The basic POS systems you may see on a typical retail establishment consists of a cash register with or without a built in cash drawer, monitor, receipt printers, and an input device. It can also be a touch screen monitors, programmable keyboards, or scanners and handheld devices for inputting data into the POS system.
Touch screen technology: Many retail business owners find touch screen monitors as more intuitive to use than keyboards, as it can reduce mistypes and can easily cancel inputted orders in milliseconds, and because it provides flexible user interfaces and programming. Touch screens also uses less electricity and much easier to position on the counter table, but they are more prone to breakdowns.
Handheld devices: These are restaurant handheld devices like PDAs, commonly wireless, that transmits data back to its base station. You can also use the newer version, which is the write-on handhelds that allows you to write information such as the orders and directly sends the oder to the kitchen! This type of device perfectly fit when up-selling customers of desserts or drinks. Your employee can either roam their tables or take orders from customers waiting in line.
Keyboards: Most grocery and convenient stores prefer to use this type of POS hardware because it allows them to program individual keys for specific item codes and prices. A standard keyboard consists of 101-key, like with any computer. Others are small and flat, which we commonly see in fast food chains. POS keyboards often has a built-in magnetic stripe readers for processing credit cards.
Scanners: This restaurant hardware reads bar codes and converts it before inputting it’s data to the POS computer. Generally, it speeds up a sales transaction as well as accurately inputs product or service payment of a customer. POS scanners are connected through Y-connectors called wedges that make them function as an extension of the keyboard.
Customers’ volume: For diffent types of volume of customers, using a scanner can be very helpful. If the counter line has several customers, your staff can easily use a CCD scanner or entry-level laser scanner. If the line is loaded with customers, then you’ll be needing the help of autosensing laser scanners. It’s a type of scanner that automatically turns on when an item is placed in front of it, scans its code, and then turn off again. But if your counter line is flooding with customers, then you could really use some help of the omnidirectional scanner, where it scans a bar code from any angle with its 15 or 20 lasers simultaneously!
Consider Additional POS
Cash Drawer: Where you store cash, checks, gift certificates, and other imporatant things. When looking to buy for a POS cash register, look for sturdy construction of at least 18-gauge steel. And since the usable life of a cash drawer is measured, make sure you can replace rollers, bearings, and other parts, because most cash drawers opens when a signal is released from the receipt printer.
POS printers: Every restaurant owner has them, every POS system needs one of course! A POS printer is needed for printing a receipt and create credit card slips. There are two types of POS printers, the dot matrix printer and the thermal printer. The dot matrix printer uses ribbons and regular paper to print. Thermal printers are slightly expensive compared to dot matrix printers because they are faster and quieter when printing, and they have less moving parts which makes them more realiable.
POS Customer display: Also called the pole display. This restaurant hardware lets your customer view their item and its price, and can be used to support advertising. When buying a customer display, make sure that you check for the right height and width, which will perfectly fit your counter table, and its compatibility with your POS software.
Check readers: If you’re still thinking if you’re going to buy one, now would be the best time to say yes! This little device can help prevent fraud by verifying essential account information on cheks that are presented by your customers. It can save you money and eliminate flushing money down the drain because of fraud.
Magnetic stripe readers: A simple piece of POS hardware that is used to read credit cards. For added convenience, look for POS keyboards and touch screens that has a built-in magnetic strip reader, so you don’t have to buy a separate one.
Fingerprint ID readers: This type of POS equipment is used to limit which staff can access a POS terminal. It is typically used by employees to log on to their designated stations.
Keep in mind when purchasing a restaurant POS system, hardawre or software, you have to make sure that you review their details first. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend on your POS equipment, keep in mind the environment where you’re going to use it. Regular cleaning can help keep your peripherals in tip top shape, to extend the useable life of your receipt printer, vacuuming and lubing would be the way and maintaining an over all clean workstation will definitely help your POS terminal from dust and spills. You can always request for a FREE POS system quote online where local suppliers will offer you competitive price lists of any restaurant hardware and software you need based on the the information you provide them. So you would never have to waste money buying the wrong POS systems.
For more information on restaurant POS systems or to have a local POS professional serving the restaurant industry in your location see more information at POS-For-Restaurants.com.
