Between stocking hundreds of SKUs and managing all the customers walking through your doors, there’s a lot to keep track of at your liquor store — and doing it all manually can quickly lead to mistakes.
Liquor retail point of sale (POS) systems reduce the strain of manual counts, reporting, and customer data management. The right system generates meaningful reports and saves you and your team hours each week, freeing you up to focus on providing a great shopping experience.
But with so many liquor retail POS providers available, how do you know which one fits your store best?
This blog is the perfect starting point for your search, breaking down essential features and highlighting the top five providers in 2025.
Let’s jump in.
A generic POS can ring up sales, but your store has unique needs. Only a liquor-specific POS provides the tools to manage inventory, verify ages, and track performance across your entire business.
Here are the five features that really make a difference.
Every bottle counts, so you need a POS system that gives you real-time visibility into every SKU — whether it’s a single bottle or part of a mixed case. Inventory tracking helps prevent overstocking and out-of-stocks, while automated purchase orders save time on manual entry.
Other key inventory features include case breaking, which lets you sell individual bottles from larger cases without losing track of quantities, and centralized inventory management for multi-store businesses to keep stock levels and pricing consistent across locations.
You’re scanning countless IDs each day, and doing the math on birthdates isn’t exactly the best use of your time.
A liquor retail POS with built-in age verification and ID scanning handles that for you. Look for a system that automatically calculates and displays customers’ ages, securely stores verification data, and works with scanners or cameras for quick checks.
Related Read: Choosing an ID Scanner for Liquor Stores: 4 Top Options
This technology keeps your store compliant, protects your license, and makes accountability across shifts easier.
Without the right numbers, it can feel like you’re flying blind when making decisions for your store.
Which bottles should go on sale next quarter? Which products are your top performers, and which are underperforming? How are seasonal trends affecting sales and inventory levels?
A liquor retail POS system with robust reporting turns raw data into actionable insights. You can track top-selling items, monitor slow movers, compare performance over time, and get the metrics you need to make smarter ordering, pricing, and marketing decisions.
Payment processing is likely the first thing you think of when you picture your POS system’s capabilities — and for good reason.
Customers pay in all kinds of ways, and your system should handle each one confidently. Integrated payment processing keeps transactions fast and consistent, while dual pricing lets you offer cash discounts to offset credit card fees.
A strong liquor retail POS also supports buy one, get one (BOGO) or bundle pricing, letting you run promotions without manual calculations. Updating prices should take seconds, not hours — especially when you’re managing hundreds of SKUs across your store.
According to a recent report, members who redeem rewards spend an average 3.1 times more per year than those who don’t — suggesting that a well-run loyalty program can directly increase your sales while also giving customers a reason to keep coming back.
An industry-specific liquor retail POS should make it simple to track purchases, manage rewards programs, and deliver targeted discounts through earned points or personalized offers. It should also capture customer emails for marketing campaigns and show which promotions actually encourage repeat visits.
With this data in hand, you can turn casual shoppers into loyal patrons while making smarter decisions about what to offer.
Now that we’ve covered the must-have features, let’s look at the top five POS systems built for liquor retailers — including how they compare on pricing, features, and overall fit.
National Retail Solutions (NRS) gives liquor store owners control over daily operations, inventory, and customer engagement, while letting them configure the system to match their store’s workflows. Its modular design allows stores to pick only the features and hardware they need, making it ideal for retailers who want a highly customizable solution.
Top features include:
Pricing: Software plans start at $19.95/month for basic operations, scaling up to include e-commerce and loyalty modules. Hardware bundles start at $599.
Customer review: “Really enjoying my POS system. Very helpful, customer-friendly, simple to use, and great price. It makes running my business easier.” — Chef Pepper
KORONA POS works well for liquor stores managing multiple locations or planning to expand. It combines inventory automation, marketing integrations, and flexible pricing tools in one platform.
Top features include:
Pricing: Costs start at $59/month for their Core plan and $69/month for Retail, with optional add-ons for more advanced features.
Related Read: KORONA POS vs. Bottle POS: Which Is Best for Your Liquor Store?
Customer review: “...I have managed to fully integrate our online wine store with KORONA POS to enhance efficient operations. The automated system updates prices and stock changes to enhance smooth operations.” — Elizabeth Golden
Lightspeed offers deep analytics, inventory management, and online sales integrations, making it a fit for stores that prioritize reporting and multichannel growth.
However, pricing is higher, and many advanced features — like loyalty and marketing tools — are only available in the more expensive plans.
Top features include:
Pricing: Plans start at $109/month for the basic plan, scaling to $179+/month for additional features like loyalty, reporting, and marketing.
Customer review: “Lightspeed is a quick server that has various features to help operations for many different industries. The customer support is top tier to help the efficiency and use of the service.” — Nicole G.
Epos Now emphasizes speed and usability, making it a strong option for smaller and mid-sized liquor stores. The system offers streamlined workflows, rapid checkout, and cloud-based reporting, but it lacks some of the advanced analytics and multichannel tools of higher-tier systems.
Top features include:
Pricing: Complete POS system starts at $349, including both hardware and software. Their software-only options start at $39/month or $449 annually.
Customer review: “Managing multiple sites, we found it hard to gather the revenue and see who was performing well. With Epos Now, there’s so much data you don’t know what to do with it.” — Duncan McGregor
Designed by liquor store owners for liquor store owners, Bottle POS stands out as the number one liquor retail POS system in 2025.
From inventory to loyalty, online sales, and day-to-day operations, it combines every essential tool in one intuitive platform — saving you time, simplifying operations, and driving revenue.
Top features include:
Pricing: Plans start at $69/month and include 24/7 support, unlimited training, and a lifetime warranty. Retailers can also build custom systems using the Build & Price tool, so you only pay for what you need.
Customer review: “I love that I can call the support line and I get to talk to somebody quickly. The team seems very knowledgeable and so far has been able to answer all of my questions.” — Eric Snyder
With over 650 Trustpilot reviews and a 4.7-star rating, Bottle POS stands out for its ease of use, powerful reporting, loyalty tools, and e-commerce capabilities — making it the top choice for any liquor store owner.
Choosing the right POS system comes down to matching features with your store’s daily needs. Look for solutions that give clear visibility into inventory, simplify payment handling, support customer loyalty programs, and provide actionable reporting.
From managing hundreds of SKUs to running promotions and online sales, Bottle POS addresses challenges that only someone in the business would fully understand.
Schedule a demo today to see how an industry-specific platform helps your store track inventory, reward customers, manage multichannel sales, and handle everyday tasks more easily.