How to choose a POS system for your restaurant

Start with a normal shift

Follow an order from the guest to the kitchen and handover. Then see how the payment is recorded and paid out to the restaurant. Note three situations that create extra work today. Include what already works well too.

Sort needs into “must work from day one”, “useful later” and “not relevant”. This makes it easier to choose the features you actually need.

Write down your needs

Describe how you work and how many people will use the solution. Write down what the provider must demonstrate.

• Service: Do you offer table service, counter service, takeaway or a combination? Must guests be able to split the bill or pay when ordering? Do you need to add items to a table before payment?
• Orders: Where do they come from? Which add-ons must be clearly shown? How do you set collection times and mark items as sold out?
• Kitchen: Which orders go to which places in the kitchen? Who marks the entire order as ready?
• Payment: Which payment methods and terminals do you need? How do you refund guests? Which reports do you need to check payouts?
• Reports: Which figures do you and the person responsible for accounting use? What do the figures mean? How can you save them to a file?
• Access and help: Who can correct errors, issue refunds and change the menu? Who can help while the restaurant is open?
• Setup: What needs to be moved in terms of menus, reports, gift cards and unfinished orders? Who checks that everything is included?

Try the same tasks with every provider

Try a normal order first. Then try several dishes with different add-ons, a change after payment and an item that sells out. Follow the order through the kitchen, receipt and report.

Write “demonstrated”, “not demonstrated” or “to be clarified” beside each need. Ask to see that connections to other systems work with the services you use in the country where you operate. Clarify who follows up if a connection stops working.

Compare what you need

Quotes must cover the same number of locations, devices and necessary features. Check percentage fees, per-payment fees and terminals. Include setup and daily operations too.

Leave unanswered questions open. Do not replace answers with assumptions. This checklist does not rank providers. It helps you see whether the solution can handle the tasks your restaurant needs.