Brewpub owners struggle to track profit on every pint. Standard POS systems often fail at this. Tracking brew batch costs to per-pint profit is hard. Seasonal beers complicate demand and inventory. Your POS must handle both taproom sales and brewery needs. The right POS changes your business. This guide compares Toast and Lavu POS. We examine brewpub needs. Discover which system works best for your operation.
Quick Verdict: Lavu
Lavu offers specialized tools for brewpubs. It excels at detailed inventory, recipe costing, and beverage production analytics. It helps manage complex beer costs.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Lavu | Toast | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brewery Inventory Management | It manages raw ingredients like hops and malt. It tracks finished beer in kegs and cans. It supports multi-location inventory for brewing and taproom. | It handles standard restaurant inventory well. It is less specific for brewing ingredients. It lacks granular keg tracking beyond basic stock counts. | Lavu |
| Recipe & Batch Costing | It allows detailed recipe creation. It links ingredient costs to specific beer batches. It calculates per-pint profitability accurately. Marty analytics supports this. | It offers recipe management for food items. Beer recipe costing is less direct. It requires manual calculations outside the system. | Lavu |
| Taproom Order & Service Flow | It supports flexible order types: tabs, table service, counter service, handheld ordering. It offers mobile POS options for busy taprooms. | It provides restaurant service flows. It adapts well to table service and quick-service models. It offers handheld devices for order taking. | Tie |
| Online Ordering & Merch Sales | It allows online orders for beer-to-go, growler fills, and merchandise. It integrates with loyalty programs for customer retention. | It offers integrated online ordering for food and beverages. It supports merchandise sales. It provides loyalty program integration. | Tie |
| Keg Tracking & Depletion | It tracks individual keg movement and depletion. It integrates with inventory for precise stock management. It helps manage keg deposits. | It manages beer as a general inventory item. It lacks specific features for individual keg tracking or detailed depletion logic. | Lavu |
| Reporting & Analytics | It offers detailed sales and inventory reports. Marty, Lavu’s AI analytics layer, provides insights into beer sales trends, costs, and profitability. It helps predict seasonal demand. | It provides sales, labor, and food cost reports. It offers less granular beverage-specific profitability metrics at a production level. | Lavu |
| Hardware Flexibility | It supports many hardware options. It integrates with existing equipment. It offers diverse payment processing devices. | It primarily offers its own proprietary hardware. This ensures compatibility. It limits third-party options. It offers various payment terminals. | Lavu |
| Customer Loyalty Programs | It includes customizable loyalty programs. It rewards repeat customers. It integrates with marketing tools. | It provides built-in loyalty and gift card programs. It supports customer relationship management. It offers email marketing integrations. | Tie |
| Brewery Management Integrations | It integrates with specialized brewery management software. This allows data flow between brewing production and POS sales. | It focuses on general restaurant integrations. It places less emphasis on niche brewery production software integrations. | Lavu |
Pricing Comparison
Lavu
Lavu offers tiered pricing plans. They typically start with a base subscription. Costs scale with features and terminal count. Lavu offers transparent pricing. Hardware can be leased or purchased. It often allows third-party hardware integration.
Toast
Toast often promotes low or free starter POS systems. These plans usually require users to commit to higher payment processing rates. Toast hardware is proprietary. It often bundles into longer-term contracts. Upgrading features or adding terminals increases costs.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) differs significantly for brewpubs. Toast’s low upfront cost can hide higher processing fees. It also requires mandatory hardware purchases. Lavu’s approach may have higher monthly fees. It offers greater hardware flexibility. Lavu’s specialized inventory and costing features save brewpubs money. They reduce waste and optimize pricing. Brewpubs with complex inventory and production needs find Lavu’s overall value higher. This is due to operational efficiencies.
Use Case Analysis
A brewpub launches a new seasonal IPA. It needs precise cost tracking from ingredients to pint sales.
Recommendation: Lavu
Lavu’s deep inventory and recipe costing allow the brewpub to track ingredient usage per batch. Marty gives immediate analytics on profitability for the new release. This optimizes pricing and future production runs.
A brewpub focuses on high-volume food service. It has a smaller, rotating tap list.
Recommendation: Competitor
Toast excels in traditional restaurant operations. Its KDS and table management tools might be critical here. The brewpub’s less complex brewing inventory needs fit Toast’s general inventory functions.
A busy taproom has multiple outdoor serving stations. It requires mobile ordering and flexible payment options.
Recommendation: Lavu
Lavu offers handheld POS solutions and flexible payment processing. Servers can take orders and payments anywhere in the taproom. This improves speed of service and customer satisfaction during peak hours.
A growing brewpub needs to forecast demand for specific beer styles. It must optimize ingredient purchases.
Recommendation: Lavu
Marty, Lavu’s AI analytics layer, analyzes historical sales data for individual beer SKUs. It predicts future demand. This intelligence guides ingredient purchasing and production scheduling. It prevents overstocking or shortages.
Overall Winner: Lavu
Lavu is the stronger ally for brewpubs. Its specialized features address the unique challenges of combined brewing and restaurant operations. Lavu empowers owners with tools for precise cost control and informed decision-making.
- Specialized inventory for brewing ingredients and finished products.
- Detailed recipe and batch costing, including per-pint profitability.
- Marty AI analytics gives insights into beer sales and production trends.
- Greater flexibility in hardware. Fewer proprietary lock-ins.
- It integrates with specialized brewery management software.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Lavu track my raw brewing ingredients?
Yes. Lavu tracks inventory for specific brewing ingredients. This includes malt, hops, and yeast.
Does Toast offer specific keg tracking features?
No. Toast handles kegs as general inventory items. It lacks specific keg tracking features.
How does Lavu help with new seasonal beer releases?
Lavu helps create new recipes and links ingredient costs to sales. Marty quickly analyzes its performance.
Is Lavu’s hardware proprietary?
No. Lavu offers flexible hardware choices. You can often use existing compatible equipment.
Can I integrate my existing brewery management software with Lavu?
Yes. Lavu integrates with specialized brewery management platforms. This connects your production data to your sales data.
What kind of analytics does Marty provide for brewpubs?
Marty analyzes sales, inventory, and cost data. It provides insights into per-pint profitability, seasonal demand, and ingredient usage.
Ready to see Lavu in action?
Book a free demo and see how Lavu helps operators like you.
