2026 guide · by a restaurant owner
Looking for a
CrunchTime alternative?
Your team counts without you. You order without guessing, from anywhere. Every invoice keeps your costs current.
Know the work is handled, even when you’re away from the restaurant.
- $299/mo
- Setup included
- 30-day guarantee
Pricing verified July 2026 · Quote-only. Annual contracts per third-party analyst reporting. · source
Drop in the mess. Start with a working account.
No forms, no data entry, no blank account to fill in. 86 reads whatever you’ve got — and builds your account in minutes.
Whatever you have
- Shelf photos
- Invoices
- Spreadsheets
- Handwritten counts
- POS exports
Items, vendors, and the link between them — even migrated from your old system — built and ready when you first log in.
Want a hand? We’ll set it up with you — even moving everything over from your current system. Chat or a call, right in the app. No fee, no pitch.
Why Restaurants Are Switching
Common reasons restaurants look for CrunchTime alternatives.
No published pricing — quote-only, annual contracts
Steep learning curve and complex initial setup, cited across review platforms
Dated interface that reviewers ask to see modernized
Multi-store reporting is fragmented; navigation inconsistent (review-sourced)
Requires strong, continuously trained end-users — not a self-serve tool
Built and sold for chains of 10+ locations — not for independents (no named customer under ~26 locations)
What to Look for in an Alternative
Transparent Pricing
No hidden fees, no per-user charges, no surprise setup costs. Know exactly what you'll pay.
Fast Setup
Your team should be counting inventory this week, not waiting weeks for implementation.
Team Simplicity
If your staff can use a phone, they should be able to use the inventory app. No weeks of training.
Feature breakdown
See exactly where 86 wins — and where CrunchTime does.
Pricing & Setup
- Monthly Cost86: $299 flat per locationCrunchTime: Custom quote
- Setup Fee86: $0 (included)CrunchTime: Not published — scoped per deal
- Contract86: None — cancel online anytimeCrunchTime: Annual, quote-based
- Team Members Included86: UnlimitedCrunchTime: Scoped per deal
- Annual Cost86: $2,988CrunchTime: Custom quote
Core Features
- Inventory Counting86: YesCrunchTime: Well-rated counting app (4.9★ on the App Store)
- Photo-Based Counting86: YesCrunchTime: Yes
- Barcode Scanning86: NoCrunchTime: Yes
- Voice Counting86: NoCrunchTime: Yes
- Daily Prep Lists for the Kitchen86: No more writing the whiteboard — closing counts set the list, cooks check it offCrunchTime: AI prep planning (15-minute granularity)
- Invoice Scanning86: No monthly capCrunchTime: Invoice scanner + receiving reconciliation
- Cost updates86: Auto via invoices → recipes → booksCrunchTime: Actual-vs-theoretical variance engine
- Books86: Bank + cards connected — auto-categorized, you review only what's leftCrunchTime: One-way QuickBooks sync (no bank feed)
- Labor Scheduling86: NoCrunchTime: Yes
- Ops Checklists & Food Safety86: Tasks with text remindersCrunchTime: Zenput checklists, audits, temp probes
- Distributor EDI (Sysco, US Foods, PFG)86: NoCrunchTime: Yes
Simplicity & Learning
- Who does the setup86: Done for you — AI + a human at your fingertipsCrunchTime: Enterprise implementation team (dedicated admin/IT expected)
- Setup Time86: Same dayCrunchTime: Scoped per deal — no published timeline
- Learning Curve86: Counting is intuitive. Rest is learn-as-you-go.CrunchTime: Steep; requires continuously trained end-users (review-sourced)
- In-app support86: Human chat inside the appCrunchTime: Enterprise account management
- Best For86: Independents (1–5 locations)CrunchTime: Chains of 10+ locations (their own ideal-fit statement)
Mobile Experience
- iOS App86: YesCrunchTime: Yes
- Offline Mode86: Tested in walk-ins — nothing gets lost. It just works.CrunchTime: Yes
Team Management
- Count Reminders by Text86: Text + push — 86 follows up so you don't have toCrunchTime: Not listed on their site (in-app alerts confirmed)
- Manager Alerts (Missed Counts)86: YesCrunchTime: Not listed on their site
- Push Notifications86: YesCrunchTime: Yes
Data & Migration
- Setup & Data Import Included86: Included — AI builds from photos, spreadsheets, exportsCrunchTime: Flat-file imports and exports, admin-configured
“At Zaco’s Tacos, my bartender counted 200 items in 40 minutes on his first try.”
Hector Bilbao · owner, Zaco’s Tacos · builder of 86 — counting, proven at Zaco’s Tacos
How to switch from CrunchTime.
Migration is included. Our AI sets up your account in minutes — you can be counting and seeing real food costs the same day.
- Step 1
Ask your CrunchTime admin to run a User Defined Export (or use their Developer API) for your item and inventory data
- Step 2
Send the export file to [email protected]
- Step 3
Our AI sets up your 86 account with all your items in minutes — you can be counting the same day
- Step 4
Keep CrunchTime running during the transition — cancel when you're ready
CrunchTime has no self-serve CSV export button. Data comes out via 'User Defined Exports' (admin-configured flat files) or their Developer Hub API. Ask your account admin or CrunchTime support to configure a UDE for your inventory data — or just send us whatever you have and our AI will rebuild from it.
Frequently asked questions.
Have more questions? Email Hector
See where each tool fits.
Not every tool is the same kind of tool. Here’s where 86 fits against a few other options independents consider.
Independent restaurants — typically 1–5 locations — that want the whole back office handled in one tool, not just inventory.
Full comparison →86 vs Restaurant365Independent operators (1–5 locations) who want the same visibility without the enterprise admin overhead.
Full comparison →86 vs MarginEdgeIndependents (1–5 locations) who want invoices, counting, ordering, and books off their plate in the same login.
Full comparison →Know the work is handled, even when you’re away from the restaurant.
- $299/mo
- Setup included
- 30-day guarantee