Point of sale systems for restaurants and bars are necessary to conduct business. As restaurant technology evolves, it's important to keep your business up to date. A POS system that can do it all is essential. 

Whether you want to streamline restaurant operations or boost customer service, restaurant POS systems can do the trick. Read on to learn how to achieve restaurant success with POS systems. 

Point of Sale Systems for Restaurants and Bars

Point of sale systems for restaurants and bars are what keep the business running. POS for bar and restaurant features typically revolve around back of house and customer-facing amenities. 

Restaurant point of sale systems serve as the center point for primary business operations. Without such a system, numerous tasks could not take place. From accepting payments to tracking data, manual labor would be necessary. With this said, POS systems can help reduce a restaurant's labor cost. 

Over the years, the restaurant industry has gone through a digital transformation. Restaurants are finally able to multitask without risking work overload. In and off-premise operations can benefit from fully functioning point of sale systems for restaurants and bars. 

As you can see, point of sale systems for restaurants and bars can completely change a business. Now, let's dive into the POS features you should begin using now. 

Purpose of Point of Sale Systems for Restaurants and Bars

Whether you need a POS system for bar and grill functions, or strictly for a bar, there are many features you should be using right now. Throughout the remainder of this article, we'll cover five POS system features that can streamline your restaurant or bar. See below for details:

1. Process Payments 

Point of sale systems for restaurants and bars, and restaurant payment technology are synonymous. In order to conduct business, a restaurant must onboard a POS system.

When choosing a system, consider which payment processing methods you'd like to offer. Different systems can support various processes. So, this decision may depend on your customer profile. 

For example, you might realize that your customer base prefers contactless payments. In this case, a mobile POS system would be a valuable investment. 

Or, perhaps you experience a high table turnover rate, so you need something compatible with tableside devices. In this case, tablets would be ideal. 

Regardless of the platform type you choose, ensure that you can process secure transactions. All POS software options follow PCI guidelines. However, understanding data encryption and privacy policies is key. 

2. Host Loyalty Programs 

Punch cards can be a hassle when hosting a restaurant loyalty program. Luckily, point of sale systems for restaurants and bars can make this process easy. 

One of the most marketing-centric POS features is loyalty programs. After creating an account, customer data will instantly appear within the restaurant POS system. 

Want to know the best part? Cloud-based POS systems can sync data across chains and enterprises. This software allows customers to redeem points at any location. In turn, the convenience can result in a loyal customer base. 

In today’s fast-paced world, you need a solution that can be accessed from anywhere, at any time. In addition, it should scale as your business grows and enhance the customer experience. If you’re after such a solution, look for a POS system powered by cloud technology. 

A customer rewards program can take any business to the next level. There's no bigger incentive to revisit an establishment than to know you'll gain perks for spending money. 

3. Track Inventory 

It can be a time-consuming challenge to manually take inventory. Fortunately, point of sale systems for restaurants and bars can put this task on autopilot. 

As everyone's order enters the database, the POS system can track which goods are leftover. Think about it as the system deducting stock as customers purchase dishes. It's a feature that can save significant amounts of time and money. 

 Restaurant inventory tools allow staff to be more efficient. For example, related metrics indicate which items to prioritize. On the other hand, such data can signal risks of food spoilage. 

Inventory forecasting is beneficial for keeping a realistic budget, too. Wealth is health, so you want to keep these metrics as accurate as possible. 

4. Report Restaurant Data Analytics 

Did you know that point of sale systems for restaurants and bars can track analytics? That's right--as orders enter the system, staff members can monitor various metrics. 

Consumer data about best-selling dishes, least-selling menu items, and busy times of the week can allow you to plan in advance. Demand planning is the key to cost-efficiency and smooth operations. A point of sale report can grant restaurant managers with all the insight necessary to move forward with strategic endeavors.

The ability to track native analytics in real time is a powerful asset. Performance metrics will inform a team of what's working and which areas need improvement. 

5. Order Management 

Point of sale systems for restaurants and bars support order management processes. Customers place orders every day, and they're not all on-premise. So, find a system that can manage all orders. 

POS systems can integrate with off-premise solutions. For instance, we offer restaurants the ability to sync orders from third-party delivery apps within their POS platform. 

Online ordering apps take up a large portion of restaurant sales. The ability to manage and fulfill orders from one platform is crucial in today's restaurant industry. 

Omnichannel order management systems also sync orders across different locations. In the event that multi-unit data is important to a business owner, this kind of feature will be useful. Cloud-based technology gives staff members easy access to data. Plus, it allows enterprises to look at the big picture at a glance. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Point of Sale Systems for Restaurants and Bars

While searching for point of sale systems for restaurants and bars, it can be difficult to choose. Below you’ll find a brief recap about popular POS system topics. Read on to learn more! 

What Is the Most Popular POS System for Restaurants?

The most popular POS system for restaurants is Toast. It also ranks as one of the best POS systems for contactless payments. 

What POS System Do Bars Use?

Most bars use all-inclusive POS systems that can host numerous features. Offerings like touchscreen capabilities, loyalty programs, and dynamic pricing are all beneficial in bars. 

What Are Five Types of POS Systems?

The five most popular types of POS systems are:

1. Traditional POS System: A standard system with a cash register and barcode scanner.
2. Touchscreen POS System: A quick and efficient POS terminal that utilizes a tablet-like device to conduct transactions. 
3. Mobile POS System: These systems allow quick and contactless payment options. 
4. Cloud-Based POS System: When systems store data in “the cloud,” it becomes simpler to share data across multiple locations. 
5. Dedicated Server POS System: If your restaurant offers meal customization, this will probably be the best system. If not, know that these POS systems are complex and require the most IT support. 

What Is the Simplest POS System? 

The simplest POS systems are those with credit card scanners connected to a tablet. These systems require minimal POS hardware, process transactions quickly, and can send receipts via email. 

What Are the Two Most Common Operating Systems for POS Devices?

Windows and iOS are the two most common operating systems for POS systems. Both systems are user-friendly and compatible with different programs. 

Sales–It’s the Whole Point

Point of sale systems for restaurants and bars are essential. Without onboarding such a system, businesses are unable to process payments. 

The more features that point of sale systems for restaurants and bars include, the better. We offer an advanced suite of off-premise solutions that can help you scale your business. Book a demo today to learn more. We cannot wait to revolutionize your restaurant!