When everything is becoming digitized, why would you keep your restaurant lagging? The easiest way to automate and digitize your restaurant operations is by merely implementing a POS at your restaurant. Now, all the newcomers in the industry might not know what is a restaurant POS system is and how can it be beneficial for your restaurant.
What is a POS system?
A restaurant POS system is a fancy name for the system that accepts debit or credit card payments. Your POS is, in other words, where your customers pay for your Services. It can be at the counter, at the table, or even online. Modern POS systems track payments, receipts, inventory, customer and sales data, and can even help you manage your employees.
Otherwise known as the point of purchase, the cash register was traditionally located near the exit so customers could pay on their way out. As restaurants, and the idea of dining, have changed, the concept of the point of sale has changed with it, allowing for more freedom and flexibility in terms of where customers can pay – and where restaurants can receive their money.
In most restaurants nowadays, POS systems are the central processing unit for pretty much all information going into and out of the business. Every financial transaction is recorded at the point of sale, and your POS system can connect that information with your inventory, cross-reference it with your menu items, and produce detailed financial reports cut up in just about any way you can imagine.
How does a restaurant POS system help your business?
POS systems can help streamline your restaurant’s operations, and unify your restaurants front of house and back of house tasks in one easy-to-use system. POS systems can help with:
- Reservations
- front of house and back of house communication
- food preparation
- waste and theft reduction
- menu optimization
- performance reporting
Our POS restaurant management software does more than connect your front of house, kitchen, and back office. It helps you spot opportunities. Forecast trends, reduce waste, optimize staff management, update your menu in real-time, and boost customer loyalty in a single all-in-one platform.
Reservations and seating in your POS system
Taking reservations is one of the trickier parts of the customer experience: plans change, accidents happen, and sometimes your 6 pm party of four is a party of seven.
In the old days, restaurants would keep a paper book with reservations alongside a laminated floor plan to manage to the seat. By the end of your average Friday night, the book would be scribbled over and rewritten, and the floor plan would be so smudged with the felt marker you could barely make out what was a name and what was a table.
Modern POS systems can integrate your reservations from phone and online bookings, enabling you to swap tables, names, and times with ease. This takes the burden off your serving and waiting for staff when reservations cancel or change.
You’ll be able to make universal changes on one tablet or computer, so everyone can stay in the loop as to who’s sitting at a high top, what family is sharing the mozzarella sticks, and who no-showed their anniversary dinner.
POS systems and food preparation
Most POS systems are designed to track your inventory, as well as the ingredients used for each menu item. So, when your server types in “1 burger with no cheese, double pickles” your inventory will reflect those changes.
To stay on top of your food costs, you need accurate data that POS systems can provide, so nothing can slip through the cracks. If you’re not making enough money on an expensive menu item, you’ll be able to see it through real-time reports from your POS.
Additionally, many POS systems integrate with your inventory management system so you can streamline the process even further – that means when that double pickle burger empties your last jar of Vlasic, you can schedule an order immediately. In addition, data collected by your POS will help you evaluate discrepancies between your recipes, orders, and actual inventory, so you can identify areas of waste, theft, or where you can just get a little more efficient.
POS system and menu optimization
POS system is one of the most powerful ways that gives you data to optimize your menu. Traditionally, you’d have to keep an eye on how much people are eating, and alter prices incrementally to optimize your prices, menu options, and serving sizes.
With a POS system, you can whittle down weeks’ worth of work into a few minutes. You’ll be able to see preferred dishes, identify weak spots in your menu, and cross-reference it with sales data and food costs. You’ll remove all the guesswork and adjust pricing and menu order on the fly, making menu Setting less of an experiment and more of a science.
In addition, by pairing sales information with inventory and food waste costs, you'll be able to see which menu items aren't worth the money, and which recipes can be altered without rocking the boat.
POS system and Employee management
Most POS systems come with some form of employee management features, like tracking employee sales, activity and performance. This makes it easy to see which employees are your top earners, and which ones might require more training. You can use these tools to run competitions and reward your top performers.
POS system and customer management
With the help of restaurant POS, you can centrally manage your complete customer database. In the case of multiple outlets, you can have a central database of customers and segment the customers based on their geography, ordering behaviour and history.
Loyalty programs are a great way to increase customer retention. Integrated with the CRM, you can run customized Loyalty Programs and target customers better.
POS system and reporting
Many a time you might be unable to visit your restaurant physically. However, this doesn't mean that you have to be dependent on your restaurant manager for the sales reports. Your restaurant POS system generates reports, but since the depth of reporting varies, you'll want one with the right analytics for your business. Will you need basic reports for sales per hour, inventory management, or other metrics? The customizable reports allow you to filter data by date range and other factors. also want POS system allows you to customize how the data is presented and schedule automatic reports to be emailed to you.
In addition to the above, the IBS POS system has the following features.
- it will ease your billing operation
- it will allow you to have tight control over your stock & inventory
- It will Help You Manage Multiple Outlets
- It will receive real-time reports from the tour restaurant POS system
- It will track the movement of couriers
- It will define the sales hall in a wizard environment
- It will allow waiters to place orders via tablet
- It will be able to order from touch screen devices
- Having an online sales site and application
You must always use a restaurant POS that is flexible enough, and the new technological innovations can be integrated easily. This will ensure that your restaurant is updated and is not running behind your competitors in the market.