Best POS for a coffee shop in Toronto
Last reviewed 2026-08-05 · by the RetailPOS team
A single espresso bar on Queen West and a small chain across the GTA need the same core: ingredient-level inventory and clean tax + tips. Here is what to look for in Toronto, and where RetailPOS fits.
What a Toronto coffee POS must do
1. Recipe-based inventory. Deplete milk, beans, syrups and cups as you ring drinks — true cost and waste.
2. Correct HST. Apply the 13% Ontario HST automatically and report it for filing.
3. Tips. Card tips, tip prompts and per-employee tip totals for tip-out and payroll.
4. Processing economics. Bring-your-own processing lets you negotiate your card rate rather than pay a fixed percentage to the POS.
5. Multi-store & offline. Central menu, per-site stock, one report, and a register that keeps working if connectivity drops.
How the options compare
| RetailPOS | Square | Lightspeed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card processing | Bring your own (negotiate) | Bundled fixed rate | Own or Lightspeed Payments |
| Ontario HST (13%) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Recipe/ingredient depletion | Every plan | Add-on / limited | Higher tier |
| Tips handling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-store on base plan | Yes | Higher tier | Per-location |
| Works offline | Yes | Limited | Limited |
Where RetailPOS fits — and where it doesn’t
Pick RetailPOS if you want recipe inventory, flat pricing and your own processor across one or more Toronto sites.
Stay on Square if you run a single low-volume café where the free tier wins on absolute cost, or you want first-party readers and instant setup. Lightspeed (a Canadian company) is also a capable choice if you want deeper retail analytics. RetailPOS is the flat, bring-your-own option.
Frequently asked
- What sales tax applies to a Toronto coffee shop?
- Ontario applies 13% HST. The POS applies it automatically; check any price with the tax calculator (select Canada, HST Ontario).
- Can I bring my own card processor?
- Yes — RetailPOS is bring-your-own-processor, so you negotiate your rate directly rather than paying a fixed percentage to the POS.
- Can I keep my current hardware?
- Yes — RetailPOS runs on an iPad or Android tablet plus a receipt printer you own, with a card reader from your chosen processor.
Open your shop in 30 seconds.
No card. Free until your first 100 sales. Bring your own Stripe; keep your hardware.