Free plan vs free trial: what happens when restaurant software trials end

Restaurant software is often sold with a free trial, a free plan, or both. They are different promises. A free trial gives you more for a limited time. A free plan gives you less, but it does not run out. Knowing which one you are on helps you avoid a surprise after a busy month.

The short version

• Free trial: paid features for a fixed period, then they stop.
• Free plan: a smaller set of features with no end date.
• Some tools offer only a trial, so you must pay or leave when it ends.
• GiveMyMenu offers both. The trial runs on top of the Free plan.

What you get on GiveMyMenu

The Free plan has no expiry date and does not need a card. It includes the menu, POS, guest QR ordering, the kitchen display, kitchen and receipt print views, payment recording and staff roles for one location. At the time of writing it allows up to 10 tables or rooms and 2 staff accounts, including the owner.

On top of that, every new account gets Pro-level features for a set period, starting when it adds its first venue. At launch that is 90 days. The pricing page always shows the current length.

What changes when the trial ends

• Your account stays on the Free plan unless you have chosen a paid plan.
• Your menu, tables, staff accounts, orders and bills are kept.
• Features outside your plan stop. On Free, that includes table PINs, inventory, branding, detailed reports and guest reviews.
• If table PINs were switched on, guests can order from the table QR code without one.
• Plan limits apply again when you add a table, staff member or location.

Nothing is deleted. You lose access to the extra features, and that is all. If you upgrade later, those features come back.

How to avoid a surprise

Before the trial ends, check which paid features your team uses each day. PIN protection is the one most restaurants notice, because it changes how ordering works at the table. If you rely on it, move to a plan that includes it before the trial ends. If you only used it to try it out, staying on Free is fine.