Find the Best Restaurant POS Software

What is Restaurant POS Software?

Restaurant POS software is a system that lets you manage restaurant transactions, generate receipts, take orders, and accept payments. This computerized system allows business owners to track sales, cash flow, food inventory and can help simplify your bookkeeping enormously.

Why Does Your Business Needs Restaurant POS Software?

The restaurant POS software has been called the point of service these days. POS software is not restricted to bill printing. It does so much more than that. Modern restaurant POS systems have become a food and beverage industry hub. It helps in completing the requirement of a customer. It has become a communication medium for the front and back ends of the restaurant.

The servers place the order from the restaurant's front end, while the order will be printed on the back end. The restaurant POS system is advanced, and many extra features have been incorporated into the latest software systems.

The primary strategy behind these advancements is to improve the customer experience and align the restaurant processes perfectly. On top of that, restaurant POS solutions are designed as cloud-based systems allowing easy access to the data whenever and wherever required.

Multiple restaurant POS system solutions include display terminals, credit card terminals, and receipt printers. Accounting and maintaining a general ledger are additional features of restaurant POS software. These restaurant POS systems also help financial management by keeping track of every financial detail. The restaurant POS software has become a one-stop solution for all the processes of a restaurant.

What are the Benefits of Restaurant POS Software?

1. Communication:

   Communication is the key to the success of any business. In restaurants, accurate communication between the waiter and the kitchen is mandatory. The best restaurant POS software will help in making this possible. The conversation is made easy with the help of this restaurant POS system.

2. Floor and Table Management:

   The foot traffic of customers in a restaurant is not a constraint. There are times when the restaurant is full of customers, and then there are days when there are just some customers. The restaurant POS software will help manage the tables irrespective of the rush and ensures that the customers get their orders without missing them.

3. Employee Management:

   Managing every employee, attendance, and log timings are pretty challenging. But with the restaurant POS software, tracking all the employees’ data will be possible without hassle. The best POS system for restaurants will help in employee management.

4. Inventory Control:

   The inventory management of a restaurant is a tedious task, but with the help of a restaurant POS system, it will be possible. The restaurant POS software will track the inventory management correctly so that the restaurant management can restock as soon as the stock has been depleted.

5. Cloud Access:

   The modern best restaurant POS system is equipped with cloud access, which is essential in business management. With the help of cloud access, data can be managed anywhere. This software is also provided with the option to integrate with various other software to provide the best-in-class performance.

6. High Return on Investment:

   It is an undeniable fact that you have to spend the right amount on the best restaurant point-of-sale software. But there is one thing about which you can be assured; it is the return on investment. Reliable POS software will help you in cutting down so many costs.

7. Secured Payment Processing:

Reliable restaurant  POS software will be equipped with debit and credit card payment methods. The software will ensure that the payment is secure and there are no problems with payment processing.

What are the Features of the Restaurant POS Software?

1. Speed and Easy-to-Use Interface :

   A POS system directly affects the restaurant's service, so it is essential to implement restaurant  POS software that is easy to use and lightning-fast. A minute bug in the software can give rise to huge problems and affect a restaurant's reputation in the market.

2. Reports:

   The restaurant  POS software will provide the owner with a lot of information to help improve the business. The decisions related to the restaurant must be made by considering some of the most critical analyses and details. Hence the best restaurant  POS system successfully provides such information to the owners.

3. Customization Option:

   Restaurants often update themselves regarding the menu or floor planning, so it is essential to have restaurant POS software that can be customized according to the requirements.

4. Automated Inventory Management:

   Inventory plays a significant role in the restaurant. The restaurant POS system will help manage this inventory as per the requirement. If you are searching for software to help you manage your list, you have to pick software that also offers an inventory management facility.

5. Customer Database:

   The best restaurant POS software will also act as a CRM tool. The restaurant POS software will store all the required customer data, which you can use to market your offers and gift cards.

6. Flexible Payment Method:

   Different customers come to a restaurant, and their payment modes will differ. Some go by debit or credit cards, others prefer cash payment, and some have gift cards. So it is essential to have restaurant POS software capable of accepting various payment methods without hassle.

What Things to Consider While Buying Restaurant POS Software?

A sound POS system is at the heart of running a successful restaurant. It provides a centralized platform whereby managers can handle inventory, customer service, billing, and much more, all in one place. 

Choosing a POS system best suited for your business can be pretty challenging. It is one of the most critical decisions as it directly affects the business operation for the next few years. 

With so many options available, it can get overwhelming. You must consider certain factors before opening a restaurant with a POS system. 

Keep these factors in mind while doing your research; you will have a list of shortlisted software.

1. Is the system easy to use? 

   The most basic functionality of any good restaurant POS system is its ability to create invoices, record and maintain customer detail, and streamline your restaurant’s inventory tracking. 

   While all systems should offer these features, not every POS system is created equally. 

   Every software has its interface and operating system. Choose the one that offers a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. It doesn't matter what features it provides if it doesn’t have an intuitive design. 

   The browsing experience of a user should be smooth to enhance their productivity. Besides, it will help save time spent on training new employees to teach how to use the system. 

2. Which features are necessary for your restaurant? 

   You must first figure out your particular requirements from a restaurant POS system. Define your primary purpose for using a POS system, which will help you narrow down the list of important features. 

   Select the software that offers all your required functionalities. Too many features will only get in the way of your staff managing their routine tasks and slowing down the application. 

   Plus, it will save you money. Here are a few basic essential features you should look for: 

   1. Inventory Management

   Look for a POS system that is more restaurant-centric. For instance, its inventory management system should be able to help manage dishes by tracking individual ingredients used to make them. It should allow you to bulk upload data about your ingredients, drinks, and other items. 

   2. Customer Loyalty Program

   Building a loyalty program is a great way to do that if you want to retain your customers. Invest in a restaurant POS system that allows you to include loyalty program tools. Whenever a customer makes a purchase, enter their details, and link their account within your loyalty program. Every time they order or purchase something, they will be rewarded.

   3. Reporting and Analytics

   You must understand your data to build and run your marketing campaigns strategically. One should also take note of restaurant pos system cost.

   The right reporting tools can help you analyze your restaurant performance and improve your operations. Some types of reports you may require are — increase in sales reports, employee reports, campaign performance reports, and more. 

3. Can it accommodate the changing demands of your customers? 

   When every business starts, they want to expand its operations eventually.

   It could be adding an extra service line (like a home delivery service) or opening new overseas outlets. The restaurant POS system should be capable enough to help you scale smoothly. 

   The right system will easily integrate with other software solutions. It should allow you to add new POS terminals easily, run multiple stores, and increase the number of customers.  

   Look for a system that supports multiple languages and currencies for global expansion. 

   Changing your restaurant  POS software every two years is not a feasible idea. That’s why the scalability and flexibility of the application should be your top priority. 

4. Is it mobile-friendly? 

   Another important factor to consider is the amount of mobility your restaurant needs. 

   Apart from recording sales and inventory data, a good system should allow you to access the information anywhere. 

   Traditional restaurant  POS systems would restrict your terminal access to the installed device only. But with the introduction of a cloud-based system, you can now access it from different devices. The plus point is that all the information is synced in real-time across devices. 

   The mPOS software should allow you to perform essential functions like placing orders, accessing customers’ full details, and accepting various payment systems. 

5. How is your vendor's reputation? 

   Every restaurant has its preferred workflows, preferences, and challenges. To begin with, you don’t want to pick up just a random restaurant POS software that you found cheap. Such vendors might offer no support after you have purchased the items. 

   The right POS vendor will help you determine whether a particular software will fit your needs. They will further help you with smooth implementation and provide adequate training to your staff members on how to use the system. 

   Even after you have installed the system, you need their active support during technical glitches. You will need post-sales assistance. So always look for the vendor's reputation before dealing with them. 

   Pick a company with a proven track record and excellent reviews about them. 

6. Will it keep your customer data protected? 

   If your customer data gets leaked, your business reputation can be at stake. They trust you with your information, and thus, you need to make sure that their data is secure. 

   Check with the latest industry standards and regulations concerning data protection and security. If the restaurant POS system meets the minimum qualification, you should only consider picking that up. First of all, the data should be encrypted. That means it should be unreadable by unauthorized users like scammers and hackers. 

   Second, it should be Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant. It is required to keep your customer’s card payment information safe. 

   If your customers don’t trust you with their information, they won’t do any business with you. Cybersecurity is very much required in today’s times.

How Does Restaurant POS Software Work?

1. Order Management:

   Gone are the days when the waiter would take the order from you, calculate the amount, and then give you a bill. With the restaurant POS systems, the order management process is entirely automated. The waiter has to enter the details of the food the customer orders into the software, and the software prints the receipt, including the taxes.

2. Preparation of Food and Beverages:

   Then the order will be automatically sent to the kitchen, and once the order is done, the chef will generate an explanatory statement that the request has been completed. The entire process is done with the help of restaurant POS software. In the bars, the bartenders are notified when the drink is ready and will collect the juice and provide it to the customers.

3. Menu Management:

   Every restaurant has a special menu, which is common, but when the restaurant offers some seasonal dishes, it will become hard for the waiter to keep track of all the details. This is where the best restaurant POS system for comes in handy. Entering all the details of the required meals in the server once is enough; it will provide the complete information whenever necessary without any hassle. The restaurant POS systems are perfect for menu management.

4. Recipe Management:

   The recipes for the dishes play a significant role in restaurants. Every restaurant needs to have all their dishes’ recipes in one place with the perfect quantities and other details. The best restaurant POS software will store all the recipe details of the dishes the restaurant is serving with comprehensive data of all the ingredients they are serving. Hence the restaurant POS solutions will help prepare the meal correctly without any fluctuations in the taste.

5. Inventory Management:

   For any restaurateur, managing the restaurant's inventory is a tedious task. Keeping track of inventory and replenishing ingredients as soon as they are over is essential. With the best restaurant POS software, keeping track of the list is straightforward. All the stock details in your restaurant must be entered into the software, and later the quantity can be deducted as per the consumption. This way, the amount will be up to date, and keeping track of them would be more comfortable.

6. Staff management:

   Managing the staff and their shifts is a hectic task. The best restaurant  POS system will help manage the team efficiently and keep a record of their changes.

7. Reservation Management: 

   It is tough for a renowned restaurant to manage reservations. A restaurant POS system will help in taking care of reservation management. It helps in deciding which table must be allocated and which waiter should be assigned for a reservation.

8. Reports:

   The main benefit of having the best restaurant POS system is that it will provide comprehensive insights into the sales, purchases, inventory, staff, and everything required in the decision-making process. The restaurant POS systems will help in making the entire reporting system easy.

9. Billing and Payments:

   The primary purpose of using a restaurant POS system is billing. The latest restaurant POS system helps to provide the customer with self-explanatory bills. It can also split the law among the members depending upon the seating. The billing and payments are more advanced with the latest restaurant POS solutions.

10. Marketing of the Restaurant:

    The best restaurant  POS system stores the information of all the customers who have attended, and it notifies them whenever there are any offers at your restaurant. There is no need for the management or marketing team to seek out each customer for their details. The software will take care of it.

Cost of Restaurant POS Software

The range for restaurant POS systems costs typically falls between $79 - $150 per month for software. In addition to monthly software costs, the hardware costs are a one-time fixed cost that starts at $799. There are many different types of systems and pricing structures. More expensive doesn’t always mean a better system, and less expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better value.

Types of POS Systems for Restaurants

1. Tablet POS system - Tablet POS system will eliminate all the hurdles associated with a traditional POS system. They come with free and instant updates; no maintenance is necessary every time you update the software. It will avoid delays associated with stationary terminals.
2. Online Ordering - Who would not love the convenience of placing an order online and then collecting it or having it delivered to their doorstep? Online ordering will improve order accuracy and provide a payment method that most customers love. In short a convenient and easy option for busy guests.
3. Mobile or MPOS - The most important advantage of a mobile POS system is that it will take the payments, no matter wherever you go. You can accept the payments at the tip of your finger, view them, and collect customer information while making payments. You can also ask your customers about the method by which they would like to have the receipt. It can be printed, emailed, or texted.

5 Best Restaurant POS Software

1. Top-Rated Restaurant POS Software for Business: Ciferon
2. Complete Restaurant POS Software for Online Reservations: Poster POS
3. Leading Restaurant POS System for Business Owners: LightSpeed
4. Best Restaurant POS Software in India: Revel POS
5. Best Indian Restaurant POS System with Online Delivery: TouchBistro