Question 1

What is Palate?

Accepted Answer

Palate is an all-in-one platform for running a restaurant — point of sale, kitchen display, floor and reservations, scheduling, time and tips, online ordering, analytics, and payroll prep, in one connected system with one login. It replaces the patchwork of disconnected tools most independent restaurants juggle today, so your numbers line up without a spreadsheet.

Question 2

How much does Palate cost?

Accepted Answer

Pricing is per location. Essentials is $79/month per location. Plus — our most popular plan — is $179/month per location. Enterprise is custom. Annual billing saves about two months. Card processing is separate (see Q11). Full breakdown on the pricing page.

Question 3

Are there long-term contracts?

Accepted Answer

No long-term contract on monthly plans — they're month-to-month, cancel anytime and it takes effect at the end of your current period. Annual plans are a 12-month term in exchange for the discount (about two months free). Enterprise is per contract. We don't do lock-in, and your point of sale never stops over a billing issue.

Question 4

How long does it take to get started?

Accepted Answer

Most restaurants go from signup to running Palate during service in about three weeks — much of that is hardware shipping time. On our guided plans, our team helps configure your menu, floor plan, and staff, trains your team before you open, and checks in with you twice a week as you settle in.

Question 5

Can I try Palate before committing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Start a 14-day free trial on Essentials or Plus. A card is required to start, and your plan begins automatically when the trial ends — cancel any time before then and you won't be charged. Prefer a walkthrough first? Book a demo and we'll show you the platform with your own menu.

Question 6

What hardware do I need?

Accepted Answer

iPads for the register and kitchen, a Stripe Reader M2 for cards, an Epson receipt printer, and a cash drawer — all standard, off-the-shelf hardware you buy directly. See our hardware page for the exact list and current pricing.

Question 7

Do you support receipt printers and cash drawers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Palate prints receipts on Epson thermal printers — we recommend the TM-m30III — and automatically pops an Epson-connected cash drawer on cash sales. The drawer opens via a kick signal sent through the printer, so you don't need separate wiring.

Question 8

Can I use iPads I already own?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as long as they run iPadOS 15.1 or later. We'll confirm compatibility during onboarding.

Question 9

Do you sell or lease hardware?

Accepted Answer

No — and that's deliberate. We tell you exactly what to buy, you purchase it direct with no markup and no lease, and you own it outright. No hardware financing, no equipment you have to give back if you leave.

Question 10

How do payments work?

Accepted Answer

Card payments run on Stripe through the card reader — tap, chip, and digital wallets. Card data is handled end to end by Stripe; it never touches our servers. Cash is tracked with full drawer management and end-of-day reconciliation, so the till always ties out.

Question 11

What are the payment processing rates?

Accepted Answer

Processing is separate from your subscription, and the rates depend on your plan. On Essentials, in-person cards are 2.7% + $0.10 and online or keyed payments are 2.9% + $0.30. On Plus, in-person cards are 2.5% + $0.10 and online or keyed payments are 2.7% + $0.30. Enterprise rates are negotiated. For a busy restaurant, the lower Plus rate can offset the difference in subscription on its own.

Question 12

When do I get my money?

Accepted Answer

Card sales are deposited straight to your own bank account through Stripe. The standard schedule is a rolling payout about two business days after a sale, and you manage that schedule from your Stripe settings. Your first payout can take a little longer while Stripe verifies your account.

Question 13

I'm on Toast or Square. Can I switch?

Accepted Answer

Yes — plenty of our restaurants come from Toast or Square. We help migrate your menu and staff roster as part of onboarding. Your historical transaction data stays in your old system's exports; we start your books fresh on Palate so you're not carrying over someone else's mess.

Question 14

What happens if my internet goes down?

Accepted Answer

Palate needs a working internet connection to run service — sending orders to the kitchen and taking card payments both require being online. If your connection drops briefly, the app keeps working for what it safely can: clock-ins, cash-drawer actions, order notes, and end-of-day steps queue up and sync automatically the moment you're back online. That's why we help you set up business-grade networking during onboarding, and recommend a cellular backup for your router so a flaky connection never stops the night.

Question 15

Does Palate do payroll?

Accepted Answer

Palate prepares payroll — approved hours, overtime, and tips calculated per your policies — and exports directly to Gusto, ADP, Toast Payroll, Paychex, or a generic CSV for any other provider. Full embedded payroll (where we file and pay) is on our roadmap; today, Palate does the prep and hands clean numbers to the provider you already use.

Question 16

Does Palate handle tip pooling?

Accepted Answer

Yes — pools, tip-outs, and role-based splits, calculated automatically every shift and flowing straight into payroll prep and your team's tip visibility in the Employee app. No more tallying tips by hand.

Question 17

Can my guests order online?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every restaurant gets its own branded ordering page at yourname.palate.pro — commission-free, no marketplace, connected to the same menu and kitchen as everything else. Dine-in guests can also scan a QR code at the table to order.

Question 18

Do you integrate with DoorDash or Uber Eats?

Accepted Answer

Delivery-marketplace integrations are on our roadmap. Today, Palate powers commission-free ordering through your own site, so you keep the margin the delivery apps take and own the guest relationship.

Question 19

Does Palate support multiple locations?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Palate is built for 1–5 location operators (and beyond, on Enterprise). Manage every location from one Admin account, with per-location menus, staff, and reporting, so a group runs like one restaurant.

Question 20

Is there an app for my staff?

Accepted Answer

Yes, free on iOS and Android. Staff see their schedule, pick up open shifts, clock in and out, message the team, and track their hours, earnings, and tips — all from their phone.

Question 21

Does Palate handle reservations?

Accepted Answer

Yes — reservations and table management are built in on every plan. Advanced reservations — waitlist, deposits, SMS confirmations, and VIP tags — are part of the Plus plan.

Question 22

Is my data secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Palate is built on modern security practices: encrypted connections everywhere (TLS/HTTPS with HSTS), sensitive data encrypted at rest, two-factor authentication available for owner and manager accounts, PIN-based staff access with manager overrides for sensitive actions, and a complete audit trail of every significant action. Card data never touches our servers — payments are handled end to end by Stripe, and we store only a token and the last four digits, never full card numbers.

Question 23

Who owns my data?

Accepted Answer

You do. Your menu, your guests, your sales history — all exportable at any time. If you ever leave, you keep read-only access for 30 days and we hold your data for another 90 days in case you come back; after that it's permanently removed. You take your data with you.

Question 24

What support do you offer?

Accepted Answer

Real people who know restaurants. During onboarding, you get hands-on setup and training for your team. Once you're up and running, reach us any time at hello@palate.pro — Plus and Enterprise plans get priority response, and Enterprise adds an SLA.

Question 25

Do you offer training for my team?

Accepted Answer

Yes — it's included. We train your managers on Admin, your front of house on the register, and your kitchen on the KDS before you go live. Reference guides live in the help center for anyone who joins later.

Question 26

Where is Palate available?

Accepted Answer

Palate is available to restaurants in the United States.

Frequently Asked Questions