Thinking about leaving Toast?
Before you switch — or renew — compare the full cost of ownership. We'll break down every line item across POS, online ordering, hardware, payroll, and processing, and show you what a right-sized restaurant stack actually costs on the Gulf Coast.
Toast is a trademark of Toast, Inc. Pelican Merchant Group is not affiliated with Toast. This page is intended to help operators evaluate total cost of ownership.
The six buckets we compare.
Restaurant technology is rarely one line item — it's six. Here's how we lay it out side by side, honestly.
Payment processing
Your effective processing rate — the number that captures every fee in one honest percentage.
Monthly software subscriptions
POS, KDS, reporting, and admin — line by line so you see exactly what each seat costs.
Hardware
Terminals, handhelds, and kitchen displays. Owned, leased, or rented — clearly labeled.
Online ordering
Native vs. third-party — including delivery marketplace commissions.
Payroll & tips
Tip pooling, tip credit, and payroll platform fees for your tipped labor.
Loyalty & gift cards
Per-location and per-transaction fees on customer programs.
“The comparison was eye-opening — we had no idea what we were paying for. We stayed on Toast but renegotiated everything.”
“Their review paid for itself in the first month. Straight answers, no upsell.”
“They didn't push us to switch. Just showed us the math. That's why we did switch.”
Questions we hear a lot
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Compare My Restaurant Costs- Credit card processing fees
- POS software costs
- Equipment costs
- Monthly subscriptions
- Business technology
- Payment workflows
- Opportunities to reduce costs and improve efficiency