The right POS system can streamline every operation of your restaurant, bar, or cafe, from orders and payments to your entire ingredient inventory.

Here’s everything to know about the best restaurant POS systems available today.

In This Guide

• • What Is a Restaurant POS System?
  • Why Do You Need a POS for Your Restaurant?
  • Top Restaurant POS Software Features
  • Restaurant POS Hardware Accessories
  • How to Choose a POS System for Your Restaurant
  • Best Restaurant POS Systems for 2018
  • Restaurant POS System Prices

What Is a Restaurant POS System?

A POS or “Point of Sale” system refers to the software and hardware used by a business primarily to record sales and track inventory.

The potential benefits of a POS have grown far beyond just that however, and a POS software will typically have a raft of industry-specific features. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the restaurant industry.

Why Do You Need a Restaurant POS System?

A good POS system will help any business thrive and grow, providing accurate and important data to base decisions off. But a restaurant will benefit especially from an industry-focused POS System.

Any business records sales, but a restaurant must also be able to accept reservations and know which orders were placed from which table. Any business tracks inventory, but a restaurant must track the amount and cost of the ingredients used in each dish, in addition to the amount and cost of the orders that are placed.

In addition, a high-quality restaurant POS can:

• Help the kitchen and the servers interact quickly and easily
• Help a manager track employees’ work hours and plan their future schedules
• Log data from past weeks or months in order to create detailed reports about the restaurant’s long-term growth
• Streamline the order process from start to finish, including accepting online orders and sending email receipts

The bottom line: A good restaurant POS centralizes all the processes of a restaurant, bar or cafe, allowing the manager to improve on what’s working and fix what’s not. It will pay for itself and then some.

Top Restaurant POS Software Features

While the best restaurant POS systems might include a handful of unique traits, they should also accomplish an array of the following top features.

• Inventory Management — tracks orders and ingredients used
• Inventory Alerts — sends automatic personalized notifications when specific ingredients need to be restocked soon
• Employee Tracking — records which employee was operating which station, and at what time
• Table Service — tracks which tables will receive which orders
• Billing — accepts cash, card, and contactless payment
• Loyalty Programs — offers deals and gift cards in order to attract repeat customers
• Customer Engagement — collects and securely manages approved contact lists, such as email addresses or phone numbers, for customer marketing
• Reservations — allows workers to track meal reservations weeks or months in advance
• Online ordering — allows quick-service restaurants to let customers place orders online

While the features above are important to consider when picking out a POS for your restaurant, you should go beyond just the features. The best restaurant POS systems are also cost-effective, well reviewed, easy to use, and come with a professional customer support team.

Restaurant POS Hardware Accessories

While the software powering a restaurant POS is the main element of a POS system, hardware is important as well. Here are some of the best physical POS accessories that will make your daily chores more manageable.

• Touchscreen display — Quicker and more portable than a desktop computer for running software. iPads are most common, though other tablets or smartphones can be used as well.
• Card readers for iPad — Cash tills aren’t enough any more. Tiny card readers the size of a quarter can be plugged into an iPad’s headphone jack. They’re often sold by POS vendors and might be included in a POS package. Larger countertop versions come as “cubes” rather than portable readers.
• iPad stands and docks — A stand, typically designed to swivel so that customers can easily sign their bill, is a must. These are also usually sold by specific vendors.
• Self-Service Kiosk — A larger stand, a receipt printer, and a large card reader can all serve as a kiosk for customers to check their orders out by themselves, cutting down on employee busywork.
• Power supply — Don’t expect your iPad battery to outlast your customers: Invest in compact portable chargers.

How to Choose a POS System for Your Restaurant

Not every restaurant POS system is equal, and even a POS that offers all the right features might not be right for your specific business. Here are a few factors to consider, some of which you won’t find on most POS websites but remain relevant to your decision.

• Your customers — The demographic of your audience determines what type of POS system they will embrace.
  • Age — Older customers might not understand or care about options like contactless payment or QR-code coupons.
  • Social expectations — A quick-service location might have a self-checkouts option, but a higher end restaurants would never give their servers iPads.
  • Digital adoption — Silicon Valley is packed with early adopters who want all the options, but restaurants on the Rust Belt can stick to a more compact POS with fewer features.
• Customers with disabilities — A self-serve station might seem easier than an in-person order system, but might not be an accessible option for those with poor eyesight or limited mobility.
• Your budget — Don’t overextend your business, especially if you plan to pay up front.
• Your size — A single food truck and a sprawling restaurant have differing needs: The larger your restaurant, the more important your POS communication features become.
• Future growth — As your total orders, order stations, or restaurant locations grow, the cost for your POS system will grow, even though the features it offers likely won’t. Choose a system that will be ready for your future needs.

Restaurant POS System Prices

The restaurant POS industry charges per-month costs that vary depending on the number of terminals and locations, and whether you’re only using software or need hardware as well. Typical POS prices start at between $69 and $99 per month for a single terminal.  

Given that costs can vary so much, how can you know which POS is right for your restaurant? First, consider how your business answers the following variables:

• Quick service venue, mid-size business, or large layout?
• Number of POS terminals needed?
• Number of locations?
• Unique features needed?

Next, you’ll need to reach out to the right POS vendors for a customized quote so you can compare the prices. For a quick one-minute jumpstart, try TechCo’s fast and easy quote collection form.