POS Systems for Different Restaurants

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Restaurants stand and fall on the quality of their food and the friendliness and dedication of their staff. That much is undeniable. But no matter how well prepared the menu, or how engaging and talented the staff, there needs to be a solid business infrastructure in place. A major part of that infrastructure is a point of sale system. More than simply a way to take orders and ring up sales, a POS system gives you total control over every important operational aspect of your restaurant. If you have been hesitant to install a POS system, or are simply curious as to what a POS system could bring to your restaurant, it’s time to consider what they have to offer.

Tracking of Sales: POS systems track high volume sales down to the penny, making reconciling the register each night faster and more accurate. The software also allows you to see which menu items are hot sellers and which items should be retired from the menu.
Credit and Debit Card Processing: A POS system eliminates the need for a separate credit/debit card system, making transactions easier and more secure.
Point of Sale Security: Using restaurant POS software, all employees are accountable for any sales rung up on their personal ID. Servers can not alter checks without a password, putting a stop to unapproved discounts for friends and family members, and eliminating the opportunity for theft.
Labor Management and Payroll: A restaurant POS system can act as an employee time clock, with servers and staff signing in and out according to their schedules. This makes it easier to manage your staff, track their hours, and prepare the weekly or bi-weekly payroll.
Inventory Management: Restaurant POS software makes inventory management easier and more accurate. The real time tracking makes it possible to track food usage patterns, minimizing shortages and reducing instances of over ordering. This helps to keep food costs under control, boosting your bottom line.
Streamlining Daily Operations: With an integrated restaurant POS system communication between the front of the house and the back of the house is faster and more accurate, reducing misunderstandings between servers and kitchen staff. A POS system also frees your staff from many time consuming tasks, allowing them to concentrate on the most important job at hand – customer service.
Off-Site Monitoring: Many restaurant POS systems allow you to remotely log in from any web connection, allowing you to monitor sales, inventory usage, and the behavior patterns of your staff even when you are not on site. This is invaluable for identifying and addressing any problems that may adversely affect your bottom line.
Financial Statements: Finally, one of the most important features of a restaurant POS system. Because the software keeps track of sales and expenditures it is easy to prepare and review regular profit and loss statements. POS software also makes it quick and easy to prepare and review regular tax statements.

Traditional cash registers may still have a place in some smaller retail establishments, but they are, by their very nature, extremely limiting. This is particularly true when it comes to the hospitality industry. The right POS system can help any restaurant reach its full potential, and even the most experienced restauranteurs will see the benefits. Of course, for the best results you need to choose the right POS system for your type of business.

Choosing the Right Restaurant POS System

Just as there are many different types of restaurants, so there are many different types of POS systems, and like any tool it is important to choose the right one for the job. Different types of restaurants have different software needs, so when choosing your POS system you must first start by considering the type of food service you are running and then matching it up with the system that will be most productive for you and your business.

Food service establishments can be broken down into two basic categories, the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) and the Full Service Restaurant (FSR). Our restaurant POS systems follow the same basic divisions, and it’s worth taking a moment to take a closer look at each category.

Quick Service Restaurants (QSR)

Baker POS System: User interface is highly customizable, and can be designed to better reflect the bakery’s identity and product selection. Paperless receipts make it easy to keep track of special orders and delivery schedules. POS software keeps track of sales and costs, and streamlines the business’ accounting.
Coffee Shop POS System: Streamlines customer ordering with on screen prompts and verifications. Supports multiple payment options, including cash, credit, and debit card. Improved employee management and payroll procedures.
Deli POS System: Supports multiple units to increase the flow of patrons. Orders can be taken at one terminal, with a work order being sent to the deli line where it can be filled and presented to the customer. Improves inventory management, a crucial component of a busy deli. Supports multiple payment options, improves staff management, and streamlines payroll and accounting procedures.
Delivery POS System: The web based interface supports online ordering, reducing the time employees spend manning the phones and increasing productivity on the line. Allows for the tracking of orders in house as well as the monitoring of deliveries in progress. Real time tracking of orders and food costs makes it easy to identify peak hours of operation and most popular and profitable menu items.
Fast Food POS System: Easy to use interface allows you to assign every menu item a key, making it quicker and easier to accurately process customer orders. Work orders are sent directly to the terminal on the line, greatly reducing wait time for the customer. The user interface is easy to understand and use, cutting down the time it takes to train new employees
Food Truck POS System: This iPad based POS system makes it easy for food truck owners to accept credit and debit cards, vastly increasing profit potential. Its compact design makes it perfect for the smaller confines of a mobile kitchen. Allows business owners to create social media text alerts and sales coupons, creating an unprecedented opportunity to motivate and mobilize customers.

Full Service Restaurants (FSR)

Bar POS System: Pour spouts can be linked to the POS software to ensure that bar tenders are not over pouring drinks and cutting into profits. When drinks are entered into the POS system the exact amounts are deducted from the inventory, so there’s never any confusion over how much stock is on hand. Specialty drink recipes are available on screen at the touch of a button, allowing bar staff to accommodate any drink request. Age verification software protects against underage service.
Chinese Restaurant POS System: Software supports the larger, and more varied, menu options at Chinese restaurants. The interface is highly customizable, so different menu variations can be assigned their own key. This makes processing customer orders faster and more accurate. Multi-language screens accommodate staff for whom English may be a second language, simplifying communication between the front of the house and the kitchen.
Japanese Restaurant POS System: Again, a multi-language interface means that staff can process orders in either English or Japanese. The customizable interface supports the more diverse and complex Japanese menu. As with all POS systems, owners can track sales, deliveries, inventory, employee schedules, and payroll.

Hardware and Software Specifications – Understanding the Differences

The primary differences between Quick Service and Full Service POS systems can be found in the software and hardware specifications. Different types of restaurants have specific operational needs that must be met, and a good POS system must address those needs through the basic hardware as well as the software interface. Again, these are important considerations when shopping for a POS system. In order to reap the fullest benefit, you need to find the system that is most suitable for your restaurant’s individual needs. Let’s take a moment to look at the different hardware and software specs as they apply to both Full Service and Quick Service Restaurants.

Hardware and Software Specifications – Understanding the Differences

Quick Service Restaurants

Hardware: Credit/Debit card processing equipment, coin dispensers, food scales, and multiple terminals for front and back of house communication.
Software: Customizable user interface, food usage tracking, online ordering, human resources support (including employee scheduling and payroll), sales tracking, and general accounting.

Full Service Restaurants

Hardware: Credit/Debit card processing, food scales, liquor scales (pour spout controls), and multiple displays (including kitchen, bar, host/hostess area, server stations).
Software: Table layout for easy room management, tableside ordering and payment, kitchen communication from all terminals, separate bar tabs, check splitting capabilities, inventory management (including liquor and food), online ordering, sales tracking, human resources support, and general accounting.

As you can see, some basic hardware and software features are common to both QSR and FSR point of sale systems. But it should be clear that the more extensive the restaurant service, the more advanced and varied the POS software must be to fully support all daily operations. Once you match the right POS system to your restaurant, you can streamline operations, increase staff productivity, reduce shrinkage, and maximize profits.

The days of receipt pads and cash registers are sadly gone, and today’s most successful restaurants rely on state of the art POS systems to increase their profit margins and keep their account books in the black. Integrating the right POS system into your food business can take it to the next level, and there’s no better time than now to make the move. Here at POS Restaurant Central we pride ourselves in working closely with our customers to find a POS system that meets the unique demands of their restaurant. From full service establishments to quick service franchises we have matched hundreds of independent restauranteurs throughout the country with the POS system they need to realize lasting success in a highly competitive industry.

We can do the same for you. Our exclusive network of dealers includes national, regional, and local companies. Together, we can deliver a POS system tailored to your restaurant’s needs, taking you into the 21st century and putting you on the fast track to success.

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