How to Choose the Best POS System for your Restaurant?
“Quick Summary” Before choosing a point of sale (POS) solution, restaurant managers must consider many factors. The system that works best for one restaurant may not be the right fit for another. For example, a large chain restaurant with hundreds of locations might need a POS to handle complex inventory and customer data.
At the same time, an independent eatery might require something more straightforward to manage just a few menu items. This article will talk about choosing POS Software for your Restaurant.
15 Features Every Efficient Restaurant POS System Needs
1. Simple User Interface
Easy to use and easy to learn, the user interface of POS allows you to get up and running in no time. You must select one such software that is effortless to install and implement.
The design of this POS software for your restaurant must be intuitive and simple, allowing you to spend more time running your business and less time learning how to use the system.
2. Flexible Payment Processing
When running a restaurant, you need to accept all kinds of payments. You might have a full bar and need to accept credit cards for that, or you might have an outdoor patio where customers can't use their cards. A POS system that can take all kinds of payments is a must.
3. OpenTable Management
This great feature in POS for restaurants enables prompt table reservations. It tells you about the occupied and empty tables. A waiting list allows you to schedule table reservations with ease!
4. Gift & Loyalty Cards
Offering gift cards and loyalty cards to your customers is a great way to keep them returning. If you're in the restaurant business, it's important to ensure that your customers are satisfied with their experience. To offer gift cards, you'll need a restaurant POS system to create gift cards and loyalty cards. You can then use these cards as incentives for your customers to return.
5. Online Ordering
Online ordering is an excellent feature for any best restaurant POS system. Online ordering allows customers to place orders directly from their mobile devices or computers. This feature is also useful for customers who may not be willing to come into the restaurant and wait in the queue. Online ordering lets customers place their orders using POS and pick them up later.
6. Pre-Authorized Bar Tabs
A Pre-Authorized Bar Tab allows you to give your customers the ability to pay for their drinks at a later time. It is ideal for restaurants that offer happy hour specials or other drink promotions. Furthermore, it allows bartenders to check the card’s validity and save its information. This is an interesting restaurant POS system feature.
7. Multiple Payment Options
Credit cards, debit cards, and gift cards are just a few of the payment options you can accept with your restaurant POS system. Whether you're just starting or have been in business for years, your restaurant POS system should offer multiple payment options. The more payment options you can accept, the better. Not only will this help you increase sales, but it will also help you to reach a wider customer base.
8. EMV and Contactless Payments Options
The ability to accept EMV and contactless payments is a must-have for any restaurant POS system. EMV, or Europay, MasterCard, and Visa is the global standard for credit card security. It includes advanced encryption technology that makes it nearly impossible for hackers to steal your customers' credit card information.
Contactless payments are similar to EMV, but they use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology instead of chip-and-PIN authentication. This enables customers to pay for their purchases by simply tapping their credit card or smartphone on the POS terminal.
9. Kitchen Displays
With an integrated kitchen display, you can view orders and customer information in real-time. It also helps your kitchen staff to know what's going on with the order at all times. This feature in a POS allows for the delivery of correct orders to each customer.
It displays customers’ orders to the chefs along with the required ingredients to make the order. This allows for less wastage and much more efficient working!
Related Blog: Benefits of a Restaurant Kitchen Order System
10. Inventory Management
This is one of the essential features you need to look for in a restaurant POS system. You can't expect your staff to keep track of inventory, especially if you have many items on your menu. With a POS having an efficient inventory management system, you can easily keep track of your inventory and know when to reorder.
11. Employee Management
Your employees are the most crucial part of your business. If you want to succeed, you need to make sure that they are happy and productive. You can do this by giving them a POS with comprehensive employee management software that will help you track their work hours, keep them up to date on their work tasks and schedule, and more.
12. Staff Timekeeping
A good restaurant POS system will include a timekeeping and scheduling module. This is very important for the efficient operation of your restaurant. You can use this feature to schedule employees, enter their working hours, and generate reports on their time. You can also utilize this feature to create a schedule for the entire week or month.
13. Pour Control
A POS with a pour control option is a great way to keep track of your alcohol inventory. This can be helpful for several reasons, including:
- Keep track of how much alcohol you have left in stock.
- Helping you track how much alcohol you have sold throughout the day.
- Helping you in making drinks without any errors.
14. Easy Business Analytics
The more you know about your business, the better you can manage it. Restaurant POS systems can provide all kinds of information that can help a restaurant owner make intelligent decisions. The ability to create reports regularly will allow you to identify problems and fix them before they become serious.
15. Reliable Support & Customer Service
Select a POS with a knowledgeable support team available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have. The goal is to make sure you are delighted with your POS system, and the company must be willing to do everything to help you achieve that goal.
Related Blog: Restaurant POS Systems Cost in the USA
4 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Restaurant POS
1. What are Your Needs to have Point-of-Sale?
You must first figure out if you need to have a point of sale at your restaurant. Do you need a POS system that helps you manage inventory? Do you need a POS system that helps you with customer loyalty programs? Or do you just need a POS system that will help you ring up sales? Once you figure out your needs, you can start looking for a POS system to meet those.
2. Does Your Restaurant Have Multiple Locations or Plans for Expansion?
If you have multiple locations or are planning to expand, you'll want to look for a POS system compatible with multiple locations. A good POS system will allow you to share data between your sites and keep track of all of your inventory. It's also essential to ensure that your POS system is compatible with any new locations you plan to open in the future.
3. Do You Change Your Menu and Services Often?
You may want to consider a POS system that can handle frequent menu changes. If you are constantly changing your menu, you will need a POS system that is easy to use and update. This will save you time and money in the long run.
4. Do You Have a Loyal Customer Base?
The first thing you need to do is look at your existing customer base. Are they loyal? Do they come in regularly? If so, how often? The answers to these questions will help you determine if the restaurant POS system you are considering will handle the number of customers.
Related Blog: How Restaurant POS System Can Simplify Your Business?
Conclusion
As you can see, a POS system for your restaurant is not something to be taken lightly. Once you know what type of POS system you're looking for, it's easy to go about picking the best option for your restaurant, and it will be a game-changer!