Thursday, December 6, 2018

6 Tips on Buying a Point of Sale (POS) System for Restaurants

A seamless point-of-sale system is essential for a busy restaurant or food vendor to be successful. Below are six tips on buying the best POS system for your restaurant.

1. Credit Card Processor POS System

Not all POS software providers are also credit card processors, so you should become familiar with the differences. Your processor allows you to actually accept credit cards for various processing fees, while your terminal is just the physical component of the system. When looking for a POS system for your restaurant, determine whether you need a processor that has great POS options or just a POS system that is compatible with your existing processor. And if you are looking for a processor, it’s important to understand the different types of pricing structures, so you can make an affordable choice for your restaurant.

2. Don’t buy used hardware

Don’t go into your POS hunt by just looking for the cheapest hardware. Sure, you may save some money, but these devices may not be compatible with your desired restaurant POS system. Every POS program has certain requirements for its many components (cash drawers, printers, credit card readers). Instead, look for a great POS software that works with your business size and needs, and then begin shopping for the software’s recommended operating hardware.

3. Stay up-to-date with the latest payment technology

Almost all POS systems are now EMV compatible (so they can take PIN & chip credit cards) but not all are up to date with other new technology. Are you interested in accepting Apple Pay or Android Pay? Contactless NFC enabled terminals will make that happen. Do you want to stay up-to-date with the newest technology that will not only help you accept more forms of payment, but may also be a better investment down the road when these new technologies become the norm?

4. Size matters

Yes restaurant POS systems are not one-size-fits-all, but neither are restaurants themselves. If you’re a food truck business, you may value simplicity and speed over complexity. While inventory management and menu features are still important, you may not need the comprehensive system of a larger-sized business. Since your demands and budget depend on the size of your business, it’s important to look into different POS systems other than just the restaurant-industry best seller.

5. No leasing please

Even if you’re under a tight budget, leasing your point-of-sale hardware is not the way to go. Those monthly leasing costs will add up to hundreds of dollars more than the original purchase price. There are lots of different POS options to choose from to save some money, but general rule of thumb is buy don’t lease!

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