5 Restaurant POS System Features You Shouldn’t Do Without

You know by now about the benefits and savings that today’s POS systems can provide to a small business owner. But the game changes for those in the restaurant industry, where the business model is centered around making dining an event and not simply about the business-to-customer relationship. With the right restaurant POS system features, like data-driven menus, online and mobile ordering and payment options, integrated kitchen display systems, and inventory management, your restaurant can maintain organization and profit.

Data-Driven Menus

Building a menu is one of the most challenging tasks for a restaurant owner. Customers like new options from time to time, and some items on your menu will grow stale and need to be replaced with fresh options. Consider these tools when deciding on what features will work for and with you when equipping your restaurant’s menu.

What Data Tools Do You Need for Your Menu?

Readily accessible sales dataMobile-friendly, ready-to-use reporting with detailed customizationsPredictive analysis to determine the long-term impact of emerging trendsMenu designs compatible with your website and integrated with popular up-charge and order changes at the time of an order

An Online Ordering Site

Most restaurants have an online presence in some form that provides a glimpse into menu options. But many do not utilize their online presence in a way that allows customers to place online orders and to submit payment for their orders easily. This leads to restaurants missing the boat on contactless options and streamlined takeout or delivery options. Renewed interest in your brand and revenue can grow when these online best practices are included in your POS system.

Online Ordering Tools You Need

An online ordering website template that is offered by your POS solutions providerThe ability for your website to be seamlessly integrated into your POS systemCoordination for contactless, delivery, or takeout dining experiences while using your online menuAn automated process from website to kitchen to server without delaysAn online menu that can be updated instantly and be viewable from mobile devices

Mobile Ordering and Payment Options

You must have software and data housed in the cloud, and you will need an online representation of your menu. Mobile ordering capability should be considered a prerequisite for offering delivery options, as well as for building a click-and-collect strategy for curbside pickup options. This will also vastly improve tableside order accuracy and increase the rate of table turnover as everything is streamlined and organized.

Ideal Mobile Tools in Your POS System

A POS-provided mobile appNon-proprietary mobile devices, with iPad tablets being the ideal solutionQR-codes mounted on tables or near the front door for ease of contactless ordering and paymentThe ability to accept near-field communication (NFC) and digital wallet payments in addition to traditional forms of paymentOptions for digital receipts and invoices for added customer convenience

Kitchen Display System

Taking orders from multiple sources does no good if they get lost or confused in the process; employing the non-proprietary tablets and using them in conjunction with a kitchen display system (KDS) that is compatible with your POS solution is a winning combination. The most valued POS providers will already be a step ahead and will have developed a business relationship with a KDS provider that fits into your flow perfectly.

What Should You Seek in a KDS?

Perfect integration into your POS system for ease of useWireless communications to mounted devices in your food prep areasDisplay orders in real-time, turning food prep into an automated assembly linePaperless workflows from start to finishSimple one-tap design to keep staff focused on their work

Inventory Management Tools

Managing inventory is more than making sure you don’t run out of eggs. It is about knowing how many place settings you have or having the ability to predict how many meals can be created from a bag of flour. Restaurant inventory management must also be integrated into sales data and be heavily involved in the menu building process. This presents you with an accurate picture not just of what is sitting on your shelves but of how much waste can be prevented using POS technology.

POS Tools That Help with Inventory Control

Data integration for the building of complete, comprehensive reportsUnit-based tracking of ingredients that includes date monitoringPredictive sales information to help guide ordering, especially for promotions or special events, such as holidaysAutomated inventory tracking through sales and KDS dataFood monitoring alerts to eliminate waste

Apply Top Restaurant POS System Features to Your Business

To remain successful, today’s restaurant owners need to rely on concise cloud-based data. This gives them several options for maximizing their ability to reach customers through multiple sales channels and minimizing operational risks, such as wasted ingredients. These tools will also give you the ability to step out of your comfort zone and into new avenues of customer engagement that will broaden your brand’s reach.

The engineers at talech understand the challenges faced by restaurants. This is why we have designed our modular technology with restaurant POS system features in mind. This way you can enable new pieces of technology as your budget and growth allow.