Restaurant software and food cost, researched independently.
Restaurants rarely lose money from one dramatic mistake. They lose it slowly — spoiled herbs, over-ordered prep, weak counts, and software nobody trusts. RestroScout is independent research to help operators close that gap.
Dual Pricing, Cash Discounts & Surcharges for Restaurants: The Real Math (2026)
Passing card fees to guests sounds like free money until you run the numbers on a tipped check. The three models compared — surcharge, cash discount, dual pricing — with worked math from vendor-verified rates, the card-network and state-law traps, the customer-backlash data, and a straight answer on which POS systems can actually run each program.
Restaurant Credit Card Processing Fees in 2026: What You're Actually Paying
What restaurants actually pay to accept cards in 2026 — verified published rates, why the fee on a $100 dinner is really 3.3–4% once tips and tax are charged, the statement junk fees that quietly raise your rate, what the June 2026 Visa/Mastercard settlement changes, and the surcharge rules most guides get wrong. Every vendor figure read from the vendor's own page and dated.
How Much Does Restaurant Online Ordering Cost in 2026?
What restaurant online ordering actually costs in 2026 — verified marketplace commission rates, published prices for commission-free direct platforms, the annual cost of the same $10,000/month on every channel, and the break-even volume where a flat monthly fee beats a percentage. Every figure read from the vendor's own page and dated.
Where restaurant margins are quietly won or lost.
Counts, tickets, prep, and food cost — the unglamorous numbers behind a healthy kitchen.
Inventory & Waste
Counts, par levels, and the software that turns shelf data into food-cost decisions.
Restaurant Inventory Software Pricing
How much restaurant inventory software really costs in 2026 — approximate per-location pricing for the major platforms, the pricing models explained, and the hidden add-ons to budget for.
Free Restaurant Inventory Management Software
The genuinely free options for restaurant inventory in 2026 — free tiers, POS-included tools, and a free spreadsheet template — plus the limits and when to upgrade to paid.
Compare Restaurant Inventory Management Software
MarketMan vs MarginEdge vs Restaurant365 and more, compared side by side on features, fit, and price — with guidance on the best inventory software by restaurant type.
POS Systems
Point-of-sale compared on fees, hardware, and what actually fits the way a kitchen runs service.
From the Field
Operator stories and hard-won lessons on inventory, prep, and running a tighter kitchen.
Calculators & Templates
Free tools to put a dollar figure on waste, food cost, and pricing — built for operators, not spreadsheets you have to wrestle with.
Food Waste Calculator
Turn spoilage and over-ordering into a dollar figure you can act on.
Food Cost Calculator
Measure plate cost and food cost percentage against your targets.
Menu Price Calculator
Set menu prices from cost and a target margin, the right way.
Restaurant Inventory Template
A clean count sheet with par levels and usage built in. Free to copy.
Recently Updated
The latest research and revisions across the guide.
Dual Pricing, Cash Discounts & Surcharges for Restaurants: The Real Math (2026)
Passing card fees to guests sounds like free money until you run the numbers on a tipped check. The three models compared — surcharge, cash discount, dual pricing — with worked math from vendor-verified rates, the card-network and state-law traps, the customer-backlash data, and a straight answer on which POS systems can actually run each program.
Restaurant Credit Card Processing Fees in 2026: What You're Actually Paying
What restaurants actually pay to accept cards in 2026 — verified published rates, why the fee on a $100 dinner is really 3.3–4% once tips and tax are charged, the statement junk fees that quietly raise your rate, what the June 2026 Visa/Mastercard settlement changes, and the surcharge rules most guides get wrong. Every vendor figure read from the vendor's own page and dated.
How Much Does Restaurant Online Ordering Cost in 2026?
What restaurant online ordering actually costs in 2026 — verified marketplace commission rates, published prices for commission-free direct platforms, the annual cost of the same $10,000/month on every channel, and the break-even volume where a flat monthly fee beats a percentage. Every figure read from the vendor's own page and dated.
How Much Does a Restaurant POS System Cost in 2026?
What a restaurant POS actually costs in 2026 — verified per-plan software prices, published hardware prices, card-present processing rates, break-even math between free and paid plans, and worked year-one totals for three restaurant archetypes. Every figure read from the vendor's own pricing page and dated.
Best Restaurant POS Systems in 2026: The Honest Guide for Restaurants
The best restaurant POS in 2026 is not the most famous one — it is the system that fits your service model, menu, number of locations, online ordering needs, and payment terms. We compared Toast, Square, Lightspeed, TouchBistro, Clover, SpotOn, GoTab, Revel, and the enterprise players to help you choose the right fit, not just the loudest brand.
Best Restaurant Inventory Software
Invoice automation, recipe costing, and variance tracking compared for restaurants.
Browse by Category
Research across the restaurant tech stack, from POS to inventory and food cost.
Start with the numbers
Compare the tools side by side, then check the math on your own food cost and waste. Both are free, and neither is pay-to-play.