Best Phone Systems for Restaurants

Every missed call is a missed opportunity. In a busy restaurant, café, pub, or takeaway, unanswered calls don’t just mean lost bookings, they can mean lost regulars. That’s why finding out which are the best phone systems for restaurants is more important than ever.

Traditional landlines simply can’t keep up with the way modern hospitality works. Customers expect quick answers, seamless takeaway orders, and reliable service. Whether you run a bustling pub, a cosy café, or a fast-paced takeaway, having the right restaurant phone system can transform how you handle reservations, manage calls during peak hours, and deliver a better customer experience.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know: the different options available (from VoIP for restaurants to cloud phone systems), key features to look for, the typical restaurant phone system cost, and how to choose the right provider. Most importantly, we’ll show why Plexatalk is trusted across the UK hospitality industry to deliver flexible, affordable, and reliable communication solutions.

If you’re ready to stop missing calls and start maximising bookings, read on—or head straight to our pricing page to see how simple upgrading can be.

Why Phone Systems Matter for Restaurants

In hospitality, every call counts. A single missed reservation could mean an empty table during peak hours, while unanswered takeaway orders can quickly add up to lost revenue. The right restaurant phone system ensures your team never misses an opportunity to serve a customer.

Unlike offices, restaurants, cafés, and pubs deal with unique challenges—busy kitchens, noisy bars, and staff constantly on the move. That’s why a standard phone line often isn’t enough. You need a system that’s built for flexibility, reliability, and clear communication.

A local landline presence is still important for customer trust—many diners prefer to call a local number when booking a table or ordering food. But behind the scenes, today’s VoIP for restaurants and cloud phone systems give you the ability to route calls, manage multiple lines, and handle peak-time demand without chaos.

The result? Fewer missed calls, smoother service, and happier customers—whether you’re running a cosy café, a bustling pub, or a high-volume takeaway.

Types of Restaurant Phone Systems: VoIP vs Landline

When it comes to choosing the best phone system for restaurants, there are two main options: traditional landlines and modern VoIP/cloud-based systems.

Traditional Landlines (The Old Way)

For decades, restaurants relied on PSTN and ISDN landlines. But while they served their purpose, these systems now feel outdated: limited features, higher call costs, and no flexibility. Worse still, with the nationwide PSTN/ISDN switch-off in 2027, restaurants that still depend on them will soon be forced to make a change.

In other words—landlines are not future-proof.

VoIP Phone Systems for Restaurants & Takeaways (The Smart Way)

Modern hospitality demands modern solutions. VoIP for restaurants (Voice over Internet Protocol) is internet-based, cost-effective, and flexible enough to adapt as your business grows. Whether you run a café, takeaway, pub, or fine dining restaurant, VoIP is designed to keep you connected.

With a cloud phone system for restaurants, you can:

• Forward calls to mobiles so staff never miss a booking.
• Use voicemail-to-email for quick responses.
• Manage call queues during peak hours.
• Share minutes across multiple lines.
• Connect multiple branches under one system.
• Take calls on mobiles, tablets, or desktops.

It’s cheaper, easier to manage, and far more reliable than traditional lines. Put simply, cloud VoIP is the best phone system for restaurants. full stop.

And with Plexatalk, switching is simple. We specialise in restaurant VoIP solutions across the UK, helping businesses like yours cut costs, stay flexible, and never miss a call.

Key Features in a Restaurant Telehone System

Not all phone systems are built with hospitality in mind. When choosing the best phone systems for restaurants, it’s worth focusing on the features that will genuinely make day-to-day operations easier:

• Call Queues – During the Friday night rush, multiple calls can hit at once. A good restaurant phone system keeps customers in a queue instead of sending them away with a busy tone, meaning more bookings and more revenue.
• Voicemail-to-Email – If you can’t answer in time, messages are instantly sent to your inbox so you never lose a reservation or takeaway order.
• Call Forwarding – Route calls to mobiles or managers when staff are busy on the floor. Perfect for pubs, cafés, and restaurants where employees are always on the move.
• Shared Minutes – Pool minutes across staff and locations to save money and simplify billing.
• Multi-Branch Management – Running more than one site? A cloud phone system for restaurants links them seamlessly, so every branch feels connected.
• POS & Delivery Integration – The smartest VoIP for restaurants links with point-of-sale and delivery apps, speeding up order management and reducing errors.

With Plexatalk, all these features come as standard. Our restaurant VoIP systems are designed specifically for UK hospitality businesses—helping you stay connected, reduce costs, and deliver the smooth service your customers expect.

Comparing Costs of Restaurant Phone Systems

When weighing up the restaurant phone system cost, it’s important to look beyond just the monthly bill. The type of system you choose—landline vs. VoIP—will have a big impact on both upfront and ongoing expenses.

Traditional Landlines

• Monthly cost: Typically £20–£40 per line.
• Call charges: Often higher than VoIP, especially for long-distance or mobile calls.
• Limitations: Adding extra lines or scaling up during busy seasons can be costly and time-consuming.

With the PSTN/ISDN switch-off approaching in 2027, sticking with landlines will eventually mean paying again to upgrade.

VoIP & Cloud Phone Systems

• Monthly cost: Usually £10–£20 per user.
• Flexibility: Add or remove users easily as your restaurant, café, takeaway, or pub grows.
• Savings: Lower call costs, shared minutes, and free internal calls between branches.

Because VoIP for restaurants runs over the internet, you’re not tied to a single handset or location—you can take calls from a desk phone, cordless handset, tablet, or even a mobile app.

Hardware Considerations

While some businesses still prefer desk phones or cordless handsets, many restaurants save money by using softphones (apps on mobiles, tablets, or desktops). This reduces upfront costs while keeping staff connected wherever they are.

👉 For most hospitality businesses, VoIP isn’t just the smarter choice—it’s also the most cost-effective. With Plexatalk, you’ll know exactly what you’re paying each month, with no hidden extras. View our pricing to see how affordable upgrading can be.

Example Setups: Real Results from Catering Businesses Like Yours

Every hospitality business is different, but the right restaurant phone system delivers results across pubs, cafés, and takeaways alike. Here are a few examples of how Plexatalk helps UK businesses stay connected and save money:

• Pub in Manchester – After switching from a traditional landline to a cloud phone system for restaurants, this busy pub cut missed calls by 70%. With call queues and forwarding in place, no customer is turned away by a busy tone.
• Chinese Takeaway in Birmingham – By moving to VoIP for restaurants, this takeaway now saves around £150 per month on call costs. Shared minutes and lower rates mean more profit with every order.
• Café in Brighton – Staff use our mobile app as their café phone system, taking calls on the go while managing the floor. Customers get a quick response, even during peak hours.

From reducing missed bookings to cutting costs, Plexatalk provides the best phone system for restaurants across the UK—flexible, affordable, and built for hospitality.

Best Phone Systems for Restaurants: The Round-Up

For restaurants, cafés, pubs, and takeaways, the verdict is clear:

• Traditional landlines are outdated, costly, and soon to be retired with the PSTN/ISDN switch-off.
• VoIP and cloud phone systems are the future—offering flexibility, lower costs, and the features hospitality businesses need to thrive.

If you’re looking for the best phone system for restaurants in 2025, VoIP is the answer. With smart tools like call queues, voicemail-to-email, and mobile apps, you’ll never miss a booking or takeaway order again.

Plexatalk makes switching simple. We provide reliable, affordable VoIP systems across the UK, helping hospitality businesses stay connected, cut costs, and deliver better service.

Ready to upgrade? View our pricing today or get in touch to see how Plexatalk can transform your restaurant’s phone system.

Choosing the Right Provider

Not all VoIP providers are the same. The right partner will understand the unique challenges of hospitality and offer solutions tailored to your type of business—whether you’re running a busy takeaway, a lively pub, or a cosy café.

Here’s what to look for when choosing a phone system in the UK for your catering business:

• Local Support – When you need help, you want a provider that offers fast, UK-based support—not a call centre halfway across the world.
• Transparent Pricing – Avoid hidden fees and complicated contracts. A good provider should make it easy to understand your restaurant phone system cost.
• Tailored Solutions – Takeaways need seamless order handling, pubs need call forwarding during peak service, cafés need mobile apps for staff on the go. Your phone system should adapt to your business—not the other way around.

That’s exactly where Plexatalk comes in. We specialise in cloud phone systems for restaurants, designed to cut costs, boost flexibility, and make communication effortless. With us, you get clear pricing, UK-based support, and a setup built around the way your hospitality business actually works.

Ready to see how simple upgrading can be? Check our pricing

Restaurant Landline Switch-Off 2027: What It Means

The clock is ticking. By 2027, all PSTN and ISDN landlines in the UK will be switched off, meaning restaurants, cafés, pubs, and takeaways still relying on traditional phone systems will need to migrate.

For hospitality businesses, this isn’t just a technical change—it’s a chance to future-proof communication. Waiting until the last minute could mean higher costs, rushed installations, and unnecessary disruption.

Switching early to a cloud phone system for restaurants gives you lower call costs, modern features, and the peace of mind that your business is ready for the future.

For a full breakdown of what’s happening and how it affects hospitality, check out our detailed guide to the PSTN/ISDN switch off.

Ofcom on Landline Switch-Off

FTTP Broadband & VoIP

As the UK upgrades its digital infrastructure, FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) broadband is rolling out nationwide. Unlike traditional connections, many FTTP packages are now broadband-only—meaning no bundled landline option.

For restaurants, cafés, pubs, and takeaways, this shift makes VoIP phone systems the natural choice. With VoIP, you can:

• Keep your existing restaurant phone number.
• Take advantage of faster, more reliable broadband.
• Future-proof your business ahead of the PSTN switch-off.

In short, FTTP and VoIP go hand-in-hand. Upgrading your broadband doesn’t have to mean losing your number or disrupting your service—it’s actually the perfect time to modernise.

Learn more in our full guide to keeping your landline while switching to FTTP

Handset Choices: DECT vs Desk Phones

When choosing the best phone system for restaurants, hardware plays an important role. The right handsets make all the difference to how smoothly your team can handle calls.

• Desk Phones – Fixed handsets are ideal for reception areas or front-of-house staff who stay in one place. They give a professional feel and are easy for customers to recognise as the main contact point.
• DECT Cordless Phones – Perfect for managers and staff who move between the kitchen, bar, and dining floor. Cordless DECT handsets provide flexibility while keeping everyone reachable.

In practice, many restaurants use a mix of both—desk phones at reception for reservations, and DECT handsets for mobile staff who need to stay connected while working across different areas.

For a deeper comparison, check out our full guide on DECT vs Desk Phones.

Best Phone Systems for Restaurants – FAQs