Considering using BentoBox for your restaurant?
Then it may be worth checking out some of the best BentoBox alternatives too.
BentoBox is a fantastic platform for setting up your business’s online presence. However, there are many other platforms out there that might be a better solution for your business.
We explore them all in detail in the guide below.
What is BentoBox?
BentoBox is a marketing, commerce, and website builder platform specifically designed for restaurants.
The platform offers a range of tools and features that help restaurants create and manage their online presence. The main feature of this is a user-friendly builder that lets restaurants create custom websites.
BentoBox also provides various tools for online ordering, reservation management, menu customization, event management, and marketing. It’s a comprehensive solution that ticks pretty much all the boxes for restaurants wanting to build a strong online presence.
Restaurant owners like BentoBox because they get all the tools they need to set up an online business, including an integrated e-commerce solution. All this is designed specifically for the restaurant industry, and the platform integrates seamlessly with other restaurant management solutions.
6 Best BentoBox Alternatives
While BentoBox is an awesome platform, it’s not always the right fit for all local businesses. Some small businesses might find it too expensive, or not need all of the features on offer.
If you’re not sure whether the platform is right for your business, then here are some of the best BentoBox alternatives to consider.
Toast
Toast offers a comprehensive set of tools designed specifically for the hospitality industry.
The main focus of Toast is its cloud-based point of sale (POS) system, which is one of the best out there. It allows for efficient order management, tableside ordering, and customizable menus. This can be used as a mobile POS system.
Toast also offers a seamless online ordering system, enabling restaurants to set up pickup and delivery orders easily. The platform also includes Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools to manage customer data, preferences, and loyalty programs.
As an all-in-one solution, Toast also offers inventory management features that assist in tracking inventory levels, managing ingredient costs, and analyzing menu item profitability. Its analytics and reporting functions provide detailed insights into sales, inventory, and customer behavior. This empowers businesses to make informed decisions.
Toast is incredibly extensive, and offers an enormous range of tools which makes it one of the best BentoBox alternatives. However, unlike BentoBox, Toast does not include a website builder.
Square for Restaurants
Square is a flexible, all-in-one restaurant platform. Its main feature is a user-friendly POS system with customizable layouts and order management capabilities.
Square seamlessly integrates with online ordering, allowing restaurants to accept orders via their website or a customized online store. It also includes robust inventory management tools, enabling businesses to track inventory levels, set up low-stock alerts, and generate purchase orders efficiently.
Square also includes hardware that you can use with the POS. You can integrate various third-party apps with Square, and use it to set up an integrated e-commerce solution for taking orders online.
It’s one of the top BentoBox alternatives for restaurants seeking a more POS-focused solution.
Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed Restaurant is a full-service POS solution. The system features order management tools, integrated payment processing, inventory management, a kitchen display system, and a whole lot more.
You can use Lightspeed Restaurant for easy menu customization, as you can adjust menus, item modifiers, and pricing effortlessly. The platform also provides a customer-facing display to help improve your customers’ ordering experience.
As one of the best BentoBox alternatives, it’s certainly not a like-for-like product. However, if you’re after a solid POS with a bunch of great restaurant management features, then this is a great option.
TouchBistro
TouchBistro is another complete restaurant management POS system.
The cloud-based point of sale system is ideal as a mobile POS, making it a great choice for food trucks, or restaurants that set up pop-up stores. Beyond all of the regular restaurant management and POS features, TouchBistro also includes a tableside ordering feature that can be useful for improving restaurant operations and making it easier for customers to order food.
The entire platform includes a solid range of tools that can help restaurants improve efficiency, manage menus and staff, engage guests, access valuable reporting functions, access analytics, and everything in between.
In terms of BentoBox alternatives, TouchBistro is not as powerful for helping customers order online or helping you set up a website. However, it is one of the best alternatives if you want a fully integrated solution with all the necessary restaurant management tools.
Shopify
While primarily an e-commerce platform, Shopify offers restaurant-specific features for setting up online ordering, menu display, and integrated payment processing.
It provides customizable website templates designed for restaurants, enabling easy inclusion of online ordering functionalities. Shopify also offers inventory management tools to track stock and integrate seamlessly with your online store. Its order fulfillment features can also help in managing orders, pickups, and deliveries efficiently.
Shopify is not a restaurant-specific platform, and it doesn't include POS functions or other restaurant features. However, if you’re only after a website and online ordering, then it’s one of the top alternatives to BentoBox.
Squarespace
Squarespace provides website-building tools with customizable templates suitable for showcasing menus, and restaurant information, and integrating online ordering functionalities.
While it’s not specialized in restaurant management, SquareSpace allows integration with e-commerce features for accepting online orders and managing transactions. It’s an easy platform for setting up your restaurant’s online presence.
Conclusion
If you want to turn your restaurant into an online business, many solutions can help you do it. BentoBox is a great one, but considering these other BentoBox alternatives could help you find a platform that offers more features specific to your restaurant’s operations.
Carefully assess the needs of your business and the different platforms available to ensure you choose one that offers you the most value.
If your restaurant hosts events, then you’ll also want to use the right event management platform. Check out Perfect Venue to see how it can streamline your operations.
