Restaurant POS Systems: Simplifying Operations in These 8 Ways

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Restaurant POS (point-of-sale) systems go far beyond taking orders; they allow operations to be simplified, which will improve the guest experience and make life easier for all employees. High-end POS systems can be accessed from tablets, laptops, desktops, and mobiles, making for a versatile infrastructure. If you’re still using big bulky devices that have been sitting around for decades, it’s time to put them into storage and invest in some new tech. Below, we’ll tell you how high-quality POS systems will simplify your restaurant operations.

Table Management Features

Many restaurant owners keep the same floorplan because it’s always been like that. However, keeping the same layout can start to feel tiring, and there might be an alternative that works better. The majority of high-end POS systems come packed with table management options, which let you create floorplans and see if they’ll work.

By looking at the floorplan, managers can gauge which tables bring in the most revenue, which is essential information for making the most out of foot traffic. When you make floorplan changes on the POS, you can view how the alteration will impact guest status throughout the day, meaning you don’t have to physically move tables.

Manage Inventory Easily

Restaurant inventory management is an essential part of smooth operation. There’s nothing worse than overlooking a low-stock item. When you don’t have items available on your menu, it creates a negative image for your customers. Fortunately, your POS system can save you from embarrassment by keeping track of all inventory. Depending on the POS, you can input costs to help you balance the books.

Having effective restaurant inventory management will allow you to keep track of underperforming dishes, which you can replace with alternatives. In some cases, you can order new stock straight from the POS, which will save time when you’re scrambling to meet deadlines.

Tableside Ordering

A notepad and paper have been a server's best friend for a long time, but it doesn’t compare to taking orders on a tablet. As well as looking trendy, taking orders on an iPad will make orders much more accurate and faster because there’s no need to travel through the restaurant and input and order.

The ability to take orders using an iPad will be a great asset to new starters, as they’ll have the entire menu in front of them at all times. If guests ask questions that they’re unsure of, new servers can search the iPad and find answers, without the need to call managers away from their work.

Easy Menu Planning

Technology is getting smarter, meaning modern POS will have intuitive menu creation functionality. On many systems, full-color pictures can be added to menus, which help staff sell products tableside. To make updates about discounts and promotions or change menu costs, the platform is controllable from a back-office system.

Finding menu items easily is essential, especially when you’re taking orders with speed in mind. Fortunately, POS systems allow you to group and categorize menu items, which makes life much easier for kitchen teams and food runners.

Simple Staff Management

Smooth restaurant operation needs to extend to your staff, who will benefit from smart scheduling features. However, putting in rosters and managing employee shifts can feel like a full-time job, which is why POS systems are on hand to make life easier. The best POS systems come with features like:

Labor tracking. Monitor performance, clocked-on hours, and labor costs.
Staff management. Keep personal details and set up personalized accounts for staff.
Theft prevention. Control instances of theft by restricting access to certain functions, like inventory, for certain staff.
Payroll management. Set staff roles and easily work out payroll costs.
Scheduling. Depending on your POS, it may integrate with third-party services to display roster details.
Activity tracking. See when your staff clock in, take breaks and clock out.

Use the CRM

Many POS systems now come with a fully functional CRM (customer relationship manager), which allows you to maintain customer details and get in touch if need be. Having this information on hand makes it simple to design loyalty programs based on visit frequency. You can encourage guests to engage with your loyalty program by offering a welcome reward, like a discount on a meal.

As well as launching effective loyalty programs, a CRM can be used to send out marketing material via SMS, email, and push notifications. Continuing with contact after customers leave is important, as it’s more likely to encourage them back into your restaurant.

Access Restaurant Insights

Most POS solutions will get to work creating vital insights, which can save you enormous amounts of time because you don’t have to figure them out manually. Accessing data helps you to improve many things. For example, if you monitor staff performance effectively, you can make informed decisions about staff training, which will help to improve guest experiences. As well as this, you’ll have quick access to end-of-day reports, which can help you make changes to daily operations.

Custom Payment Methods

Every restaurant operates differently, meaning they won’t all accept the same payment methods. The majority of POS systems allow payment methods to be adjusted manually using the back office. To choose the correct payment processors, it’s important to understand how your local demographic likes to pay and what rates and fees your business can afford.

If you’re using a high-quality POS, you’ll be able to integrate digital wallets including Google, Apple, and Samsung Pay. Additionally, PayPal works with most digital payment systems. By combining payment processors with a POS, there’s very little opportunity for errors including double payments.

There are countless components involved with running a restaurant, and it can become overwhelming to keep track of. Luckily, thanks to innovative technology and automation, the majority of POS systems act as an all-in-one solution. Your team can easily take orders tableside, which will put a smile on your guests’ faces. Additionally, your team will be working in a much more functional environment, allowing them to carry out their tasks effectively.

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