Transparent comparison

CallEat vs SumUp Restaurant, Square, PopMenu and Lightspeed: which tool should you use to digitalise your front-of-house service?

Every solution has its strengths. The point isn't to name a loser, but to help you choose based on your actual needs. If that need is digitalising your dining room quickly, at a clear price and with no commission, here's why CallEat is often the shortest path.

Looking to digitalise your restaurant's front-of-house service — QR codes on tables, digital menu, at-table ordering, real-time waiter call-outs — without spending weeks on it or signing up for costly hardware? This comparison places CallEat alongside four well-known solutions: SumUp Restaurant, Square for Restaurants, PopMenu and Lightspeed Restaurant.

The comparison at a glance

How to read this table

The CallEat column reflects our own commitments. The other columns are drawn from public, sourced information (links below the table), checked in July 2026 — please verify for your country, plan, and options.

Criteria
CallEatMade in France
SumUp RestaurantSquare for RestaurantsPopMenuLightspeed Restaurant
Specialty (public positioning)
Digitalising front-of-house service
Payments & POS
POS & payments
Website & marketing
POS & management
Starting price
From 19 €/mo
No subscription, or Caisse Plus 39 €/mo
Free, then Plus 59 € excl. VAT/mo
From ~179 $/mo (US)
From ~79 €/mo · multi-site on quote
Commission on your sales
0%
1.75% in-person · 2.50% online
Per-transaction processing fees
Depends on payment provider
Per-transaction processing fees
Cost model
Fixed plan, all included
Subscription + commission
Subscription + commission
Subscription + add-ons
Subscription + commission
Free trial
7 days · card hold, no charge · cancel in one click
7 days
30 days
See official offer
See official offer
Mandatory hardware
None (your existing screens/phones)
Card terminal/reader offered
Card terminal/reader offered
Website (no POS)
Card terminal/reader offered
Vendor (HQ)
France (OVH, Roubaix)
Europe (UK/Germany)
United States
United States
Canada
France-based human support
Depends on region
Depends on region
Depends on region
Depends on region

Sources (checked July 2026): SumUp, Square, Lightspeed, PopMenu.

Offers change regularly. This comparison is indicative and should be checked against your country, plan and add-ons. Information gathered in July 2026.

How is this comparison built? We compare solutions with a similar purpose against objective criteria. The CallEat column reflects our own commitments; the other columns only include publicly verifiable information. Spotted an error or an update? Write to us at contact@calleat.fr — we'll update it promptly.

The real comparison is total cost

The sticker price doesn't tell the whole story. Many payment solutions make their money from a commission taken on every sale — sometimes on top of a subscription or add-ons. The more you sell, the more you pay.

CallEat: fixed plan, 0% commission

€19 to €49/mo, all included. No commission on your sales, no mandatory hardware. Your cost is the same at €5,000 or €50,000 in revenue.

Subscription + commission model

A subscription (sometimes free to start) plus a percentage taken on every transaction, and often add-ons billed separately. The real cost depends on your volume and isn't fixed.

For example: on €25,000 taken in a month, a 1% commission = €250. With CallEat, that stays yours.

Always compare the total cost — subscription + commissions + add-ons + hardware — not just the sticker price.

Why CallEat is the simplest choice for your dining room

CallEat does one thing and does it well: turning your front-of-house service into a digital experience, in one afternoon.

🎁

Free installation, ready in 30 minutes

We set up your account, tables and QR codes for free, remotely. From first contact to your first QR code on the table, allow about thirty minutes. No technical work needed on your end.

🗓️

7-day trial, card hold with no charge

Try the whole of CallEat for 7 days. We ask for a card hold (no charge during the trial) to prevent fake accounts, and you can cancel in one click.

📱

No app for your customers to download

Your customers scan a QR code and access the menu, call a waiter or order directly from their browser. No app to install, no friction.

💰

0% commission on your sales

Your subscription is a fixed, clear amount (€19, 29 or 49/mo). CallEat takes no commission on your sales: what you take in stays yours.

🇫🇷

Hosted in France, France-based support

Your data is hosted in France (OVH, Roubaix), in line with GDPR. If you have a question, you'll speak to a real, France-based team.

Ready to digitalise your dining room this week?

Install CallEat for free

Who is each solution for?

Based on their public positioning, these solutions don't all target exactly the same need. Here's an honest breakdown.

SumUp Restaurant & Square for Restaurants

First and foremost excellent payment and POS solutions, built around their own payment system. A good choice if your top priority is the payment terminal and till, with front-of-house digitalisation as a bonus.

Lightspeed Restaurant

A full POS and management suite, geared more towards structured venues or groups that need a rich restaurant ERP. Powerful, with a heavier rollout and learning curve.

PopMenu

Strong on the website, online presence and restaurant marketing. A good fit if your number one priority is acquisition and your showcase site, rather than day-to-day front-of-house service.

CallEat

Focused on digitalising front-of-house service: QR code, waiter LiveBoard, multilingual digital menu, at-table ordering — free installation, published pricing, no commission, hosted in France. The shortest path to modernising your dining room quickly and without complexity.

Frequently asked questions

Does CallEat take a commission on my sales?

No. You pay a fixed subscription (€19 / 29 / 49/mo) and 0% commission on your sales.

Do I need to buy hardware?

No. CallEat runs on your existing screens and smartphones. No hardware is required to get started.

Do my customers need to install an app?

No. They scan a QR code and everything happens in the browser: menu, waiter call, at-table ordering.

Where is my data hosted?

In France (OVH, Roubaix), in compliance with GDPR.

Can I try it without committing?

Yes: 7-day trial, card hold with no charge, cancel in one click.

Does CallEat replace my POS?

CallEat focuses on digitalising front-of-house service and works alongside your existing setup. Depending on your configuration, it complements your POS rather than fully replacing it.

Ready to digitalise your dining room this week?

Free installation, 7-day trial with no charge, no commission, hosted in France. You keep your data if you leave.