Quick answer: For Canadian restaurants in 2026: TouchBistro is purpose-built for full-service (iPad, tableside ordering); Lightspeed (Montreal-HQ) is powerful and scales to multi-site but costs more; Square is best for cafes and quick-service and lets you start free. All three handle GST/HST — but check Quebec QST and Bill 72 tipping if you operate in Quebec. If you want the essentials at a flat rate with no lock-in, DineOpen starts at CAD 14/month.
Canada has a crowded POS market, but three names dominate the shortlist: Lightspeed, TouchBistro, and Square. Two of them (Lightspeed and TouchBistro) are Canadian companies, which is a nice bit of trivia but not a reason to buy. Here is how they actually compare for a Canadian restaurant.
Lightspeed vs TouchBistro vs Square: which is best for Canadian restaurants?
Short version: TouchBistro for full-service dining, Lightspeed for larger or multi-location operations that need depth, and Square for cafes, quick-service, and anyone who wants to start without a monthly fee.
| Lightspeed | TouchBistro | Square | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software from | ~CAD 89/mo | ~CAD 69/mo | Free / paid tiers |
| Processing | Own or third-party | Own or third-party | ~2.65% per tap |
| Contract | Often annual | Varies | None |
| Best for | Multi-site, full-service, retail+resto | Full-service dining, tableside | Cafes, QSR, starting free |
How do they handle GST/HST and Quebec?
All three apply GST/HST correctly by province — 13% HST in Ontario, 5% GST in Alberta, and so on. The area to test is Quebec: you need 5% GST plus 9.975% QST, mandatory French-language receipts, and Bill 72 tipping (tips presented on the pre-tax subtotal). If you operate in Quebec, confirm the exact handling in a demo. Our GST/HST calculator shows the combined rate by province, and the Quebec POS guide covers Bill 72.
Which is best for cafes, full-service and bars?
- Cafes & quick-service: Square — fast and free to start.
- Full-service dining: TouchBistro — built around tables, coursing and tableside ordering.
- Multi-location / retail + restaurant: Lightspeed — the most depth, at a higher price.
- Bars & pubs: any of the three, but check tab and pre-authorisation handling.
Where does DineOpen fit?
All three are capable; the trade-off is cost and lock-in. DineOpen gives Canadian restaurants the core they actually use — cloud POS, KDS, online ordering, inventory, AI ordering, SkipTheDishes/Uber Eats/DoorDash, GST/HST/QST, bilingual receipts — at a flat CAD 14/month with zero transaction-fee markup and no contract. If Lightspeed feels like too much and Square feels like too little, that middle is exactly the gap it fills. See Lightspeed alternatives and TouchBistro alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lightspeed or TouchBistro better for a Canadian restaurant? TouchBistro is better for single-site full-service dining thanks to its tableside, coursing and floor-plan tools. Lightspeed is better for multi-location or combined retail-and-restaurant operations that need more depth and reporting — at a higher price.
Is Square good for Canadian restaurants? Yes, especially for cafes and quick-service. It is free to start and easy to run, though it has fewer full-service dining features than TouchBistro.
Do these POS systems handle Quebec QST and Bill 72? They can, but always confirm in a demo — you need GST plus QST, French receipts, and pre-tax tip presentation under Bill 72.