Shift4 vs. Toast vs. Micros: The POS Showdown for Restaurant Success

If you’ve ever shopped for a restaurant POS system, you know it feels like buying a car — too many options, hidden fees everywhere, and everyone promising you “the best deal.” As restaurant owners ourselves, we’ve been there. We’ve run on Toast, Micros, and others. And today, as a Shift4 dealer, we don’t just push one product because we are partners, we became partners because it’s the system that consistently delivers the greatest success for our clients and our own restaurants. Here’s why:

Toast: Slick Marketing, Thin Margins

Toast has made a splash in the independent restaurant space. It looks modern, it’s everywhere online, and your rep will tell you it’s “the future of restaurants.” Some of the highlights are:

• Robust Hardware designed to withstand the heat, spills, and chaos of a busy restaurant environment

• Tableside Ordering & Kiosks allow staff to take orders at the table or enables guests to order themselves via self-service kiosks, improving efficiency

• Deep Analytics Provide real-time reports on sales, menu item performance, and other key metrics, enpbling better decision-making But here’s what owners tell us when the honeymoon ends:
  

• High processing fees eat into already-tight margins.

• Hardware lock-in means if you switch, your investment is wasted.

• Add-ons everywhere — what seemed affordable grows costly fast.

Toast can look great on the surface, but the real numbers don’t always add up in your favor.

Micros: The Old Reliable That’s Hard to Love

Micros has been powering restaurants for decades, especially big chains. If you want bulletproof reliability, it’s got that. Customers also enjoy:

• Customization that is Ideal for complex, high-volume operations with sophisticated needs. 

• Payment processing options and loyalty management features. 

• Enterprise-grade reliability for large businesses. 
  

But independent owners run into roadblocks:

• Expensive installs and long contracts tie up cash flow.

• Outdated interfaces that frustrate staff.

• Heavy IT demands that small restaurants can’t support.
  

It works — but often at the cost of flexibility and freedom.

Shift4: The Proven Winner

So why do we choose Shift4? Simple: we’ve tested the competition in the real world. We’ve lived with these systems, and we’ve seen what happens when clients switch. Shift4 delivers success, not stress.

• Lower processing costs → more money stays in your pocket.

• Free hardware program → unlike Toast and Micros, you’re not writing a massive check upfront.

• All-in-one ecosystem → online ordering, gift cards, loyalty, payments, POS, reporting — it’s all there.

• Trusted by stadiums and chains → but priced and scaled so independents can win too.

Some of the challenges customers have ran into include:

• Learning Curve for users who are not comfortable with new technology, requiring some initial training. 

• Menu Modifiers take time to plug into the system, especially for large menus

• Customer support inconsistencies which of course is frustrating when you need it in the middle of the rush, however thats why OYR doesn't just sell you a system and say goodbye. If you don't get ahold of Shift4/SkyTab, we are there to help you.

We became a Shift4 dealer because it won our trust as operators first. We’re not in this to sell boxes — we’re in it to help you run a profitable restaurant.

The Bottom Line

If you’re asking, “Which POS is right for me?” here’s our straight answer:

• Toast is shiny but expensive.

• Micros is stable but clunky.

• Shift4 gives you the keys to profitability, freedom, and ownership.

At OYR, we believe in putting restaurant owners first. That’s why we use what we recommend — and why we stand behind Shift4 as the smartest choice for independent restaurants ready to unlock success.