Shopify has evolved from an e-commerce platform into a powerful ecosystem for restaurants. With the right apps, you can transform Shopify into a complete restaurant management system - handling everything from table service to kitchen displays, online ordering to delivery integration.
In this guide, we'll explore the best Shopify apps for restaurants in 2025, with a focus on apps that solve real operational challenges and integrate seamlessly with Shopify POS.
Table of Contents
- Why Use Shopify for Restaurants?
- 1. Flip POS - Complete Restaurant Management
- 2. Online Ordering & Delivery Apps
- 3. Loyalty & Customer Engagement
- 4. Accounting & Financial Management
- 5. Marketing & Email Automation
- 6. Advanced Inventory Management
- 7. Reservations & Booking
- Recommended App Stack by Restaurant Type
Why Use Shopify for Your Restaurant?
Before diving into specific apps, let's understand why Shopify is increasingly popular for restaurants:
Advantages of Shopify for Restaurants
- Unified Platform: Manage dine-in, takeout, delivery, and online orders from one system
- Powerful App Ecosystem: 8,000+ apps extend functionality for any restaurant need
- E-commerce Integration: Sell merchandise, gift cards, meal kits alongside food service
- Reliable Infrastructure: 99.99% uptime, bank-level security, and scalability
- Flexible Hardware: Use existing devices instead of expensive proprietary terminals
- No Long-Term Contracts: Month-to-month pricing with no commitments
📈 Restaurant Growth on Shopify
Restaurants using Shopify report 40% higher revenue from online channels and 3x faster expansion to new locations compared to traditional POS systems. The flexibility drives growth.
1. Flip POS - Complete Restaurant Management System
Category: Restaurant POS Extension
Pricing: $25/month first location, $20/month additional locations
Best for: Full-service restaurants, quick service, food trucks, breweries
What is Flip POS?
Flip POS is the leading restaurant management app for Shopify, transforming Shopify POS into a complete food service solution. It's not just an add-on - it's a comprehensive system that handles everything from table management to kitchen displays.
Key Features
- Quick Service POS: Fast ordering interface integrated directly with Shopify POS
- Table Management: Full table service with layout designer, server assignments, and order tracking
- Kitchen Display System: Unlimited displays on any device with 6-character access codes
- Menu Management: Organize Shopify products into restaurant menus with categories
- Advanced Modifiers: Unlimited modifier groups with complex rules (required, min/max, pricing)
- Multi-Location Support: Each location gets independent menus, tables, and displays
- Printer Integration: Route orders to kitchen printers and receipt printers
- Order Notes: Add special requests, allergies, and custom instructions
Why Flip POS is Essential
Shopify POS alone is designed for retail, not restaurants. Flip POS adds critical food service functionality:
- ✅ Takes orders without leaving Shopify POS (native extension)
- ✅ Displays orders in kitchen in real-time
- ✅ Manages table service with server assignments
- ✅ Handles complex customizations and modifiers
- ✅ Works for counter service, table service, and food trucks
Transform Shopify into a Restaurant POS
Flip POS is the foundation for running a restaurant on Shopify. Get table management, kitchen displays, and all essential features. Try free for 7 days.
Install Flip POS →2. Online Ordering & Delivery Apps
Native Shopify Online Store
Pricing: Included with Shopify plans
Best for: Restaurants wanting full control over online ordering
Shopify's native online store is powerful for restaurant online ordering:
- Fully customizable ordering website
- Automatic inventory sync with Shopify POS
- Built-in payment processing
- SEO-optimized for local search
- Mobile-responsive design
Zapiet - Delivery & Pickup
Pricing: $29.99/month
Best for: Adding delivery zones and pickup scheduling
Zapiet adds advanced delivery and pickup capabilities to your Shopify store:
- Define delivery zones with custom rates
- Allow customers to choose pickup/delivery times
- Set order cutoff times
- Manage delivery capacity
Delivery Integration Apps
Connect with third-party delivery platforms:
- DoorDash Drive: On-demand delivery for your restaurant
- Uber Eats: List your restaurant on Uber Eats marketplace
- Grubhub: Third-party delivery integration
3. Loyalty & Customer Engagement
Smile.io - Loyalty & Rewards
Pricing: Free to $599/month
Best for: Building customer loyalty programs
Create points-based loyalty programs for repeat customers:
- Award points for purchases
- Points for referrals and social shares
- VIP tiers for best customers
- Birthday rewards
- Integrated with Shopify POS for in-store rewards
Yotpo - Reviews & UGC
Pricing: Free to $299/month
Best for: Collecting and displaying customer reviews
Build trust with customer reviews:
- Automated review request emails
- Photo and video reviews
- Display reviews on product pages
- Google Shopping integration
- SEO benefits from user-generated content
PushOwl - Push Notifications
Pricing: Free to $29/month
Best for: Re-engaging customers with web push
Send timely notifications to customers:
- Abandoned cart recovery
- Daily specials and promotions
- Order ready notifications
- New menu item announcements
4. Accounting & Financial Management
QuickBooks Sync by OneSaas
Pricing: $19/month
Best for: Automating accounting workflows
Automatically sync Shopify sales to QuickBooks:
- Daily sales summaries
- Tax calculations
- Expense tracking
- P&L statements
- Saves hours of manual data entry
Xero Integration
Pricing: $25/month
Best for: Restaurants using Xero accounting
Similar to QuickBooks but for Xero users:
- Automatic sales sync
- Inventory cost tracking
- Multi-currency support
- Financial reporting
5. Marketing & Email Automation
Klaviyo - Email & SMS Marketing
Pricing: Free to $150+/month
Best for: Advanced email automation
The most powerful email marketing for restaurants on Shopify:
- Automated welcome series for new customers
- Order confirmation and follow-up emails
- Win-back campaigns for inactive customers
- SMS marketing integration
- Segmentation by order history and preferences
- A/B testing for optimization
Privy - Pop-ups & Lead Capture
Pricing: Free to $45/month
Best for: Growing email list
Capture more leads on your website:
- Exit-intent pop-ups
- Spin-to-win promotions
- Free appetizer for email signup
- Sticky bars for announcements
6. Advanced Inventory Management
Stocky by Shopify
Pricing: Included with Shopify POS Pro
Best for: Advanced inventory tracking
Go beyond basic Shopify inventory:
- Low stock alerts
- Purchase order management
- Inventory forecasting
- Multi-location transfers
- Vendor management
MarketMan - Restaurant Inventory
Pricing: $199+/month
Best for: Recipe costing and inventory control
Professional restaurant inventory management:
- Recipe costing with ingredient tracking
- Food cost percentage calculations
- Supplier ordering integration
- Waste tracking
- Real-time inventory counts
7. Reservations & Booking
TableAgent - Restaurant Reservations
Pricing: Free to $99/month
Best for: Table reservations on your website
Add reservation capability to Shopify:
- Real-time table availability
- Automatic confirmation emails
- Guest database and history
- Waitlist management
- Customizable booking widget
OpenTable Integration
Pricing: Varies by plan
Best for: Restaurants already using OpenTable
Connect existing OpenTable reservations with Shopify:
- Sync reservations to Shopify
- Guest profiles
- Reservation notes visible in POS
Recommended App Stack by Restaurant Type
Quick Service Restaurant / Counter Serve
Essential Apps:
- Flip POS ($25/mo) - Quick Service POS + Kitchen Displays
- Shopify Online Store (included) - Online ordering
- Smile.io (free plan) - Basic loyalty program
- Klaviyo (free tier) - Email marketing
Total: ~$25/month + Shopify POS Pro ($89/mo) = $114/month
Full-Service Restaurant
Essential Apps:
- Flip POS ($25/mo) - Table Management + Kitchen Displays
- TableAgent ($49/mo) - Reservations
- Zapiet ($30/mo) - Delivery & pickup
- QuickBooks Sync ($19/mo) - Accounting
- Klaviyo ($50/mo) - Email & SMS marketing
Total: ~$173/month + Shopify POS Pro = $262/month
Food Truck / Mobile Vendor
Essential Apps:
- Flip POS ($25/mo) - Mobile POS + Kitchen Display
- PushOwl ($19/mo) - Location announcements
- Privy (free) - Email capture at events
- Smile.io (free) - Loyalty for repeat customers
Total: ~$44/month + Shopify POS = $133/month
Multi-Location Restaurant Group
Essential Apps:
- Flip POS ($25 + $20/location) - Centralized management
- MarketMan ($199/mo) - Advanced inventory
- QuickBooks Sync ($19/mo) - Consolidated accounting
- Klaviyo ($150/mo) - Multi-location marketing
- Smile.io ($49/mo) - Cross-location loyalty
Total: Varies by location count
💡 Start Small, Add as Needed
Don't feel pressured to install every app immediately. Start with Flip POS for core restaurant functionality, then add other apps as specific needs arise. This keeps costs low while you prove ROI.
How to Choose the Right Apps
When evaluating Shopify apps for your restaurant, consider:
1. Integration Quality
- Does it work seamlessly with Shopify POS?
- Does it sync data in real-time?
- Will it create duplicate data or conflicts?
2. Pricing Structure
- Monthly fee vs. transaction-based pricing
- Free trial period to test functionality
- Costs for additional locations or users
3. Support Quality
- Response time (critical for restaurant operations)
- Phone support vs. email only
- Documentation and training resources
4. Scalability
- Can it grow with your restaurant?
- Multi-location support
- Performance with high order volumes
Common App Combinations
Online Ordering Stack
Shopify Online Store + Zapiet (delivery/pickup) + Flip POS (kitchen displays) = Complete online ordering solution
Customer Retention Stack
Smile.io (loyalty) + Klaviyo (email) + PushOwl (notifications) = Bring customers back
Operational Efficiency Stack
Flip POS (order management) + QuickBooks (accounting) + Stocky (inventory) = Streamlined operations
Build Your Restaurant App Stack
Start with the foundation: Flip POS for complete restaurant management on Shopify. Then add apps as your needs grow. Try Flip POS free for 7 days.
Install Flip POS Now →Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need all these apps?
No. Start with Flip POS for core restaurant functionality, then add other apps based on your specific needs. Many restaurants run successfully with just 2-3 apps.
Will multiple apps slow down my system?
Well-built Shopify apps shouldn't impact performance. Flip POS and other quality apps run independently and sync via Shopify's API without conflicts.
Can I switch apps later?
Yes. Most Shopify apps use month-to-month pricing with no contracts. You can test different solutions and switch if something isn't working.
Which app is most important for restaurants?
Flip POS is essential because it enables core restaurant functionality on Shopify POS - table management, kitchen displays, and modifiers. Without it, Shopify POS remains a retail system.
Are there hidden costs with Shopify apps?
Watch for transaction fees (some apps charge per order), user limits (extra fees for multiple staff), and location fees. Read pricing details carefully before installing.
Next Steps
Ready to build your Shopify restaurant tech stack?
- Set up Shopify POS for your restaurant
- Install Flip POS from the Shopify App Store
- Test apps during free trials before committing
- Contact us for personalized app recommendations
The right app combination transforms Shopify into a powerful, all-in-one restaurant management platform. Start with Flip POS and grow from there!