Restaurant Manager POS 2023: Reviews & Complaints
(301)-445-6100 Company Overview
Founded in 1987, Restaurant Manager is an on-site and cloud-based point-of-sale product intended for merchant accounts in the restaurant and bar industries. Restaurant Manager was acquired by Shift4 Payments in 2018 and currently operates as “a Shift4 Company”.
Restaurant Manager Point of Sale
Restaurant Manager offers traditional POS systems as well as tablet-based systems that run on proprietary hardware configurations. The company offers a built-in merchant account service called “RM Payments”, but merchants can also purchase Restaurant Manager’s POS hardware and pair it with their own third-party payment processing. The Restaurant Manager POS can be purchased outright, while the Duet tablet/cloud POS features a monthly fee. The RM website claims to offer on-site installation, comprehensive training, and 24/7 support in addition to POS systems that are custom programmed for your business by a Restaurant Manager authorized dealer.
Shift4 Structure and History
Shift4 Payments is a merchant account provider that currently functions as the parent company of Harbortouch. Shift4 Payments was created in January 2018 when Lighthouse Network (Harbortouch’s former parent organization) acquired Shift4 Corporation, a payment gateway provider based in Nevada. In February 2018, Shift4 Payments proceeded to acquire 3 POS providers focused on the hospitality industry called Restaurant Manager, POSitouch, and Future POS. Restaurant Manager currently operates as a distinct brand within the Shift4 brand lineup, but it may eventually be folded into the Shift4 name.
Location & Ownership
Restaurant Manager is a registered ISO of Citizens Bank, Providence, RI, and is headquartered at 12401 Prosperity Drive, Admin Zone 4, Silver Spring, MD 20904. Jay Shavitz is the CEO of Restaurant Manager.
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Offers a three-year contract with a…
- Complaints & Service: Complaints number fewer than 10 on …
- BBB Rating: Does not have a profile with…
- Sales & Marketing: Appears to use independent resellers and has not…
Restaurant Manager Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
Key Points |
|
|---|---|
| Total Online Complaints | <10 |
| Live Customer Support | No |
| Most Common Complaint | N/A |
Low Complaint Total
We are able to locate fewer than 10 negative Restaurant Manager reviews at this time. This is impressive considering the fact that the company has been operating since 1987. The available complaints typically cite slow-performing software, poor customer service, and expensive pricing for the value received. One recent complaint describes an increase in fees since Shift4 took over the company:
The software is out dated , the Online ordering module is very out dated. Restaurant manager/Shift 4 is terrible to partner with because they hold you ransom when it comes to credit card processing. Restaurant manager now has there own Credit card processing ( Shift 4) and if you do not use there shift 4 processing they will destroy your business with fees. Shift 4 is in a bad turmoil at the present time because they have a major problem in processing on line payments. The most important factor is that Restaurant manger and Shift 4 has no explanation for the error and the customer service is terrible. They have no answers for the issue and have offered nothing to all there customers for there losses. Stay away !!!
Restaurant Manager is a relatively new sub-brand of Shift4, so it may take some time before more complaints of this type surface. If you have your own Restaurant Manager POS review to make, please so so in the comments below.
Harbortouch Complaints
It is worth noting Harbortouch’s complaint history because Harbortouch is another POS system that has been offered by Shift4’s management team for many years. Harbortouch is showing a moderate-to-high number of online complaints for a company of its size, most of which cite deceptive sales tactics, equipment issues, exorbitant cancellation fees, or poor customer support.
Direct Harbortouch Replies
It should be noted that two representatives of Harbortouch (including the company’s CEO) have directly addressed merchant complaints in the comment section of that company’s review. Both representatives disputed merchants’ claims regarding nondisclosure of contract terms, stating that the company’s cancellation policy is clearly disclosed by Harbortouch sales reps and documentation at multiple points during the signup process. These representatives also stated that the company’s large early termination fee is justified by the upfront expense associated with providing POS equipment to merchants.
Restaurant Manager Lawsuits and Fines
In 2018, Shift4 Payments became the target of an antitrust lawsuit that accuses the company of monopolizing the payment interface and merchant account services market for mid-sized table service restaurants by cutting out other independent payment processors. It appears this case was terminated in 2019, but was shortly after reopened with few details going forward. This case is yet to reach a resolution.
In 2021, Labaton Sucharow announced it was looking into Shift4 for potential breaches of duty and security violations.
Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
Restaurant Manager Customer Service Options
Restaurant Manager does not offer dedicated customer support contact information on its website, but it does list general contact info.
We have located a single Restaurant Manager customer service phone number:
(301) 445-6100 – General Customer Service
Restaurant Manager also offers a customer support form and live chat on its website.
This does not meet our expectations of the top-rated providers for great customer service.
Restaurant Manager Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
No Profile Available
The Better Business Bureau does not maintain a profile for Restaurant Manager at this time. We therefore will not factor a BBB rating into this review.
Restaurant Manager Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
Key Points |
|
|---|---|
| Swiped Rate | 1.00% - 4.99% |
| Keyed-In Rate | 1.00% - 4.99% |
| Early Termination Fee | $1,000+ |
| PCI Compliance Fee | Variable |
| Equipment Lease Terms | 36-60 month (locked) |
Restaurant Manager Contract Terms
The Restaurant Manager contract outlines a three-year agreement with automatic renewal for two-year terms unless canceled thirty days prior to the expiration of the initial term; an early termination fee equal to $250 or the number of remaining months in the Merchant Agreement multiplied by $35, whichever is greater; an undisclosed PCI Compliance Fee; and transaction fees according to a tiered or interchange-plus pricing schedule. These terms are nearly identical to those enforced by Harbortouch.
Agents Can Alter Pricing
Although these are the company’s official terms, the company’s use of independent sales agents means that Restaurant Manager POS rates and fees may vary from agent to agent, especially through the company’s RM Payments merchant account solution. A representative of the company confirmed in the comment section of our Harbortouch review that any verbal guarantees made by sales agents will not overrule the language in the company’s contract, so merchants are advised to trust the documentation above an agent’s word.
Not-So-Free Equipment
Harbortouch’s contract structure is unusual for the industry in the sense that the company does not specifically charge for the equipment that each merchant receives at the start of the contract. The company defends this practice as a long-term investment in the well-being of each merchant, but it also has the effect of locking merchants into a costly multi-year agreement, even if they decide to cancel service while under contract. Merchants should be sure to inquire as to whether Restaurant Manager uses a similar pricing approach, as the initial savings may or may not be worth a long-term commitment.
High Termination Fees
As a general rule, CPO advises merchants against long-term contracts with high early termination fees because these types of contracts limit a merchant’s choices. There are plenty of merchant account providers that offer month-to-month contracts, one-time equipment purchases, payment plans, or rental programs. Restaurant Manager users should at the very least compare these lower-cost providers to RM Payments to ensure that they are getting the best pricing they can.
High Commitment and High Cost
Considering that Shift4’s approach to POS sales has received mixed reviews, coupled with the fact that Restaurant Manager requires a long-term financial commitment from merchants, we have assigned it a “C” at this time.
Restaurant Manager Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
Key Points |
|
|---|---|
| Employs Independent Resellers | Yes |
| Advertises Deceptive Rates | No |
| Discloses All Important Terms | No |
Standard Sales Approach
Like most other POS providers, Restaurant Manager markets itself primarily through an in-house sales staff, a referral program, and resellers. This compares favorably to our list of best credit card processors. However, the company’s products are also sold by Shift4, which is known to take a more conventional sales approach that includes independent sales agents.
Shift4 Sales Tactics
Shift4 and Harbortouch hire independently contracted sales agents (ISAs) to resell their merchant account services. This is a standard practice within the industry that often results in unregulated or unsupervised agents reselling a provider’s services without effectively disclosing contract terms. On this website and elsewhere, there are negative Shift4 reviews that mention sales representatives promising to waive fees or provide month-to-month contracts only to fail to follow through, leaving the merchant on the hook for some unfavorable contract terms.
“Free” Equipment Promises
Some complaints also seem to indicate that a common point of miscommunication has to do with Harbortouch’s heavily promoted deals for free equipment or a free POS system. Harbortouch likes to phrase its promotion so that the equipment itself is technically free, but it requires the merchant to sign an automatically renewing, three-year service commitment so that Harbortouch can recover its upfront costs. In this way, the merchant still has to pay for at least three years of access to the equipment, which to some merchants may seem indistinguishable from having a long-term equipment lease. We encourage merchants to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant services.
Continued Complaints Despite Training
A Harbortouch representative has stated on multiple occasions that the company offers rigorous agent training and has procedures in place to discipline ISOs that act unethically. The company also clearly discloses its service agreement terms in its paperwork and requires follow-up communication with merchants after they open an account. However, Harbortouch still routinely receives complaints that describe misrepresentation or nondisclosure by its independent sales agents. This indicates that despite the company’s admirable efforts, a significant number of merchants are still having a negative experience with Harbortouch’s sales team.
A Precautionary “C”
Restaurant Manager enjoyed a very low complaint total before its acquisition by Shift4. It’s therefore possible that it will continue to sell in a responsible fashion despite new ownership. However, Shift4’s management team is still at the helm. As a cautionary measure, we will therefore assign Restaurant Manager the grade of “C” that we assign Shift4 in this category. If you suspect that Restaurant Manager has misrepresented your rates and fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate billing errors.
Restaurant Manager Features
Restaurant Manager offers multiple features optimized for all restaurant operations:
- Front of house – Layout and menu customization, photo menus, custom promotions, and tableside ordering
- Back of house – Tablet kitchen displays, online ordering, delivery syncing, and pizza prep modules
- Management – Inventory tracking, labor and sales reporting, customer database, and smart recommendations
- Customer outreach – Gift card support, loyalty programs, delivery scheduling, and real-time alerts
Our Restaurant Manager Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
An Average POS Option for Most Businesses
Restaurant Manager receives a similar rating as Shift4 at this time for a few reasons. For one, the company’s acquisition by Shift4 places it under the control of Shift4’s management team. For another, Restaurant Manager’s contract terms are nearly identical to Harbortouch’s contract terms. We will be sure to monitor merchant feedback about Restaurant Manager to see if it differentiates itself from Shift4 in any meaningful way, but for now, merchants are likely to obtain a better deal from a top-rated payment processor.
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Matt
I’m a customer of a restaurant that recently switched their online ordering over to Restaurant Manager. I love this restaurant, but RM’s online ordering experience is so abysmal that I may never order there again. Seeing that they likely signed a three year deal is very disappointing.