Not to put too much pressure on you, but choosing POS restaurant hardware and software is a major decision that affects all aspects of your quick service restaurant, coffee shop, or food truck. It’s essential to your success to choose the right one for your particular business. Afterall, what works for a full service restaurant will be different from what works for a quick service restaurant.
How do you know which point of sale system is right for you?
Below are 9 questions that will help you decide on the best POS restaurant hardware and software for your unique needs. Let’s jump in.
>> Ready to talk with a real person about your POS system needs? Book a hassle-free demo!
9 Questions to Ask Before Choosing POS Restaurant Hardware and Software
#1. What features does the POS system offer?
More importantly, does the POS system include all the features that you need to run your business? There’s commonalities across most food service businesses, but think specifically about how you plan to operate your business, from accepting orders to tracking tickets to taking stock of your sales data.
- First, think about how you plan to accept orders: in-person, online ordering, QR code ordering.
- Next, consider the overall workflow: tracking orders, kitchen display systems, SMS alerts when orders are ready.
- Finally, how you will keep track of your business: restaurant budgeting and cash flow, inventory, sales reports.
#2. Is the POS restaurant hardware system user-friendly?
In other words, can you and your staff easily learn and navigate the system with minimal training?
Every single employee you have will likely use the POS restaurant hardware and software. It’s critical that the entire system is easy to learn and use. Especially with the high turnover rate throughout the food service industry, having a simple yet powerful POS System can make a huge impact on keeping your business running smoothly when hiring new staff.
On the flip side, make sure the customer-facing side of the POS system is simple, too. Customers should be able to easily place orders, receive receipts, and even track their orders without any hassle.
#3. What POS restaurant hardware is required?
This is typically where restaurateurs get into murky water when price shopping for a new POS system. Some POS systems, like Table Needs, operate on most tablets and smartphones so there’s no need for additional hardware. However, other POS systems require proprietary hardware that you have to purchase or lease in order to use.
In addition to just the POS restaurant hardware required to run the POS software, also consider what other pieces of equipment you will need, like printers, a handheld terminal, or a cash box. Ask what POS restaurant hardware is required and what is included with the package.
#4. How is customer support handled?
Is support available 24/7, and through what channels (phone, email, chat)? When you’re in the middle of service, there is no time to lose waiting on customer support. Make sure that your POS restaurant hardware and software provider are available to you when you need it most.
A bonus is a knowledge center where you can troubleshoot and get answers to frequently asked questions on your own, as well as provide training materials for your staff.
#5. What are the total costs for purchasing POS restaurant hardware and software?
Get a clear picture of ALL of the fees associated with operating a restaurant POS, including the upfront cost, monthly fees, transaction fees, and any hidden costs. This is essential so you can a) determine if this POS option is affordable, and b) adequately plan your restaurant budget and cash flow each month.
Keeping track of all those extra fees and subscription costs can get tricky, which is why we want to make it as simple as possible to choose the right POS pricing package for YOU. Whether you go all in with a Fully Loaded package that includes all of your POS restaurant hardware, software, marketing services, restaurant budgeting tool, and more, or keep things a bit simpler with a straightforward POS subscription, we have you covered.
#6. Is the POS system cloud-based or on-premise?
This really comes down to understanding how you want to operate your business. For food trucks, a cloud-based system is essential. However, there are definite advantages for brick-and-mortar establishments as well. A cloud-based POS system allows you the freedom to operate anywhere and also check in on your restaurant while off-site.
Say you own a juice bar but you want to participate in the local Farmer’s Market events. A cloud-based POS will allow you to use the same system at both your brick-and-mortar location and while popping up at the market.
>> Learn more about our Mobile POS System for when you’re on the go!
#7. How often does the POS system go down?
More importantly, ask when was the last time that the system failed and what the company did about it. It seems like we’re hearing about some pretty big name POS companies having system errors requiring them to completely down for a day, losing their restaurant customers boatloads of money. Not okay!
Your POS restaurant hardware and software are essential pieces of your business. Knowing how often these issues arise and how they are managed is critical to your success.
#8. What reporting and analytics capabilities are available?
At the very basic level, POS restaurant hardware and software reporting features should give you easy insight to the health of your business. Check for reports that provide daily sales and cash flow summaries, reconciliations and voids, and order trends to compare online ordering vs in person ordering or order trends over time.
The key is whether or not you can easily get useful information from the POS system reporting. Any POS can dump out a bunch of information into a spreadsheet, but making sense of that data is important. Ask how easy it is to create reports on key performance indicators and metrics that are important to YOU and your business (not just the POS companies…).
#9. What is the installation and setup process like?
Once you narrow down your options, it’s time to find out how long it takes to install and set up, and if there will be downtime during the transition.
Some POS restaurant hardware and software companies, like Table Needs, can get you up and running in less than 2 weeks. Why? Our system is simple to use and ready straight out of the box. But other POS companies require much longer to onboard, install, set up, and train you and your staff to actually use the system.
Ready to ask some questions about POS restaurant hardware and software?
We’re ready for you! As a team of food industry veterans and professionals, we totally understand how important choosing the right POS system is for your business. Which is why we developed the all-in-one Restaurant Operations Platform. It’s the only single-platform solution for all the restaurant technology and business services you need to become and stay profitable. Book a hassle-free demo to check it out today!
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