDS and Square Kiosk apps are not available on the free plan
- KDS and Kiosk are billed per device per month on top of the plan, so cost scales with terminals rather than locations
- Restaurants processing over $250,000 a year are moved to custom pricing rather than the published rates
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Square for Restaurants
Free- FreeFree
- POS
- Menu management
- Basic reporting
- Plus$60/month
- Advanced features
- Live sales
- Seat management
- PremiumFree
- Custom pricing
- Dedicated support
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
Which should you pick?
Choose Square for Restaurants if
- You need table management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want menu customization.
Choose ChowNow if
- You need branded ordering.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want website integration.
Questions people ask
- Is Square for Restaurants or ChowNow better?
- Neither clearly leads. Square for Restaurants starts at Free and ChowNow at $249/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Square for Restaurants or ChowNow?
- Square for Restaurants has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Square for Restaurants and $249/month for ChowNow.
- Does Square for Restaurants or ChowNow run on more platforms?
- Square for Restaurants runs on Web, Ios, Android. ChowNow runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Square for Restaurants for free?
- Yes. Square for Restaurants has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ChowNow starts at $249/month.
- What is Square for Restaurants best used for?
- Square for Restaurants is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
- What can Square for Restaurants do that ChowNow cannot?
- Square for Restaurants covers Table management, Menu customization, Split checks, Offline mode. ChowNow covers Branded ordering, Website integration, Mobile app, Customer database. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
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).
SourceChowNow: 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.
SourceChowNow: 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.
SourceChowNow: 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.
SourceChowNow: 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