As a CEO of a time tracking software company I need to know what my competitors are up to. That means my team and I are often researching about and/or playing around with their products, you know, it’s part of the job. Here, I share my findings of that research, giving credit to those competitors where credit is due and being honest about which products I believe you really need to avoid. And so, there you have it, this review, and in it, I try to be honest, fair, and insightful. I hope it helps you make the right decision…
Overview
Running a restaurant is no piece of cake. From juggling reservations and orders to managing inventory and staff schedules, there’s definitely a lot on your plate.
Just like a well-orchestrated symphony, running a restaurant requires precision, coordination, and harmony. In this guide, we’re diving into the realm of free management systems for restaurants – your digital allies in streamlining operations, enhancing customer satisfaction, and turning your culinary dreams into reality.
These tools are here to lighten your load and allow you to focus on what truly matters: crafting exquisite dishes and creating unforgettable dining experiences.
The Definitive List
Top 6 Free Management Systems for Restaurants
To help you choose the right management system for your restaurant’s success, here is a carefully curated list of six free management systems that are poised to spice up your restaurant management game!
1. Jibble
At the forefront of our list is Jibble. While it’s not primarily a restaurant management system, it offers a range of features that can be particularly useful in restaurant management.
The app, which is available on both mobile and desktop devices, makes it easy for staff to clock in their attendance and track their hours. You can also set custom schedules for each employee making them as fixed or flexible as you need them to be.
Ensure accurate payroll by setting custom hourly and overtime rates for your staff. Calculated wages are displayed on employee timesheets ready for the next payroll period. Timesheets can also be exported directly to Jibble’s several billing integrations making payroll a breeze.
Key Features
- Efficient Staff Scheduling
- Accurate Time-Tracking
- Mobile Accessibility
- Geolocation Tracking
- Real-Time Monitoring
- Customizable Work Policies
- Integration with Payroll
- Reporting and Analytics
- Notifications and Alerts
- User Permissions
What Users Like
- Easy to use
- Facial recognition for accurate attendance tracking
- Mobile app convenience for remote team members
- Seamless integration with Slack and other platforms
- Automated reports
What Users Don’t Like
- The CEO wears crazy white glasses!
2. ToastPOS
ToastPOS offers a comprehensive solution for managing orders, sales, and payments seamlessly within the restaurant industry. With powerful cloud-based software, transparent payment processing, and restaurant-grade hardware, ToastPOS is designed to meet the specific needs of restaurant operations.
ToastPOS also offers features such as tableside service with handheld technology for order taking and payments, order ready notifications, and guest feedback collection, allowing restaurants to enhance guest experience and streamline operations.
Key Features
- Efficient Order Processing
- Real-Time Insights
- Customizable Menu
- Tableside Ordering
- Kitchen Display System (KDS)
- Integrated Online Ordering
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- Inventory Management
- Employee Management
- Multi-Location Support
- Reporting and Analytics
- Integration with Third-Party Apps
What Users Like
- Allows users to log on to its website to edit menu items, run reports, track punch-ins
- Ease of use of the POS, the reports, payroll
- Incredible reporting and kitchen management
- Kitchen display screen is a lifesaver
What Users Don’t Like
- Slow loading time, which isn’t good news when the restaurant is busy.
- Occasional difficulty with card reader/ hardware
- User permission levels are clunky to implement, as well as modifiers for food items.
- Almost always crashes, freezes, or goes offline every time there’s an update on their system, causing employees to freak out when they can’t get it back up and running.
- Reports cannot be easily pulled for long date ranges
- Lacking customer support
- Relatively high cost
3. 7Shifts
7Shifts is a tailored restaurant management solution boasting a range of features catering to the industry’s unique needs. With functionalities like tip pooling, labor budgeting, and employee compliance tracking, it streamlines operations effectively. Additionally, its weather scheduling feature adds a strategic dimension to staffing decisions. Fair warning though, this software is a bit on the pricier side with its paid plan starting at $29.99 per month/location. They do have a free plan but it’s very limited and only suitable for single-location businesses.
Key Features
- Shift Scheduling
- Availability Management
- Shift Swapping and Requests
- Time Clock and Punch Management
- Labor Budgeting
- Auto-Scheduling
- Communication Tools
- Mobile App
- Performance Analytics
- Integration Possibilities
What Users Like
- AI-driven optimization
- Collaborative environment
- Attendance insights
- Allows staff to set a weekly schedule of availability
- Chat and announcements feature lets communication flow without messier emails and texts
- App-based time off submissions
- Shift pool
- Copy-to-next-week feature
What Users Don’t Like
- Steep learning curve
- New tools are not thoughtful and don’t work with other systems
- Missing the ability to see which manager makes what changes to already published schedules
- The weather on the manager logbook can be a little janky sometimes
- Labor % isn’t always correct
- Inability to get a good view of hourly shift coverage in the mobile app as you do from accessing online in the browser
4. FlipDish
Flipdish is an online ordering system tailored for restaurants, offering a seamless solution for receiving direct orders. By utilizing your own online ordering platform powered by Flipdish, significant cost savings can be achieved, potentially saving your food business thousands of dollars. With comprehensive features including online ordering, customer data management, profiling, and integrated loyalty programs, Flipdish empowers restaurants to enhance their digital presence and streamline operations effectively.
Key Features
- Direct Online Ordering
- Branded Ordering Platform
- Menu Management
- Order Processing
- Integrated Payment Gateway
- Delivery and Pickup Options
- Customer Database
- Order Tracking
- Analytics and Reporting
- Multi-Location Support
- Customer Communication
- Integration with POS
What Users Like
- Convenience of direct online ordering
- Ability to create a customized and branded online ordering platform
- Ease of updating and modifying menus
- Efficient order processing
- Integrated payment gateway
- Customer database feature is beneficial for personalized marketing, loyalty programs, and tracking customer preferences to enhance engagement
What Users Don’t Like
- Too many glitches
- No “ready” button, “add extra time” and “out of stock” buttons when orders arrive
- Order list is unclear
- Acceptance time in unclear
- Receipts printed are long and unclear
5. Restaurant 365
Restaurant365 is a comprehensive software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform tailored for restaurant accounting and operations. It seamlessly integrates with third-party point-of-sale (POS) systems, banks, and vendors, offering flexibility to adapt to various restaurant setups.
The platform’s specialized accounting module is fully synchronized with POS systems, vendors, payroll providers, and banks, enabling centralized financial management for restaurant groups. This integration provides a holistic view of operations and profitability, particularly beneficial for multi-location restaurant groups.
Key Features
- Comprehensive Financial Management
- Inventory Control
- Menu Costing
- Recipe Management
- Vendor Management
- Sales Analytics
- Labor Management
- Forecasting and Budgeting
- Integrated Reporting
- Multi-Location Support
- Mobile Access
- Integration with POS
What Users Like
- Integrated accounting tools offer a holistic view of financial data, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, and detailed financial reporting
- Effective inventory management
- Menu costing feature accurately calculates the costs of menu items, helping to maintain profitability and make informed pricing decisions
- Ability to create and manage detailed recipes facilitates portion control, consistent quality, and efficient ingredient utilization
- Vendor management feature is beneficial for centralizing vendor information, tracking orders, and maintaining effective supplier relationships
- Availability of comprehensive sales analytics and reporting tools empowers users to make data-driven decisions, optimize offerings, and maximize revenue
What Users Don’t Like
- Support has become increasingly detached and slow to respond
- Lack of an audit trail function to track changes within the system or accounting transactions
- Basic accounting functions should be set up easier and more standard
- Onboarding is overdone—way too much info and is cluttered
6. TimeForge
Restaurant365 is a cloud-based restaurant management platform that provides a wide range of tools to streamline operations. With features such as inventory management, recipe costing, labor scheduling, and accounting integration, Restaurant365 helps restaurants optimize their workflows and improve efficiency. Its user-friendly interface and robust functionality make it a valuable asset for restaurant owners and managers looking to streamline their operations and boost profitability.
Key Features
- Employee Scheduling
- Time and Attendance Tracking
- Labor Cost Control
- Employee Communication
- Availability and Requests
- Performance Analytics
- Labor Law Compliance
- Mobile App
- Reporting and Analytics
- Integrations
- Multi-Location Support
- Training and Certifications
What Users Like
- Ease of creating and adjusting staff schedules using intuitive tools
- Time and attendance tracking feature is accurate in recording employee hours
- Labor cost control tools are beneficial for real-time monitoring, budgeting, and alerts
- Employee communication features foster better team coordination
- Ability for employees to set availability, request time off, and swap shifts
- Performance analytics feature provides insights into employee performance, sales data, and labor costs
What Users Don’t Like
- Has limited access through mobile
- The training curve can be a bit longer for new team members and for the management level
How to Choose the Best Free Management Systems for Restaurants?
Selecting the right management system for your restaurant is akin to choosing the perfect ingredients for your signature dish. Here are some key factors to consider:
- Features that Sizzle: Look for systems that offer a comprehensive suite of tools tailored to your restaurant’s needs. From reservation management to inventory tracking, each feature should contribute to the overall success of your establishment.
- User-Friendly Interface: Just as a well-designed menu enhances the dining experience, an intuitive interface ensures smooth operation. Choose a system that your team can easily navigate, reducing the learning curve and maximizing efficiency.
- Scalability: Your restaurant may start as a cozy bistro, but aspirations for growth are always on the horizon. Opt for a system that can scale alongside your business, accommodating new locations, increasing orders, and expanding teams.
- Reliable Support: A stellar support team can be your lifeline in times of digital distress. Prioritize systems that offer responsive customer support, ensuring that any challenges you face are swiftly resolved.
By carefully evaluating these factors, you can select the best free management systems for restaurants that seamlessly integrate into your organization’s workflow, enhance productivity, and simplify restaurant management.
Final Thoughts
There are a variety of innovative solutions for restaurant management out there. From Jibble’s precise staff scheduling to ToastPOS’s guest experience enhancement, 7shifts’ seamless coordination, and FlipDish’s online order management, along with Restaurant 365’s financial management and TimeForge’s staff optimization tools, each system contributes to restaurant management. Together, they form a comprehensive approach tailored to the needs of restaurant operations.
