TL;DR
For a typical quán ăn, iPOS's full hardware + software bundle is overkill and the per-device pricing punishes you for adding stations. The lighter alternative is LOOP Free for one outlet, with the same AI core and PEKO bundled — upgrade only when you open outlet two.
iPOS Alternatives for Quán Ăn — Vietnam 2026
Last updated:
PEKO ecosystem
LOOP runs the venue. PEKO brings the customer back. Two products, one company.
PEKO — the AI customer-retention platform (heypeko.com) from the same company as LOOP. PEKO handles retention; LOOP handles operations.
| LOOP — operations | PEKO — retention |
|---|---|
| Inventory & recipes | Churn prediction |
| Shift & staff management | Automated win-back |
| Table layout | Member portal |
| Kitchen display (KDS) | Loyalty tiers |
| E-invoice (TT78) | Receipt OCR enrolment |
| Aggregator queue (GrabFood / ShopeeFood / Be) |
LOOP and PEKO each work on their own. Run both and the data syncs into one single AI brain, so nothing is entered twice. PEKO is not a POS and does not replace one — it also runs alongside any other POS.
Choose LOOP if
- ✓You run 2+ outlets and want one operator who can speak commands instead of clicking.
- ✓You want AI demand forecasting per daypart (targetmodelled accuracy published in our methodology, not gut-feel.
- ✓You're on SEA payment rails (VietQR, PromptPay, QRIS, DuitNow, PayNow, QR Ph).
- ✓You're already on PEKO loyalty (or planning to) — 50% lifetime LOOP discount.
Choose iPOS (quán ăn) if
You want the largest VN field service network and don't need AI.
| Feature | LOOP POS | iPOS (quán ăn) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | No | LOOP Free (1 outlet) | Not published |
| Pricing model | Per-device (penalises growth) | Flat per outlet, unlimited devices | Not published |
| Hardware lock-in | Often yes | BYO Android tablet/printer | Not published |
| AI assistant (Vietnamese) | No | Yes | Not published |
| Diner loyalty app | No | PEKO bundled | Not published |
Why teams pick LOOP
- LOOP Free covers a single quán ăn at zero cost.
- Bring your own Android tablet — no hardware lock-in.
- PEKO bundled even on free tier.
When neither is right
- You run one outlet with a fixed menu and only need receipts — a free tier from either vendor is enough, and paying for a mid tier changes nothing.
- You need something neither LOOP POS nor iPOS (quán ăn) publishes support for (full payroll, table timers) — buy that tool separately and keep the till simple.
- Your format is still changing — settle the business model first; switching POS twice costs more than waiting.
Frequently asked
- What does LOOP Free include?
- Core POS for one outlet, 50 AI prompts/month, VietQR, HĐĐT, basic reports, PEKO diner-app integration. Email support.
- Does LOOP include loyalty?
- LOOP handles operations. For AI-driven customer retention, PEKO is the sibling product from the same company — it runs alongside LOOP or alongside any other POS. Together they cover operations and retention.
- Can PEKO handle inventory and staff scheduling?
- No — PEKO is the retention layer. LOOP covers inventory, recipes, shifts, table management and kitchen display in the same ecosystem.
Sources
- iPOS website (no public price list) — checked
- LOOP POS pricing — checked
Disclosure: LOOP POS is our own product. Competitor details come from each vendor's published material on the dates listed; where a vendor publishes nothing the cell reads “not published” and we make no claim.
