How Do Restaurant POS systems work?

How do restaurant POS systems work?

?POS systems vary in how they work.

Your POS will have several parts. The basic hardware needed for a POS to function is:

The main server or Display

Multi POS terminals

A credit card machine

A cash drawer

A receipt printer

Custom Barcode printer

Depending on your hardware setup, your POS terminals will be connected to the main server that houses all sales data for your restaurant. Your system will also be connected to “peripheral machines” via USB ports and cables, including a cash register, credit card machine, and receipt printer. The connections will allow you to control all pieces of hardware through the POS terminal. Some systems use Bluetooth technology to wirelessly connect peripheral machines.

When you decide on a POS system, your POS Company will help you set up your system and teach you how to use it.

You will have an account with your POS provider, and they will work with you to set up your menu on your POS so that items are ready for staff to select when they are taking orders. Your POS provider will also set up any required staff permissions and accounts on the system, and they will train you how to use the POS so you can then train your staff. MrPOS offer more extensive staff training than others.

Does a POS need the internet to work?

Some POS systems require an internet connection, while others don’t.

You’ll need an internet connection most of the time to process orders through your POS, and you will always need an internet connection to process credit card and debit transactions. Some POS systems, however, can still function if the internet goes down. You’ll want to ask about this when you’re shopping for a POS.

Types of POS Systems for Restaurants

The type of POS system you choose for your restaurant will depend on your type of venue, your payment processing requirements, and, quite frankly, your priorities and strengths as a restaurant owner.

For example, you may be a data-driven entrepreneur who loves to crunch numbers and analyze trends. If this is you, you’ll want a POS system that’s a superstar in financial reporting and performance analysis.

Maybe you’re a foodie at heart who loves to switch up your menu on the regular. You’ll need a MrPOS that can connect your menu to your list of ingredients, and track inventory with absolute precision.

Or maybe you just don’t want to spend a lot of time shopping for a POS and you’d like something tried and tested for your day-to-day operations. In this case, you’ll want to start reading online reviews and talking to other restaurants in your neighborhood about POS systems that have worked for them.

Here are your options when choosing a POS system that’s right for your restaurant.

Traditional POS

Cloud Base POS

Traditional POS

Traditional POS systems, also known as “legacy” POS systems, have been used in restaurants since the 1980s. A traditional POS system is usually a network of stationary terminals with touchscreens that are connected to an internal, back-office server. All payment processing is done at the terminal.

Traditional POS systems must have the following functions:

Handling reservations

Splitting bills between customers

Handling delivery and takeout orders

Inventory management

Some sales reporting and forecasting data

They require an upfront license fee

They require monthly maintenance

They’re installed by a technician at your restaurant

You can access your data at your location, not offsite

*Presently most POS Softwares Average cost is: $3,000 – $50,000 / year

Cloud Base POS or Mobile POS

Tablet technology (ex. the iPad) has triggered one of the most important advancements in POS technology for restaurants:?Mobile POS. iPads have taken the stationary POS terminal and placed it in the palm of the server’s hand.

The main reasons restaurants are embracing mobile POS technology are:

New payment processing requirements.

Restaurants are now required to accept chip-and-pin (EMV)?credit and debit cards, and more customers are expecting businesses to accommodate e-wallet apps. One of the easiest ways to comply with new data security requirements is to use a mobile POS that integrates with handheld credit and debit card machines, which can be brought to the table for transactions.

Cloud installation and access to data.

Mobile POS systems on-site installation for cloud-based deployment, as the hardware is easy to set up and the software is connected to the cloud – meaning it can be set up from anywhere. Restaurant owners are also now able to access all their sales reporting and financial forecasts from anywhere in the world, on any device.

Software integrations

Mobile POS software allows for easier integration with other software. This means that your primary POS software can “hook into” other restaurant management software, such as apps that are specifically meant for labor management, customer loyalty, etc. Because of integration, the two pieces of software talk to each other and strengthen each other’s functionality and data output.

Self-Serve Kiosk

The self-serve kiosk is the latest wave to hit restaurant technology. Larger quick-service franchises have started adopting self-serve kiosks to allow customers to input their own orders and pay for their meals at the kiosk. This reduces the number of counter staff needed to take orders. Self-serve kiosks have also been shown to increase check size, as customers are more likely to order extras on their meals (say, avocado on their burger) when they order from a kiosk terminal.

Self-serve kiosks address the following trends in the restaurant industry:

Millennials and Generation Z’s propensity for interacting with technology for day-to-day customer service and transactions

The rise in labor costs for quick-service restaurants

Need to differentiate customer experience in a highly competitive environment

Before you start

POS Hardware Checklist

When you’re shopping for a POS, you’ll need to know which pieces of hardware you’ll need to operate the system. Here’s a checklist for you to run through when you’re comparing systems:

Cash drawer

Credit card terminal

Printers

Tablets and stands

Computer

Ethernet cables

Wi-fi router

POS Software & Features

The #1 thing you should know about POS software and features is this:

They vary and change. A lot.

As the restaurant tech space evolves, POS companies are expanding their product suite, integrations, and payment processing options to cater to the many needs of restaurant owners. Mobile POS companies are more flexible and agile than traditional POS companies, as all updates are done through cloud technology rather than via an on-site technician – therefore the updates reach the customer much faster and with little inconvenience or interruption of service.

Here are some of the main features that exist across most mobile POS platforms, and ones you should ask about when you’re shopping for your own POS sales reporting

Restaurant reporting used to be a time-consuming task. Today, POS systems have data reporting features that make it possible to generate all types of reports, such as those given in the image.

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