Choosing the right point-of-sale system is one of the biggest decisions you can make for your bar or restaurant. With so many options available, and with no two businesses the same, making the right choice can feel overwhelming. But like any major decision, it becomes easier when you break the process into smaller steps.

Think of this guide as a decision-making funnel. It starts wide, with lots of options available. As you progress, you’ll filter out options that don’t suit your needs. Eventually, you’ll end at the narrow end of the funnel—that one perfect POS. 

Types of Payments Accepted

The biggest job of your POS system is processing sales transactions. They don’t call it a “Point-of-Sale” system for nothing! If it can’t do this well, it doesn’t matter what other bells and whistles it has to offer.

A good POS system will make it easy to accept a wide variety of payment types, from ol’ fashioned cash to the latest tap-and-go technology. If you don’t accept certain payment types, you won’t make certain sales. And, as consumer preferences continue to trend away from cash and towards various forms of cards and chips, accepting a wide array of payments helps to future-proof your business as well.  

Ease of Use

Once you find a POS system that accepts all the payment types you expect (and maybe several you don’t, just to be safe) start evaluating how easy it is to use the software. A simple, intuitive user experience benefits your business in two big ways. 

First, it makes every transaction faster, which helps to cut down on wait times and avoid backups, keeping customers happy. Second, it means shorter training times for new hires. The quicker a new employee can get up to speed on your POS software, the more time your business is running at full strength.

Inventory & Schedule Management

If you have a POS system that can process any payment type and is easy to use, it’s time to start looking for ways it can help in the day-to-day operations of your business. Can your POS system help with inventory management, even automating some tasks? Can you use your POS software to manage your staffing schedule, track hours, and process payroll? 

This is where it’s also important to start weighing benefits and abilities against the costs of running the POS system. There are systems out there with the capability to do all of the things listed above, at a very large scale—but they’ll generally come with price tags to match. Make sure you’re not paying for features you’ll never use!  

Special Offers and Customized Incentives

A good POS system should certainly make it easy to do something simple like comp a dessert on someone’s birthday. But a smart POS system will help you grow your business. It can help create opt-in loyalty programs for customers, including customized offers based on sales history. If a regular customer doesn’t come in for a few weeks, why not send them an email offering $5 off their favorite meal, or a coupon for a free draft of their favorite pint?   

Mobile Capability

We highly recommend finding a POS system that lets you do all of the above from anywhere you want. Why travel to your office when you can just log in and set next week’s schedule from the comfort of your own couch? Even if you prefer being on-site, remote-working capabilities can make a big difference and save a lot of time and effort should something unexpected occur. A mobile processing system opens up the opportunity to be at events, and expand your reach even more. 

Your Budget

You should have an idea of your budget before starting your shopping process, but we don’t recommend making price a deciding factor until you’re ready to make a purchasing decision. That way, you’ll see what features a higher price tag will get you, and you can decide whether or not they’re right for your business. 

When considering the cost of a new POS system, you’ll want to account for hardware, software, ongoing support, and any sort of subscription fees or other service charges. And don’t be surprised if you find that some of the best POS systems offer many of these components for free!  

Remember that there’s no one single answer for “the best POS system.” It’s all about finding the right one to fit your business’s needs. Check out our latest guide on choosing the right point-of-sale system to learn about the biggest mistakes restaurants and bars make. 

If you want to discuss your restaurant’s needs or ask questions specific to your restaurant, feel free to contact us directly and we’ll be happy to help!