6 must have features for a productive POS System for restaurants

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Shopping for the best restaurant POS system is a time-consuming and complicated process for any restaurant owner. It is advisable to start looking for a restaurant POS system well in advance. This way you can make sure that your restaurant POS system has all the features you will need practically when your restaurant is in business. Some restaurant POS systems have an installation time ranging from two to four weeks. 

The price for a restaurant POS system for a small cafe might be similar to that of one for a full-service restaurant and bar. The features of both the restaurant POS systems will be completely different. The success of your food outlet depends on making sure that you choose the right features for your restaurant POS system that will be productive in your scenario. Here are some of the features that you must have in a profitable restaurant POS system. 

1. User-Friendly Interface

Many restaurant POS systems in the market can perform almost any task imaginable related to your restaurant. Having more features in a restaurant POS system is always a good thing. But there are times when having so many features in the restaurant POS system can become excessive as far as the user interface is concerned. It can become extremely complicated to perform simple tasks on the restaurant POS system if it does not have a user-friendly interface. 

Try to perform some basic functions on the restaurant POS system such as placing orders, quick check-outs, ordering drinks, upsizing combo deals, splitting checks, or sending a ticket to the kitchen. Your staff will find it perplexing to perform all of these actions if you do not find them easy to achieve. Do not hesitate to ask your restaurant POS system provider for a remote or onsite live demonstration or a trial period for the system. This will allow you to gauge the effectiveness of the restaurant POS system. 

2. Easy Administration

The job of a waiter at a restaurant is very different from the duties that a manager must achieve at a restaurant. The waiter might require authorization from the customer, cook, manager, or bartender to perform any given action. The job of the manager is to facilitate the client’s requests for service while upholding the restaurant’s internal policy. A productive restaurant POS system should have features that can accommodate these requests that will be performed by the manager. 

Remember that having too many features can also complicate matters. The restaurant POS system provider should be able to easily provide you with the features that you will use most often. The software of the restaurant POS system should have security. But the restaurant POS system should not be so complicated that every time you need to make any adjustments you need to call in a professional to make the changes for you. 

3. Managing Inventory

Successfully being able to manage inventory is the bane of life for restaurant owners. To successfully secure earnings in the restaurant business a restaurant owner must be aware of the current food costs, the number of stocks in inventory, and the daily turnover. A majority of restaurant POS systems have built-in inventory management software that you can use to manage inventory. This means that the inventory is updated every time a sale is made or when new stocks arrive. 

Some restaurant POS systems will also give you the option to connect your inventory management software with third-party integrations. This means that your inventory will be updated as soon as your supplier provides you with fresh ingredients. It also means that the system can inform you when you are low on certain ingredients so that you can take the necessary actions to replenish stocks. When choosing third-party integrations, always make sure that the restaurant POS systems can integrate with the vendors you connect with the most often. 

4. Easy To Arrange Menu Configurations

This one seems pretty straightforward but you will be surprised to find out how confusing it can be to successfully set up a menu with some restaurant POS systems. Before finalizing to purchase any kind of restaurant POS system, find out how long it takes to change an item on your menu. Some restaurant POS systems require all of the devices to be restarted for the changes to be effective after an alteration is made on the main server. There are modern restaurant POS systems that can make the changes instantaneously. 

See how long it takes to make a simple change to your menu when you request a demo of your restaurant POS system. Steer clear of any restaurant POS system if any of the adjustments to the menu take more than five minutes to complete. You do not want to wait for half an hour every time just because you decided that you want to change the day’s special offer. Find a restaurant POS system that facilitates and incorporates your inventory to make the necessary changes to your daily menu. 

5. Efficiently Managing Reservations & Tables

A productive restaurant POS system should have built-in reservation management that associates directly with the tables at your restaurant. Successfully managing all of the tables at your restaurant will become the forefront of your restaurant operations. The restaurant POS system should be able to successfully display the number of available tables, reserved tables, and cleared tables with the greatest of ease. The reservations and billing system must synchronize with the table management system so that the status of the tables is updated periodically. 

Find out how the billing coordinates with the table management system when you request a demo of your restaurant POS system. Some restaurant POS systems do not have built-in table management support and they use third-party applications. Purchasing an excessively expensive restaurant POS system will hardly be worthwhile if it is unable to successfully deliver a customized table management software. 

6. Reliable Customer Support Around The Clock

Getting the right customer support, at the right time, for your restaurant POS system will become the difference between success and failure for your business. Call the number for the help desk instead of calling the number for the sales department. Make note of how long the customer support takes to receive your call. Also, try to gauge the customer support’s friendliness and willingness to help you get the answers you need. 

The right restaurant POS system providers will never shy away from delivering the best customer support for all of their clients. This will also mean that you can rely on them if you fall into a hard spot with your restaurant POS system.