Zonal EPOS Review: Aztec, akru and ZonalPay
Zonal sells two different tills: Aztec, a quote-only EPoS for multi-site pub and restaurant groups, and akru, a pay-per-transaction system for independents at 0.89% + 3p per card payment. For a single venue taking £5,000 a month, akru works out at about £59.50 a month including the till; Aztec is built for estates, and Zonal does not publish what it costs.
Checked 1 November 2026 on zonal.co.uk and akru's pricing page. Editorial review of published pricing and terms.
Who is Zonal?
Zonal is the trading name of Zonal Retail Data Systems Limited, registered in Edinburgh (company SC069596). Ralph McLean started it in 1979 to solve stock and takings shortfalls in his family's Edinburgh hotel, and the company joined Volaris Group in 2026. Zonal says some of the UK's largest pub companies, restaurant groups and hotel chains rely on its systems.
Zonal EPOS (Aztec) for multi-site groups
Aztec EPoS is Zonal's system for complex, multi-site hospitality operations, promising centralised control and real-time visibility across every site. Pricing is not published; Zonal says "Pricing is tailored to your estate’s size and complexity". Zonal lists UK-based support 8am to midnight, 7 days a week. If you run an estate, treat Aztec as a tender: get the per-site software fee, hardware, term and exit cost in writing from Zonal and from at least one rival such as Tevalis.
Zonal tables and bookings
Zonal Bookings: commission-free reservations with a table plan, wait lists and deposits that feed into the EPoS. Zonal publishes no price for it.
ZonalPay
ZonalPay is Zonal's payments service: one payment gateway across EPoS, handheld, web and app ordering, bookings and deposits. Zonal does not name the acquirer behind it and publishes no rates, only that it can offer "compelling rates". Ask for the rate per card type in writing, then check it against your current statement with our free statement review.
akru: Zonal's till for independents
| Debit and credit cards | 0.89% + 3p per transaction |
| Amex and corporate cards | 2.99% + 3p per transaction |
| Monthly software fee | No monthly software fee listed ("you only pay when your customers do") |
| Hardware | Not published on the pricing page |
| Contract | Not published on the pricing page |
Source: akru.co.uk/pos-pricing/, checked 1 November 2026. akru Pay is built into akru POS, and akru describes itself as backed by Zonal.
Worked example: a £5,000 a month pub or café on akru
akru's own calculator assumes a £10 average order, so £5,000 is 500 transactions a month:
- Percentage: £5,000 × 0.89% = £44.50
- Fixed fee: 500 × 3p = £15.00
- Total: £59.50/month, an effective 1.19% including the till
- If one pound in ten is on Amex or corporate cards: £40.05 + £14.95 + £15.00 = £70.00/month
- If the average order is £5 instead: £44.50 + (1,000 × 3p = £30.00) = £74.50/month
- For comparison, a 1.69% pay-as-you-go reader with no till: £84.50/month
On these numbers akru beats a flat-rate reader at this size and includes the till. The 3p fixed fee is the weak spot: it bites hardest on small tickets, so a coffee bar selling £5 orders pays noticeably more than a restaurant. Hardware and contract terms are not on the pricing page, so get both before signing.
Zonal alternatives
Other hospitality tills we cover: Toast, Tevalis and SumUp POS. Every till, with its software fee and supported card machines, is in EPOS systems compared. For the payments side, see card machines for pubs and bars.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Zonal EPOS cost?
For Aztec, Zonal's multi-site system, pricing is not published; Zonal says "Pricing is tailored to your estate’s size and complexity". For independents, Zonal points to akru, which charges 0.89% + 3p on debit and credit cards and 2.99% + 3p on Amex and corporate cards, with no monthly software fee listed (checked 1 November 2026).
What is Zonal Retail Data Systems?
Zonal Retail Data Systems Limited (company SC069596) is the company behind Zonal, registered at 1 Tanfield, Edinburgh, EH3 5DA. Ralph McLean founded it in 1979 to solve stock and takings shortfalls in his family's Edinburgh hotel, and it joined Volaris Group in 2026.
What is Aztec in Zonal?
Aztec is the name of Zonal's EPoS for complex, multi-site hospitality operations. Zonal says it gives centralised control and real-time visibility across every site, and that some of the UK's largest pub companies, restaurant groups and hotel chains rely on its systems.
Does Zonal have table management?
Yes. Zonal Bookings: commission-free reservations with a table plan, wait lists and deposits that feed into the EPoS. Zonal publishes no price for it; each package shows only "Get in touch".
Can I use my own card machine with Zonal?
Zonal's own route is ZonalPay, one payment gateway across EPoS, handheld, web and app ordering, bookings and deposits. Zonal names no acquirer and publishes no rates for it. Whether a third-party terminal can be integrated with Aztec instead is not stated on Zonal's pages, so ask before you sign.