American restaurants are being squeezed from every direction.
Food costs are up. Labour costs are up. Rent is up. And somewhere in the middle of all that, the restaurant software industry decided this was the right moment to charge independent restaurant owners $300–$500 a month for POS systems, inventory software, and delivery management — sold as separate subscriptions that barely talk to each other.
If you are running an independent restaurant, a growing chain, or a cloud kitchen in the US and you are tired of paying Toast, Square, or Lightspeed prices for software that still does not cover everything — this guide is for you.
What US Restaurants Are Currently Paying for Restaurant Software
Let us start with an honest look at what independent restaurant operators across the US are currently spending on technology:
Legacy stacks often run $300–$500/month once POS, inventory, and delivery tools are sold separately. Quarey consolidates that stack from $29/month (Delivery Only) to $79/month (Full Suite) — see www.quarey.com/pricing.
For a restaurant doing $50,000/month in revenue, those legacy software costs can approach 1% of revenue before a single ingredient has been purchased.
Now add third-party delivery commission: - DoorDash: 15–30% per order - Uber Eats: 15–30% per order - Grubhub: 15–25% per order
For a restaurant doing $15,000/month in third-party delivery — that is $2,250–$4,500 in commission fees alone. Every month.
Typical Monthly Restaurant Tech Spend (US Independent)
$What Quarey Offers US Restaurants
Quarey is a complete restaurant management platform that consolidates every tool above into one affordable monthly subscription — with your own branded delivery app included.
Everything in One Platform
Instead of paying six different software companies:
| What You Need | With Quarey |
|---|---|
| POS System | ✅ Included |
| Kitchen Display System | ✅ Included |
| Inventory Management | ✅ Included |
| Sales Dashboard & Analytics | ✅ Included |
| Table Management | ✅ Included |
| Staff Management & Roles | ✅ Included |
| Attendance Tracking | ✅ Included |
| Customer CRM | ✅ Included |
| Multi-Branch Management | ✅ Included |
| Branded Delivery App | ✅ Included |
| Rider Management App | ✅ Included |
All of this starts at $29/month (Delivery Only), with Full Suite at $79/month.
Quarey vs Toast vs Square — Honest Comparison for US Restaurants
Quarey undercuts typical Toast and Square software spend with clear USD tiers — Delivery Only $29, Restaurant Management System Only $39, Delivery+Rider $49, Restaurant Management System + Rider $49, Restaurant Management System + Delivery $59, and Full Suite $79 per month — on www.quarey.com/pricing.
The critical differentiator is the branded delivery app. Neither Toast nor Square gives US restaurants their own commission-free ordering app. They process your in-restaurant orders — but the moment a customer orders delivery, you are back on DoorDash paying 25% commission.
Quarey includes a fully branded delivery app where your customers order directly — zero commission, every dollar stays with your restaurant.
Quarey Pricing for US Restaurants
Quarey pricing in USD: Delivery Only $29, Restaurant Management System Only $39, Delivery+Rider $49, Restaurant Management System + Rider $49, Restaurant Management System + Delivery $59, and Full Suite $79 per month. Annual billing saves about two months. Compare plans on www.quarey.com/pricing.
Enterprise pricing available for 10+ locations.
How US Restaurants Can Reduce DoorDash and Uber Eats Dependency
Third-party delivery platforms are a necessary evil for most US restaurants — they provide discovery and volume, but at a steep ongoing cost.
The strategic move that forward-thinking US restaurant operators are making in 2026-27:
Phase 1 — Use platforms for discovery Keep your DoorDash and Uber Eats presence to attract new customers. Accept this cost as a customer acquisition fee.
Phase 2 — Launch your own Quarey delivery app Give existing customers a reason to order direct: a 10% first-order discount on your app, exclusive menu items, or a loyalty programme.
Phase 3 — Convert regulars to direct ordering Bag stuffers, receipt QR codes, and Instagram promotion push regular customers to your own app. Every customer who switches saves you $3–$8 in commission per order.
Phase 4 — Reduce platform dependency over time As your direct app grows, you can reduce platform spending or negotiate better commission rates from a position of lower dependency.
A restaurant doing $20,000/month in delivery — if 40% of orders shift to the direct app at a saving of 25% commission: Monthly saving: $2,000. Annual saving: $24,000. Quarey Full Suite costs $79/month = $948/year (less with annual billing). Net annual benefit: over $23,000.
Frequently Asked Questions — US Restaurant Owners
Is Quarey a good alternative to Toast for US restaurants? For independent and growing US restaurants, Quarey provides comparable POS functionality plus a complete delivery app, inventory management, and rider system — at $29–$79/month versus Toast's $110–$400/month plus expensive proprietary hardware.
Does Quarey work on standard hardware in the US? Yes. Quarey runs on any Android tablet or Windows device. You are not required to purchase proprietary hardware. A standard Samsung or Amazon tablet from $150–$250 is sufficient for most setups.
Can Quarey help US restaurants reduce DoorDash and Uber Eats commissions? Yes. Quarey's branded delivery app gives US restaurants a direct ordering channel — zero commission per order. Most restaurants see meaningful commission savings within 60–90 days of launching their direct app.
Does Quarey handle US tax configurations? Yes. Tax rates are fully configurable by location. State and local sales tax rates can be set to apply automatically to all transactions.
Stop Overpaying for Restaurant Software. Start Running Smarter.
US restaurant operators deserve complete technology at a fair price. Quarey delivers everything Toast, Square, and MarketMan offer — combined — for less than most US restaurants currently pay for POS alone.
- ✅ Complete platform from $29/month — Full Suite $79/month — POS, KDS, inventory, CRM, and more
- ✅ Your own branded delivery app — zero DoorDash commission
- ✅ No proprietary hardware required — works on any Android tablet
- ✅ No long-term contract — month to month
- ✅ 7-day free trial — full platform access, no credit card