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Published January 06th, 2017 by

What Is the Ideal POS Software for Restaurants?

What Is the Ideal POS Software for Restaurants?

The restaurant industry is very complicated. While most people think that it is all about serving delicious foods, it is actually more than just cooking. The restaurant business is actually a place where people are constantly reaching perfection. Just imagine the years of training and learning about cooking. Chefs have to endure hours of standing without breaks. That doesn’t stop there. Food should also be served in a very delicate manner. The waiter has to learn how to communicate with the customers. They have to act as if they are not there when serving the meal and they should know how to move in a certain manner. Also, the manager has to be polite or well-mannered. All of the things should be kept perfect, or at least, as near as they can get into perfection.

The point here is that restaurants should always strive to improve the quality of their service. It comes hand in hand with the taste of the food. It is not just about the taste of the food that a restaurant should excel in but every aspect of the service they provide must also achieve the maximum satisfaction of customers. This doesn’t only include the manner or method that they bring the food to the table. It is not just about managers talking politely but their service must also be swift and convenient for customers. And this is where the point of sale software comes in.

The point of sale software is becoming more and more popular amongst business. While it has started to boom in the retail business, there are others who have taken advantage of its capabilities. One of them is the restaurant industry and just like any other business, the POS system has been proven effective in boosting the productivity and profitability of their operations.

On the other hand, the selection process of PoS software for restaurants is tougher than other businesses. It can be considered as the most important decision that restaurants should make. There is no exaggerating if we say that choosing a point of sale system can make or break a restaurant business. If you are tasked to do the picking, you should be very careful about this stuff. Otherwise, you might end up compromising the whole operation of your restaurant.

There is a vast variety of options that you can choose from. So, it is going to be overwhelming at first. Of course, all of those software solutions have the same function – to process the payment of the customers. However, when choosing the best POS software for your restaurant, you should always remember that there are no systems that are the same. They all have pros and cons depending on the restaurant that will purchase them. That is because of the needs and situation of each restaurant. If you are planning to find the best restaurant POS software, you are not going to find it.

The reason for that is because there is no such thing as perfect POS system. So, the “best” should be replaced by the word “right” or “ideal”. You should look for the right POS software for your restaurant. That’s more like it. But the question still remains. How can you find the right POS software for your restaurant? Well, there are few things that you can do.

First, make a list of your needs and preference that you think would be effective for your restaurant. Second, read the reviews about restaurant PoS software. But be careful about your sources when looking for reviews because some websites can be misleading or fake. Many vendors are spreading reviews on the internet that are just for the promotion of their software. You shouldn’t engage with these kinds of reviews because it can confuse you in your decision making. With this, it’s highly advisable to visit CrowdReviews.com for honest reviews and latest rankings of restaurant POS software.

Now, the next step is reading blogs and article about POS software. This will give you some knowledge and ideas about restaurant POS software. Some articles are also giving tips on how you can make the right decision in the selection process. Finally, after all the times and effort that you have spent in your research, you must now proceed to the selection process. In this phase, you must pick at least three or more options. Within these narrowed options, you may now apply those that you have learned in your research. Whether you haven’t made any further readings yet, maybe you have already known the features of the POS software. So, how can you know if these features are a perfect fit for your restaurant? Here is some advice to help you with that question:

  1. System Adjustments in Real-time

Have you encountered a situation where you have to make necessary changes in the menu but you are not physically in the restaurant at the moment? A point of sale system that has a live system change feature can be a solution to that. It allows the user to operate the software anywhere with an internet connection. Plus, it can also be operated in any station in the restaurant. So, you can make updates in the menu or price list in real-time without even restarting the server.

  1. Multiple Users in the Same Terminal

The terminals can support employee logins. This allows the employees to operate the software in anywhere in the restaurant. This can be useful when a staff member is at a different station but has to make an action in using the POS software.

  1. Configurations in the Menu

There will be a time when you have to make quick changes in the menu. In this case, you cannot afford to have complicated software with multiple steps before you can create an item in the menu. So, the software should allow the users to create or adjust the menu within seconds without too many steps. In addition, it should also allow the users to make quick adjustments in the price of the items. An example here is when a group of customers wants to split the cost of the pizza. An advanced POS system can help in situations like this. It should be able to split the price proportional to the number of customers so that they wouldn’t have to calculate it themselves.

  1. Timing of the Food Preparation

If proper timing is the key to the foods you are serving, you may want to get a system that can hold a certain order until it’s time to release it in the kitchen. This is to give you control on the timing of the preparation and serving of the food. Often times, this feature is used by restaurants that are serving temperature-sensitive dishes.

  1. Adjustable Pricing and Schedule

Some software allows the users to adjust the price of certain items within a matter of second. This is a very important feature for the restaurants that are implementing “happy hours” or discounts on certain occasions. If these modifications in pricings are made, it will automatically flow to all of the terminals. Some systems also allow you to create a schedule for a certain discount. So, you wouldn’t have to repeatedly make those price adjustments every “happy hour”.

  1. Customer Database

Some restaurants offer rewards for their loyal customers. This is where customer database feature would be useful. This feature allows you to give discounts, credit card points, and other rewards to specific customers. The software should be able to store the history and previous orders that that customer has made. Using that information, the server can also create a “usual” button for those loyal customers. This features could also determine who was the most loyal or profitable customer.

  1. Online Reservations

In many restaurants, they are using another type of software provider to record online reservations from customers. However, the trend now is the POS system that can handle online reservations without a third party provider. Either from a call to the staff or just an online ping in the server, the POS system can automatically put it on the list.

  1. Online Orders

This is increasingly becoming popular for most restaurants. Many customers are fond of food deliveries. Thus, the convenience of using the internet to make online orders has added to this trend. Online orders can now be accepted directly into the POS software database. Unfortunately, only few restaurant point of sale software has this feature.

Yes, it is quite overwhelming to select the ideal restaurant point of sale software. However, all it takes for you to succeed in your quest is a little bit of patience and dedication. There are a lot of sources that can help you. One of them is the website of CrowdReviews.com. You just need to be diligent and willing to learn. Besides, if you’ll think of the end result of everything you’ve done, you’ll remember how important this task is.

Now, before you proceed to the selection process, never forget to check out CrowdReviews.com to learn about the reviews and rankings of the leading restaurant POS software in the market today. Good luck in your research.

Our rankings are completely independent, transparent, and community driven; they are based on user reviews and client sentiment. These restaurant point of sale software companies had to earn their way up and didn't just pay their way up.

View Rankings of Best Restaurant Point of Sale Software Companies