PlateFlow launches free tier for independent restaurants.
Today we're making PlateFlow free for any independent restaurant doing up to 2,500 orders per month.
Not a trial. Not a demo. The full operating system — POS, kitchen display, floor plan, reservations, scheduling, guest CRM, and reporting — with no credit card required and no time limit.
Why free
We talked to dozens of independent restaurant owners over the past year. The same pattern kept showing up: a single-location restaurant paying $300 to $700 per month across three or four disconnected software tools, plus hardware costs on top.
Toast for POS. OpenTable for reservations. 7shifts for scheduling. Maybe a separate loyalty app. Each one has its own login, its own billing, its own support line, and its own version of your restaurant's data.
Most of these restaurants are doing under 2,500 orders a month. They don't need enterprise features. They need one system that handles everything without nickel-and-diming them for each module.
What's included in Free
Every plan — including Free — gets the full PlateFlow operating system. There is no feature gating on core modules. You get:
- POS — floor plan, register, split checks, cash and card payments
- Kitchen display — per-item timing, station routing, bump-to-clear
- Reservations — online booking, waitlist, walk-ins, guest notes
- Scheduling — drag-and-drop shifts, time tracking, breaks, 9 roles
- Guest CRM — visit history, preferences, profiles, dietary notes
- Reporting — daily sales, analytics, top items, labor reports
Free excludes only SMS notifications and AI menu import, which can be added for $10/month or are bundled into paid plans.
The limit is 2,500 orders per month at one location. If you outgrow that, Plus starts at $49/month with 5,000 orders and bundled SMS. But most independent restaurants won't need to upgrade for a long time.
No hardware required
PlateFlow runs in any modern browser. iPad, Android tablet, laptop, phone — it doesn't matter. You don't need to buy a $799 proprietary terminal or sign a hardware financing agreement. Use the devices you already have.
No contract
Month-to-month on every plan. Cancel anytime. We don't lock you in for two or three years and charge early termination fees. If PlateFlow isn't working for you, stop using it.
Payment processing
PlateFlow uses Stripe for payment processing. Stripe's standard rates apply (2.9% + 30¢ per transaction). PlateFlow charges a 0.4% platform fee on card transactions. That's it — no hidden fees, no commissions on order volume.
Getting started
Sign up takes about 90 seconds. Enter your restaurant name, create an account, and you're in the dashboard. Add your menu, set up your floor plan, and you're taking orders. Most restaurants are fully operational in under 15 minutes.
Ready to simplify your restaurant operations?
Start free — no credit card required