Having an effective POS system in a business is vital to improving the sales process, and other areas within the business which can be incorporated into the management system. Most of the off-the-shelf packages are aimed towards retail businesses. There are, however, systems for most industries, and there is some choice among the restaurant POS systems.
The restaurant industry has some industry-specific requirements from the software. Like managing food stock levels, tracking tips, taking card payments, and entering order details. If there is not a product available which meets all the needs of the business, there are a lot of companies which specialize in customizing software.
Here is a closer look at some of the features you’ll need to look for in restaurant POS systems:
Time management – The software needs to accurately track and log the hours worked by restaurant staff. This is especially important for younger workers following different guidelines, and will take into account breaks, etc. giving the option of running reports for management.
Tip tracking – There are IRS regulations governing how tips are managed, having an electronic system record it is good for auditing purposes and distributing tips.
Order entry – With a handheld device and a good POS system taking orders from customers is quicker, more accurate, and keeps a better record than the old pen and paper. The ordering system needs to be flexible, so any restaurant can adjust it to handle their own menus.
Kitchen orders – Once the order has been taken and entered into the system it should notify the kitchen; splitting the order into the appropriate meals and courses, with any additional notes specific to dietary requirements.
Check issuing – Modern restaurant POS systems issue the final bill based on the data entered during the ordering. It can suggest and process a tip in addition to the bill, and will calculate any change accurately. Having the facility to take card payment on-the-spot is an advantage too.
Recipe profitability – A good POS system will be able to cost various dishes based on the ingredients in inventory; producing reports detailing how profitable different dishes are.
Managing reservations – Managing reservations of available tables can become hard to follow and communicate to staff without a central management system. Using a system it is easy to track availability and when tables are free.
Inventory management – Receiving alerts when levels of inventory are low can be the difference between restocking food in time to keep dishes being made, and losing customers. Keeping an eye on food without making physical checks is a fundamental feature of restaurant POS systems.