POS Software in 2025: Key Trends and Features on the Horizon

This article complements Hospitality Technology’s 2025 POS Software Trends: Powering Automation, which explores restaurant operators’ purchasing plans for 2025, the business drivers behind POS upgrades, the most sought-after features, and how POS data is being used for analytics.

In this companion piece, POS software vendors share their edited responses to HT’s annual POS Software Vendor Survey. The survey was open to all POS solution providers, giving a broad view of the market. Participating vendors recapped their 2024 accomplishments, highlighted their most innovative features, and previewed what’s potentially in the pipeline for 2025.

CBS NorthStar's NorthStar Order Entry
cbsnorthstar.com

In 2024: Introduced Kitchen AI for predictive order timing. Integrating into multiple front desk platforms, launched payment agnostic gateway to normalize payments, new multi-OS POS platform launched, launched integrated self serve kiosk

Innovative features: NorthStar doesn’t force operators into a mold. They get to decide how they want to run their business. From supporting multiple ordering modes like online ordering and kiosks to integrating with third-party apps like delivery and loyalty programs, it’s all about flexibility. It’s hardware-agnostic. Everything we do is about giving restaurants the freedom to operate the way they want, while simplifying payments, streamlining operations, and keeping guests coming back.

In 2025: Continued investment into guest ordering platform including web, mobile and kiosk, Using AI to help with menu pricing and movement, integrating more voice AI platforms.

GK Software's  GK CLOUD4RETAIL, OmniPOS
www.gk-software.com/us

In 2024: GK continued development of its new AI-supported customer loyalty solution GK Engage, which is designed to deepen customer relationships at all levels through relevant recommendations, targeted promotions and offers tailored for the individual customer. This solution enables hospitality businesses to deliver highly personalized messaging, offers and rewards at the POS, enhancing customer lifetime value and competitive differentiation. GK Engage works across any device and integrates with both POS systems and third-party apps, offering brands a fully composable solution that drives loyalty and revenue at every touchpoint.

Innovative features: GK Engage is fully integrated into GK's CLOUD4RETAIL platform, allowing the solution to be accessible to consumers wherever they interact with the business – from mobile apps to self-checkout kiosks and traditional POS systems. GK Engage is designed as an open white-label solution so that different services can be integrated directly into existing business applications. The solution is innovative in its use of AI to establish loyalty tiers, track customer interactions and generate relevant campaigns to nurture long-term relationships between businesses and customers. The technology’s integration of master data and customer data ensures that all recommendations, promotions and coupons cater to individual customers. Furthermore, GK Engage seamlessly integrates with GK’s OmniPOS solution, an offering that spans traditional POS, self-service kiosks, mobile and frictionless store technology.

In 2025: In January, GK announced the acquisition of Berlin-based deep tech company Nomitri GmbH, allowing GK to expand its self-checkout offerings to include an important fraud detection component. Launched under the name “GK Vision,” this new computer vision solution offers a cost-effective, easily implemented solution for optimizing the self-checkout process. The solution requires only a camera with an inexpensive microcomputer and without a permanent online connection, resulting in up to ten times lower hardware investment, and the solution can be used independently of the POS software and hardware already in use. GK Vision’s advanced fraud detection capabilities help minimize losses by identifying and addressing both intentional and unintentional non-scans at self-checkouts. It also detects deliberate fraud attempts, like barcode switching, and supports additional functions like age verification and automatic produce identification.

HungerRush 360
hungerrush.com

In 2024: Focused on delivering technology that enhances the experience for operators, staff and guests. Our goal was to delight customers with quick and easy experiences at every stage of the ordering process while driving efficiency and revenue growth for our restaurant customers. Launched customized Order Notifications, automated real-time order status text updates that reduce customer uncertainty, improve service efficiency and cut costs resulting from pickup mistakes. Feedback, a new customer engagement tool that helps restaurants collect guest sentiments and insights, addresses issues in real time and drives positive online reviews. Relaunched Driver Track, which assists drivers get to their consumers efficiently, and manages order deliveries, including one-click guest communication for faster service. Introduced new reporting flexibility, allowing operators to filter, search, and export key business insights, giving them greater control over their data. Integrated with Uber Eats, streamlining order flow directly into the POS. Innovative features:  HungerRush’s cloud-based POS is built for scale with the technology to handle restaurants with a single location to a full enterprise brand. Advanced menu management allows operators to create and customize menus, adjust pricing, and deploy changes across multiple locations in real-time. Complex, customizable orders—such as pizzas, burritos, and sandwiches—are seamlessly managed with automated upcharges and intuitive item modifications.

HungerRush’s reporting suite includes over 100 customizable reports, delivering real-time insights on sales, labor, delivery performance, and customer trends. For online ordering, HungerRush offers branded online ordering websites and mobile apps while also integrating directly with Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub and other third-party platforms. Delivery management tools include real-time driver tracking, optimized route planning, in-store map tracking and built-in no-contact delivery features, ensuring efficient order fulfillment. The HungerRush Driver Track app has embedded GPS navigation, one-click guest communication, and direct order handling.

In 2025: HungerRush will expand delivery capabilities, improving dispatch management and enhancing online ordering to provide a smoother workflow for operators. Expand brand level tools with new reports and flexible menu management tools for multi-location operators, giving them greater control over menus, pricing, product availability, and sales insights. Enhancing mid-market and enterprise brand level tools are a major focus. Focused on strengthening marketing and loyalty tools.

Oracle Restaurants' Oracle Simphony Cloud POS
oracle.com/restaurants/

In 2024: Oracle Restaurants’ industry product roadmap focuses on taking the platform to its customers’ customer by investing in and expanding its solution set, as well as continuously growing its partner ecosystem. These enhancements are geared to serve its customers across multiple audiences, including full-service and fast casual restaurants, ghost kitchens, hotels, casinos, and cruise ships. In 2024, its advancements included components of a seamlessly integrated technology stack that help operators optimize sales channels, increase customer acquisition and loyalty, and achieve operational excellence. Enhancements include: GloriaFood Point of Sale: A fully-self service POS buying and set-up experience for independent restaurant operators. Easy to use, includes end- to-end online ordering to in-store operations. Channel Reporting: Included out-of-the-box with Simphony’s Reporting and Analytics module, channel reporting enables restaurant operators to have a granular view of the return on investment for all sales channels – from first party online ordering to marketplaces, kiosk, handheld devices, servers and more. Oracle Simphony Frontline Manager: A web-based application that allows for corporate governance over menu items, pricing, promotions, and all the meta data associated with each item, and the flexibility for franchisees to manage that data at the location-level. 

Innovative features: Oracle Restaurants provides full stack, vertically integrated solutions backed by dedicated teams with expertise and passion. Oracle’s applications drive business efficiency and scale across finance, supply chain, HR and sales. And Oracle Cloud Infrastructure provides unmatched global scale, performance and AI services and agents. Engagement-based loyalty: CrowdTwist is a world-class engagement-based loyalty platform that runs some of the globe’s most admirable brands and is integrated with Simphony out of the box. Embedded payments: Oracle Payments Cloud Service was born out of demand for a more transparent, end-to-end payment processing option. Its innovation comes in the granularity of reporting that’s achieved with a single solution across payments, POS and reporting, and deep industry knowledge allowing everything from the onboarding to support to be seamlessly connected. Global reach: Oracle Simphony is the only cloud POS system that can take customers to over 180 countries and run cross-border, multi-location, multi-currency operations from a single platform. A key aspect of its investments goes toward supporting global brand’s customers with a single solution that offers unparalleled regionalization capabilities: local tax, payment, partner integrations, and language support. Open Architecture: enterprise technology strategies require open platforms with highly performant APIs so that they can test new solutions and roll them out rapidly. Simphony’s architecture is open and extensible, allowing enterprise brands to maximize their investments and deliver incremental value fast. 

In 2025: Investments in sales channels, acquisition and loyalty, operational excellence and business integration. Expanding embedded payments across countries and use cases including integrated ecommerce for first and third party web, BYOD, and kiosks.

Enhancing the Simphony employee experience across all devices and form-factors to improve ease of use, surface insights and generally deliver a “work the way you live” experience. Loyalty: Embedding data science and machine learning in its loyalty platform, CrowdTwist to help marketing teams make better decisions faster. Additional mobility offers, including a new line of mobile order and pay solutions and Oracle devices and, and enhanced Simphony functionality for third party PSPs. Expanding self-service to include a best-in-class user experience design Simphony Kiosk for stadiums and arenas, limited service hotels and casinos. 

PAR Technology Corp.'s PAR POS
partech.com

In 2024: Rebranded Brink POS to PAR POS. Introduced key innovations focused on operational efficiency, seamless guest interactions, and deeper system integrations. To enhance speed and accuracy in high-volume environments, PAR POS introduced AI-driven drive-thru automation, including multi-lane order sequencing, persistent register assignments, and dynamic kitchen coordination. These upgrades improved throughput and reduced manual setup time, helping brands operate more efficiently while handling peak demand. PAR Pay now supports QR Code Pay-at-Table, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and integrated EBT transactions. Enhancements to digital loyalty integrations with PAR Punchh enable seamless multi-reward redemptions and personalized guest engagement. Introduced a local RESTful API, allowing restaurants to integrate kiosks, menu boards, and third-party tools directly in-store, reducing cloud dependency and ensuring continuous operation even during connectivity issues. 

Innovative features: PAR POS is built as a modular, API-first platform that delivers flexibility, seamless integrations, and enhanced efficiency for enterprise restaurant brands. Features such as “User-Defined Fields” give customers greater control over their data by enabling them to create and manage custom fields tailored to their brand-specific requirements, improving data accuracy and integration efficiency across multiple vendors. Additionally, the new Data Feed System ensures near real-time inventory updates, reducing the standard 5–10 minute delay and enabling faster, more responsive decision-making for reporting and API integrations. PAR POS also features next-generation drive-thru technology, including automated multi-lane order sequencing and AI-powered kitchen coordination, helping brands improve throughput and reduce manual labor. Frictionless payments, with QR Code Pay-at-Table, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SMS Pay, and native digital wallets provide seamless transaction experiences. AI-driven reporting and automated promotions further help operators maximize revenue while reducing inefficiencies. Scalable POS configuration allows brands to customize workflows, choosing from out-of-the-box templates or fully tailored layouts. v

In 2025: PAR is building a robust Data Platform that will serve as the foundation for AI and machine learning-driven innovation across the PAR ecosystem. This platform will enable predictive intelligence, helping restaurants optimize workflows, improve efficiency, and make data-driven decisions in real time. Advancing its API-first strategy with several key initiatives: the introduction of a new In-Store API, enhancements to its Cloud API, and the expansion of event-based services and webhook capabilities. These improvements will give restaurants and developers greater flexibility, deeper integrations, and more real-time connectivity across their tech stack. Reimagined Enterprise Menu Management system that is highly scalable and API-first. 

Qu POS
Qubeyond.com
 

In 2024: Qu continued to target the needs of Enterprise and Multi-Brand Operators with features designed to scale operations and increase revenue by leveraging its underlying Unified Commerce Platform, enhancing scalability, integrations and real-time data monitoring and availability. A customizable Menu Layout (Tree View Nav) for faster, easier order management for complex menus. Intelligent Network Diagnostic Tools and Alerts for improved system performance across POS, Notify, and Enterprise Intelligence. A streamlined drive-thru payment split feature. Item customization support without impacting Inventory/PMIX reporting through new Prep Instructions. Flexible Chit/Receipt Formatting options. A new Cross-Sell/Up-Sell engine across POS, Flex-Kiosk, and Stand-Alone Kiosk to increase revenue. Auto-job transfer options for employees working multiple shifts. -New “Smart Savings” configuration for complex discounting scenarios.

Most innovative features: Integrates all ordering channels and menu management into a single platform. Key features include real-time data analytics, intuitive UI, and cross-sell functionality. Integrated AI-driven predictive analytics for better forecasting and staffing decisions. Supports contactless transactions, personalized loyalty programs, and intuitive training tools that significantly reduce onboarding time, making it easier for staff to operate. Qu’s Dynamic Menu Items feature further enhances menu management flexibility. Operators can add context tags to a single menu item—eliminating the need for duplication across channels or promotions. This allows for custom pricing, availability, and even seasonal changes, all without altering the core menu item. With a unified menu management system, operators gain real-time insights into menu performance, empowering quick, data-driven decisions that keep them ahead of trends while ensuring consistency across all channels.

In 2025: Qu will focus on enhancing its core solutions, including next-gen ordering, payment, and guest engagement, while integrating AI-driven features and automation across our platform. Will expand its geographic reach and strengthen strategic partnerships, particularly in areas like Voice AI and Smart In-Store Cloud technologies. New guest-facing offerings will include ordering via Voice AI, Web (Native and Third Party), Tableside, and continued evolution of its Digital Ordering API. Key to its strategy is further refining its Smart In-Store Cloud Architecture, which serves as the intelligent hub for network, equipment, and endpoint management. Prioritize AI-powered insights and user experience improvements across both guest-facing and admin applications. Will continue development of AI Forecasts with new on-demand reports from the POS and expand functional capabilities for currency, taxation, and currency support needed to operate in Canada and Mexico, to support all of North America. To support these efforts, Qu will invest in automation for faster, consistent deployments and continue strengthening its platform’s supportability and integration reliability—ensuring our solutions grow with the evolving needs of the restaurant industry.

Restroworks
www.restroworks.com

In 2025, Restroworks (formerly Posist) remained committed to its core pillars of people, customers, and product innovation. The company strengthened its global presence with expansions across key markets including the US, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. To support this growth, significant investments were made in infrastructure and compliance, achieving SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001, and ISO 27017 certifications, ensuring robust security and scalability for enterprise restaurant chains.

A major highlight of the year was the launch of Restroworks’ all-new Digital Ordering suite- RestroNext, which includes Self-Ordering Kiosks, Web Ordering, and QR Code Ordering solutions. These tools are designed to streamline guest experiences and improve operational efficiency across enterprise-level operations.

Restroworks also introduced its Analytics Cloud and the Cockpit mobile application, a powerful insights platform that offers real-time reporting and intuitive dashboards. With features such as menu-level insights, revenue performance tracking, and historical comparisons across regions and brands, the platform enables enterprise operators to make data-driven decisions. Currently, Restroworks powers 23,000 restaurants in over 50 countries, continuing its transformation into a comprehensive, unified technology platform for the global restaurant industry.

Signature Systems Inc.'s PDQ POS 
pdqpos.com 

In 2024: After delivering enhanced convenience for F&B outside of their stores with our state-of-the-art driver-tracking and third-party fulfillment apps, PDQ POS made changes to enhance the customer experience inside the physical environment of the restaurant. With the launch of Multi-Revenue Center update, it enabled food courts, casinos and multi-concept dining destinations to place orders from anywhere in their locations to any profit center, with easy food delivery and reconciliation.

Innovative features: An all-in-one POS solution for standalone restaurants or national chains with thousands of locations, PDQ POS offers built-in enterprise reporting, delivery toolkits, marketing, rewards, online ordering and more. Plus, our system consistently sits at the top-rank for ease-of-use and customer support, thanks to our 100% US-based, 24/7 call center.

In 2025: Launching a new online ordering suite that is easier to use and automatically updates menus and pricing right from the POS. Launching mobile ordering with the ability to tag the location of the order in real-time, enhancing the accuracy of food delivery on-premise. Also debuting PDQ PAY, a payment processor option aimed at making payments easier.

SpotOn
spoton.com

In 2024: SpotOn’s commitment to continuous innovation has delivered a host of new features designed to streamline restaurant operations and enhance guest experiences. These advancements reinforce SpotOn’s commitment to delivering technology that drives efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction for restaurants.

• SpotOn Marketing Assist: A self-serve automated marketing solution to boost revenue. Marketing Assist utilizes AI and automation to create customized marketing campaigns and deploys them across email, Facebook, and Google. Campaign data is fully integrated with SpotOn POS, so restaurants can track and measure marketing efforts directly against sales through deal or offer redemptions.
• SpotOn Reserve redesign: A sleek new interface for SpotOn Reserve, a commission-free reservation and table management platform.
• Loyalty enhancements include a dedicated Loyalty Sign-Up Page for diners that simplifies customer enrollment in loyalty programs for higher engagement.
• QR collaborative ordering and tab share: Reducing group ordering friction, SpotOn’s QR collaborative rendering and tab share allows staff to start an order with a tab and invite guests via an SMS link to view, add and check out at any time from their mobile devices.
• Dynamic customer groups: Lets restaurants automatically segment their guest databases into dynamic groups, like Best Customers, Top Spenders and Lapsed, enabling more targeted marketing campaigns to drive repeat visits and enhance the guest experience.
• reCaptcha v3 Integration: Enhancing fraud prevention on SpotOn’s digital ordering platforms.
• Deal Redemption and Marketing Campaign Reports: Equipping restaurants with actionable insights to further optimize and deploy promotions and track performance.
• SpotOn KDS: Enhancing kitchen operations by developing a fully integrated, native KDS solution that streamlines order management and improves communication between FOH and BOH.
• Menu editing from the POS: Operators can adjust their menu on the fly directly from their SpotOn POS.
• DoorDash direct Integration. ECS Gift Cards Integration to offer restaurants a customizable physical card as well as a digital platform.
• Teamwork Employee Mobile App: A fresh, modern look makes the system easier to use with clearer navigation and a more intuitive layout. The updated Teamwork Employee mobile app is simple to learn, with a dashboard that highlights key insights for quicker, more informed decision-making.

In 2025: An enhanced consumer app with improved features to engage with their favorite restaurants and discover new ones on-prem, off-prem and everywhere in between. A reliable, convenient way to distribute tips faster to employees and offer more frequent payouts. Improving self-service ordering with a native kiosk solution that integrates with the POS to simplify operations and reduce manual errors. Rapid payments: SpotOn will introduce an easier way to get owner’s money in an instant so they can pay their teams, suppliers, and vendors.

Square
squareup.com

In 2024: Announced Square Kiosk, a fully integrated solution – with hardware, software, and payments – that allows guests to easily order and pay while freeing up staff to do other tasks. Designed with fast-moving and fast-growing restaurants in mind, Square Kiosk empowers guests to customize and place orders through its sleek and intuitive design, an easy-to-use interface, and embedded contactless and chip payment technology. Amid growing labor costs, too, Square Kiosk gives operators the ability to staff up other areas of their businesses while still taking orders.

Introduced new features like Bar Tabs, allowing bar and brewery sellers to streamline service and start tabs without holding onto guests’ cards while still protecting their bottomlines, and Instant Payouts, a way for sellers using Square Checking to smooth their cashflow by instantly accessing their earnings from third-party delivery providers.

Innovative features: Square has always been committed to building innovative solutions to help businesses succeed. From its original Square reader that empowered small businesses to take payments, to introducing AI-powered tools to help sellers streamline their operations. Square allows food and beverage businesses to manage their daily operations with consistency and care, adapt easily with flexible tools as restaurants evolve, and propel businesses to the next stage of growth.

Tabit's Tabit rOS, TabitPAD
tabit.cloud

In 2024: Focused on empowering multi-location restaurant operators with smarter, more scalable POS tools and technology tools. Enhanced its enterprise management capabilities—making it easier to standardize and control Item Catalogs, Pricing, and System Configurations across multiple locations, even with complex operational needs. To give operators maximum flexibility, Tabit expanded its integrations across the restaurant tech ecosystem and made its OpenAPI more accessible, so operators can seamlessly connect with best-in-class solutions. On the kitchen side, Tabit leveled up its native Kitchen Display System (KDS) with new features like Load Balancing, Kitchen Zones, and real-time Performance Reporting to keep back-of-house operations fast, efficient, and in sync.

Innovative features: Tabit is reimagining the POS experience to fit the needs of today’s fast-paced, multi-channel restaurant businesses. Itsr 360-degree solution is designed for frictionless deployment and management, for single locations or a national chain. At the core is Tabit’s MobileFirst POS, built with a payments-agnostic approach to give operators true flexibility. Guests can order and pay however they prefer—tableside, at the counter, on a kiosk, or online—while operaotrs stay in full control of the experience across all touchpoints.

In 2025: Tabit is building on momentum with innovations designed to deepen guest engagement and optimize operations. Tabit is expanding its Loyalty platform, including the launch of a branded, white-label consumer app that keeps guests connected to the brand. Integrating AI-powered insights and assistance tools into its suite—giving operators actionable data in real time, and enhancing the guest experience through personalized interactions. Plus, Tabit is continuing to broaden its integrations to support a true best-of-breed solution approach.

Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions's ELERA Point of Sale
commerce.toshiba.com

In 2024:  Toshiba has advanced its POS software with ELERA Self Service, a next-generation self-checkout solution built on ELERA microservices architecture. Leveraging advanced AI, IoT, and computer vision, it delivers intuitive, efficient, and secure transactions. Its flexible, modular design supports multiple payment options—including card, contactless, and biometric authentication—enhancing convenience and security. Optimized for hospitality, ELERA Self Service is deployed in stadiums and arenas for fast, frictionless checkout for food and merchandise, reduce wait times, and improve operations.

Innovative features: With elective promotion redemptions, businesses can personalize customer rewards and drive repeat visits. Spanish translations enhance the system’s accessibility for international use. The new split tender functionality supports multiple payment methods catering to evolving customer payment preferences. eReceipts reduce paper waste while maintaining seamless digital transactions. Toshiba integrated Chase payments. Android 14 mobile support also ensures seamless POS operations, from terminals to mobile devices. The ELERA Commerce Platform delivers a modular, cloud-native architecture that enables businesses to scale, adapt, and innovate at their own pace without costly rip-and-replace upgrades.

By integrating AI, edge computing, and IoT, ELERA allows retailers to harness real-time data for predictive insights, optimizing operations and enhancing the customer experience. From dynamic pricing to personalized recommendations, ELERA's intelligent capabilities eliminate friction, anticipate shopper needs, and reach customers on their terms.

In 2025: Toshiba continues to redefine POS innovation by pushing intelligence to the edge with AI, IoT, and microservices. 

TRAY 
tray.com

In 2024: TRAY made significant strides in enhancing its POS software to meet the evolving needs of restaurant operators and franchise groups. Introduced a modernized Payment UI for more flexible transactions and real-time out of stock capabilities for faster menu management. Introduced significant enhancements to enterprise capabilities and their performance, including enterprise menu, tax, device and employee management. Key integrations across loyalty programs, third-party ordering platforms, as well as labor and staff support integrations, enable clients to customize their TRAY experience to meet all of their restaurant needs within one platform. Introduced industry leading offline capabilities, allowing users to continue uninterrupted in-site operations and credit card transactions, even when networks are disrupted. Enhanced its dynamic multi-language capabilities, which has fast-tracked global expansion for restaurants outside of the U.S. Optimization was a major focus for 2024 to ensure that Tray is building future-proofing enhancements that will allow its software to more seamlessly operate on the latest versions of Android. Many POS Systems in the market today are still running on older, unoptimized versions of Android (i.e. Android Versions 7-11). Tray has prioritized the work to ensure that its code supports all current and future Android versions, as well as newer libraries and modern tools that will ensure our platform is always operating with leading technology.

Innovative features:TRAY’s POS software stands out for its hardware-agnostic design, ensuring compatibility across multiple devices while maintaining exceptional user experience. Enterprise-level features like item-level routing, enterprise menu management, and advanced taxation management. Its AI-driven workflows and visual dashboards provide operators with actionable insights. Integrations with HRIS and payroll systems simplify labor management, while customer data-driven initiatives enable personalized experiences. Supports automatic offline capabilities, allowing for sites to enjoy uninterrupted in-store operations and credit card payments even when network connectivity is disrupted. TRAY’s webhook framework and comprehensive API/SDK documentation facilitate seamless third-party integrations.

In 2025: TRAY is focused on enabling richer in-kitchen capabilities such as bulk preparation and item-level routing, recipe integration, and visual controls for kitchen operations. Enhancing webhooks and API rate limiting to improve developer experiences and support seamless integrations. Its new HQ prototype will deliver a visually refreshed interface with enhanced dashboards and workflow improvements. Additionally, TRAY is exploring voice ordering and AI assistant integration to streamline ordering processes and improve operational efficiency.