What Features Does a Restaurant POS Need?

Picking a basic POS system that works well for a restaurant is not as easy as it seems. On the surface, you know you will be ringing up items like meals and drinks, and it seems like even a regular old cash register could handle that. And it is true; restaurants have been using regular cash registers since James Ritty invented the “Incorruptible Cashier” in 1883.

But selecting a great POS system for your restaurant in 2020 is a lot more than installing a POS machine with a cash drawer. And it is also more involved than getting a retail pos cashier system. The same way POS eCommerce integration is also more than just a cash register connected to a website!

Restaurants (especially those that have bars) have particular needs that many retail businesses don’t have, that include:

• needing to take reservations,
• allowing for tips and donations,
• managing online ordering, curbside pickup, and store pickup,
• delivery driver routing,
• ability to take catering orders,
• special ticketing for bands or shows,
• managing tabs,
• loyalty POS programs,
• functionality to checkout at tables, and
• many other needs that are specific to restaurants!

A small restaurant owner may not need all of these POS features or others right away, but it is essential to consider the ability to grow in the future without having to start over. A cloud-based system like ACID, that is robust and scalable allows business owners the ability to get a system that is right-sized for them today but can grow as they grow. Nobody wants to pay for features and complexity they don’t need now, so a scalable system is the best choice for now and into the future.

Cloud-based systems do not require any investment in back-office hardware or software and are remotely maintained by the provider. The ACID Bar and Restaurant POS system comes with a fully functional eCommerce website. With a scalable system, businesses can purchase just the physical terminals they need now, such as POS registers or tablets, and then get more in the future as they need them.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking any retail POS architecture will work for your restaurant business. Choose a system that delivers for your specific needs.