Toast vs Servio: an honest comparison for UK venues
Toast is a US-built restaurant platform known for its own Android-based hardware ecosystem and deep enterprise feature set. It's a serious system. Whether it fits depends on the size and shape of your operation, so here is where each one makes sense.
| Criterion | Servio | Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Fixed £/month, published openly | Tiered plans plus hardware costs |
| Hardware | None. Runs on devices you already own | Toast's own Android-based terminals, typically required |
| Contract | Monthly, cancel anytime | Often multi-year terms |
| QR ordering | Included on every plan | Available as an add-on |
| Kitchen display | Included | Available as an add-on |
| Home market | Built for UK hospitality; UK-based support | US-first platform |
| Time to go live | Same day: import your menu and start | Hardware shipping and installation lead times vary |
Comparison based on publicly available information and typical configurations. Toast's offering varies by plan, hardware and region, so always check current details with Toast directly.
Where Toast tends to fit…
You're a larger operation that wants a hardware-led ecosystem with handhelds, guest-facing displays and enterprise modules. You also have the budget and timeline for a managed installation and a longer contract.
Where Servio tends to fit…
You're an independent UK venue that wants one fixed monthly price with QR ordering and kitchen display included, no proprietary hardware, and to be live the same afternoon on your own tablets.
The pricing, in detail
Toast structures pricing as tiered software plans on top of its hardware (terminals, handhelds and kitchen screens from its own catalogue), commonly wrapped in a term contract, with card processing through Toast's own payments. That model rewards scale, and the more stations and modules you standardise on, the better value the ecosystem gets. For an independent venue, though, it means three numbers to negotiate (software tier, hardware, processing rate) before you know your real monthly cost. Servio has one number. £219/month Growth covers the till, QR ordering, kitchen display, inventory and analytics. Hardware is whatever tablets you have already (£0), and payments run through Stripe at Stripe's published UK rates with no markup. The founding-venue pilot currently makes that £109/month for your first six paid months, after 30 days free.
Switching from Toast: what it actually involves
Switching from a hardware-led platform sounds like a project, but most of the work in a normal migration is installing new hardware, and Servio does not ask you to buy a proprietary till. Export or photograph your menu, upload it to Servio, and the menu builder recreates categories, modifiers and prices for you. Run Servio alongside your existing till during a quiet service to check the flow, then cut over. A Toast reader connection is coming on Growth for the same reason Square readers already connect: so venues can switch without a painful hardware cutover, not because Servio is becoming another hardware ecosystem. Venues typically complete the software move in an afternoon. There's no contract overlap risk on Servio's side: the 14-day trial needs no card, and the plan is monthly from day one. Our guide to migrating your menu without the headache covers the details.
What you get with Servio, on every plan
Every plan includes the whole platform: a cloud POS till for counter and floor orders, QR table ordering (guests just scan, no app), a kitchen display to replace paper tickets, and owner analytics showing the day in real numbers. It all runs in the browser on your existing iPads and Android tablets. Payments default to Stripe (Servio never touches card data), with Toast reader connection coming on Growth as a switch aid, and every price is published on the pricing page. You can also see the wider market picture on our comparison page or check the maths in the UK POS cost guide.
Common questions
Is Toast available in the UK?
Toast is a US-built platform that has been expanding internationally; availability, pricing and hardware options for UK venues vary, so check Toast's current UK offering directly. Servio is built in the UK for UK hospitality, with UK-based support and Stripe processing at published UK rates.
Does Servio require special hardware like Toast?
No proprietary Servio till is required. Toast typically runs on its own Android-based terminals, which you buy or lease. Servio runs in the browser on iPads, Android tablets and phones you already own, with payments defaulting to Stripe, so the hardware cost can genuinely be £0. A Toast reader connection is coming on Growth as a switch aid only, the same approach as today's Square reader connection: help venues move without binning kit on day one, not build a hardware partnership.
Can I leave whenever I want?
With Servio, yes: every plan is month-to-month with no exit fees. Starter has a 14-day free trial with no card. The founding Growth pilot is 30 days free, no application, then £109/month for six paid months, then £219. Hardware-led platforms more often use multi-year terms; always check the exit clause before signing.
Read the best UK restaurant POS systems 2026 comparison, the restaurant POS cost guide, and how we calculate every figure.