# SkyTab POS review: what Shift4 Dine does for restaurants

> Canonical: https://maple.inc/blog/skytab-pos-review

*By Maple Team · Published 2026-09-25*

SkyTab is now Shift4 Dine. What its handhelds, kiosk, kitchen screens and online ordering do, what Shift4 prints on price, and what to test.

SkyTab is now called Shift4 Dine. Shortlist it if you run table service and want handhelds with built-in 4G, card pre-auth tabs and split-by-seat, plus a kiosk, kitchen screens and online ordering from one company. Shift4's help center prints a few add-on prices, such as $29.99 per handheld per month. Get the plan price and card rate in a written quote.

Shift4 told customers on May 5, 2026 that SkyTab POS would become Shift4 Dine on May 12. Its [announcement](https://releasenotes.shift4.com/announcements/skytab-is-becoming-shift4-dine) says customers keep the same products, support, account setup, integrations and reporting, with no action needed. Older menus, receipts and release notes may still say SkyTab.

    Area What Shift4's help center says Start here if
  Handheld Wi-Fi and built-in 4G cellular, all-day battery, IP54, 5-foot drop rating; card pre-auth and split by seat Servers work a patio, a big room or events
  Kitchen Display System 22-inch touchscreen on Ethernet or Wi-Fi You want kitchen screens from your POS seller
  Kiosk 14-inch touchscreen with a built-in card reader, on Ethernet Counter guests order for themselves
  Online ordering and QR Installs from the Marketplace in the Customer Hub; can connect to Order with Google You want direct online orders printing in your system
  Reservations and loyalty Built into the Customer Hub; loyalty earns points per dollar You want bookings and points without a separate app
  Multi-location Menus built at the group level and shared, with per-location overrides You run several stores on one menu

## What does Shift4 Dine do well?

The handheld gets the most detail. Shift4's [Handheld FAQs](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/39289648380051-Handheld-FAQs) say every unit includes cellular as well as Wi-Fi, and uses Wi-Fi when it can. The [handheld specifications](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/41246927844883-Handheld-Specifications) list a 6.5-inch screen, all-day battery, an IP54 rating and drop resistance up to 5 feet. It works from 14°F to 122°F.

On the floor, staff can start a tab on the handheld with a [pre-authorization](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/45024799132947-Pre-Authorization-on-the-Handheld) that holds $1 on the guest's card by default, then turn it into the final charge at close. The handheld also splits by seat, by item, evenly or by hand, and shows your table layout.

Offline payments come switched on. Shift4's [offline setup article](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/16079601177747-Configure-Shift4-Dine-for-Offline-Payments-Mode) shows how to check the setting and cap each offline payment. Shift4's [offline guidance](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/34396165221523-Recommended-Guidelines-for-Using-the-Customer-facing-Display-During-Offline-Payments) warns that a payment approved offline can still be declined by the card's bank when the connection returns.

For the back office, the [online ordering setup guide](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500007486702-Set-Up-Online-Ordering-in-Shift4-Dine-Customer-Hub) covers tips, gift card payments, unpaid orders and Order with Google, which needs a verified Google Business Profile. The [reservations overview](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360042824973-Reservations-Overview-on-Shift4-Dine-Customer-Hub) covers turn times by party size, alerts and an online booking link.

## What does Shift4 Dine cost?

Shift4's help center does not print plan prices or card rates. It does print four smaller prices:

- **Handheld:** the Handheld FAQs list $29.99 per device per month.
- **Handheld charging station:** the [charging station FAQs](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/50856661127315-Charging-Station-for-Handheld-FAQs) list $19.99/month in the United States. One station charges up to five devices.
- **Workforce Management:** the [scheduling add-on FAQs](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/16039662717331-Workforce-Management-Merchant-FAQs) list $35 per month after a 2-month free trial, with billing starting unless you cancel. Shift4 says it has no plans to retire the existing scheduler.
- **Installation day:** the [onboarding wizard](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/40403410212243-Launch-Control-Onboarding-Wizard) warns of a $250 rescheduling fee if your site is not ready. You book the install at least 10 business days ahead.

Shift4's help center also explains its Advantage Program, which passes some card cost to guests. The [enrollment guide](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/27580032701331-Enroll-and-Set-Up-Advantage-Program-in-the-Shift4-Dine-Customer-Hub) offers three types: a supplemental fee, dual pricing, or a cash discount. You pick the fee percentage. Enrolling moves your statements from monthly to daily. A tip reduction setting can withhold a percentage from employee tips. Ask Shift4 to show what each type prints on a guest check, and check the rules where you operate before you turn one on.

For the system itself (software, workstations, kitchen screens and your card rate), ask Shift4 for a written quote that also states the term and any fee to leave. Our [POS buying guide](https://maple.inc/blog/best-pos-system-for-restaurants) compares Shift4 Dine with the systems that print their prices.

## What does the help center say is not there yet?

These limits come from Shift4's own pages, and several are marked as planned. Ask which still apply on your install date.

1. The handheld is designed to work with an existing Shift4 Dine system; more standalone use is planned.
2. The handheld does not yet show online order tickets, and loyalty on the handheld is planned.
3. The handheld prints to network printers only; Bluetooth and pocket printers are not supported in the first release.
4. The [kiosk FAQs](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/47443792410259-Kiosk-FAQs) say the kiosk does not support loyalty yet.
5. Reservations for parties over 10 must be entered on the Workstation.
6. Delivery Management is not generally available in the United States. [Shift4's delivery guide](https://shift4.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/48038411103507-Delivery-Management-Onboarding-and-Quick-Start-Guide) points US merchants to delivery integrations in the Marketplace.

## What should you test in a Shift4 Dine demo?

1. Start a tab with a pre-auth on the handheld, add a round, then close it with a tip.
2. Split a four-top by seat on the handheld and check each guest's check.
3. Turn off Wi-Fi on the handheld and confirm it switches to cellular without losing the open ticket.
4. Unplug the router at the Workstation. Take a card under and over your offline limit, then reconnect and check both.
5. Place an online order and a kiosk order. Check where each prints or shows in the kitchen.
6. If you plan to use the Advantage Program, print a guest check with it on and read it as a guest would.
7. Get a written monthly total: software, each device, the handheld and charging station fees, your card rate, the term and the fee to leave.

If you take phone orders, Maple Pro lists SkyTab (now Shift4 Dine) among the POS systems it writes orders into. See the [SkyTab integration page](https://maple.inc/integrations/skytab).

*Published by Maple. This AI-assisted review combines Shift4's rename notice and Shift4 Dine help-center articles with an original feature table and demo checklist. It does not use third-party review scores or prices, report a quote from Shift4, or claim anyone tested Shift4 Dine.*

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