Whether you’re just starting the process of opening your own restaurant or you’ve been in business for 30 years, it’s always good to research what is new in the work of restaurant POS technology. The trick is knowing how to select the best POS solution for you, knowing what to look for, and how to compare it to other restaurant technology providers.
Build A Wish List
Start by deciding what feature you want to incorporate into your restaurant POS technology. Maybe you want at table ordering so you can allow customers to take their experience into their own hands. Or do you want kitchen display system (KDS) software to speed up your ordering process and provide quicker table turn times.
Regardless of the list you want, be sure to build out exactly what your needs are for your business before comparing POS solutions. This list will be the backbone of your comparison journey. You want to ensure your restaurant POS technology is working for you in the way you want it to work, not the other way around. If you have to conform to a basic POS system or one with too many bells and whistles you don’t need, you could be wasting time, money, and energy on something that is not profitable or suitable for your restaurant.
Look for Restaurant Technology With Customizable Features
Once you’ve built out your perfect tech stack, start reviewing what software providers have. Do they have all the features you require? Can they offer you customization to build out the perfect match to your wish list, or are they only able to offer the same stagnant package to all their customers? Ask about their best features and why they work so well, and see what reporting elements they are able to build out for you.
Don’t feel like any question is too little or too much. When you are looking for the right restaurant technology for your business, you need to ask the hard questions to ensure you’re getting exactly what you need out of your POS solution.
As A Service Options Offer More Flexibility
To help save on up front costs many dealers are moving towards a hardware, software, or solution as a service model: HaaS, SaaS, SolaaS. Ask providers if there is an “as a service” option or if you have to buy everything outright. This can give you insight into how flexible they are with their programs and how willing they are to work with businesses, regardless of financial capital.
Restaurants Need Robust Payment Options
Another element of your restaurant technology you want to look into is the method of payments that are available to you and your customers.
You want to make sure you are able to meet all customer needs as much as possible. Especially since 18% of consumers choose their restaurant based on if the establishment accepts their preferred form of payment.
Digital Payments
Approximately 67% of the U.S. population currently owns a smartphone and many of these customers would prefer to use this secured payment method over others. In general, about 81% of all of the money spent at full-service restaurants in the U.S. comes through cards and other digital means.
Ask your restaurant POS provider if you will be able to accept some of these payment options:
- ApplePay/Google Wallet
- EMV
- Tap To Pay
- QR Pay
- Traditional Cards
- Cash
Restaurant POS Comparison Tools
Now that you have all the information you’ve gathered from various restaurant POS providers, you need to be able to quickly and easily compare your findings to pick the best option for your business. Do you have the tools you need to compare POS solutions?
Start your comparisons by building out a chart of the materials you put on your initial wish list. Additionally in the chart, you will want to add all the providers you spoke with. Even if you know there is one you will not be going with, add it in anyway so you get a full picture of the work and research you’ve put into finding the right POS provider for your restaurant.
Lastly, mark off all the options each provider can offer you. From here you will have a full picture of all your options that you can use to determine which suits your wish list best and which has the biggest bang for your buck.
| POS Solution #1 | POS Solution #2 | |
|
Online Ordering |
✔ |
|
|
KDS |
✔ |
✔ |
|
QR Payments |
✔ |
|
|
As A Service Option |
✔ |
✔ |
| Overall Cost | $$ |
$$ |
At the end of the day, your solution should work for you in the way you deem fit. You should not have to conform to a provider’s way of working when your restaurant is so unique in its own needs. Compare restaurant POS providers and pick the provider that works best for and with your business.
