TouchBistro

TouchBistro Inc. is an Ontario-based provider of an all-in-one point-of-sale (POS) and restaurant management system built specifically for the foodservice industry. The cloud-based platform combines front-of-house, back-of-house, and guest-engagement software on a single system, and is powered by Apple iPads used as both handheld terminals and countertop stations, together with restaurant-grade peripherals such as cash drawers, printers, and payment devices.

Core front-of-house capabilities include tableside ordering, custom floor plans and table management, bill splitting, a compact all-in-one TouchBistro One device, and a customer-facing display for order confirmation. Back-of-house modules cover menu management, staff and labour management with scheduling and forecasting, inventory management integrated with the POS, digital invoice processing and profit management, and a kitchen display system. Guest-engagement products include integrated payment processing, commission-free online ordering for pickup and delivery, reservations and digital waitlists, loyalty programs with CRM, gift cards, and automated marketing promotions. The platform also offers more than 50 real-time cloud reports and integrations with third-party tools.

At the time of its acquisition, TouchBistro's system powered more than 16,000 restaurants across over 100 countries.

Founding story

Co-founder Alex Barrotti described founding TouchBistro in 2011 as taking "a back of the napkin idea" and growing it to over 25,000 venues and hundreds of employees, which he called the highlight of his career. The product was designed by restaurant industry veterans specifically for the food and beverage sector.

Business model

TouchBistro sells subscription software to restaurant operators, bundled with hardware and integrated payment processing. Published pricing starts at $69 per month for POS software covering tableside ordering, floor plan and table management, menu management, staff management, and reporting and analytics; an Essentials Bundle combining software, hardware, and payments starts at $99 per month with no upfront hardware cost.

Recurring monthly software subscriptions, hardware bundles, and integrated payment processing sold to restaurants. The Globe and Mail, as cited by BetaKit, reported the company was generating approximately $70 million in annual sales around the time of the 2026 acquisition.

Traction

More than 16,000 restaurants in over 100 countries used the system at the time of the 2026 acquisition, down from a reported peak of 23,000 restaurants; co-founder Alex Barrotti referenced over 25,000 venues during his tenure. Reported annual sales were approximately $70 million, and the team numbered about 300 people when it joined Harris.

Latest developments

On July 7, 2026, Harris announced its acquisition of TouchBistro Inc. Harris portfolio leader Jean-Pascal Gagnon said the entire 300-person TouchBistro team was joining Harris and that Harris plans to continue investing in the business. Financial terms were not disclosed by the parties, though The Globe and Mail reported a $100 million price. Former chairman and CEO Samir Zabaneh said the company needed scale and that the transaction was the best available outcome for an exit that year; he has since become COO of Nuvei.