Is a POS Really Worth the Investment?

Written by Justine Nightingale
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 08:00am CDT

With the global point of sale (POS) market growing at exponential rates, you may be wondering if a POS system is really worth the investment for your restaurant.

Because you are a customer facing business, and you want to provide the best overall customer experience to your diners, a POS system is a vital tool in your operational and marketing arsenals.

A POS system can help speed up your restaurant, meet your customers’ needs faster, and help your team work more efficiently.

In this article, we’re going to look at some of the reasons a POS is worth the investment. First, let’s define the POS system.

What is a POS System for Your Restaurant?

A POS system is a must-have for today’s restaurant owner. The point of sale system generally uses cloud-based software combined with hardware in your restaurant.

A POS system helps you manage orders and take payment with ease. Many systems also help you manage inventory, track sales, pull reports, do payroll, and allow team members to clock in. Some even have marketing features such as loyalty rewards.

Your new restaurant POS system is so much more than a cash register. It can take a lot of the work off your hands, combining many features into one system so you’re only dealing with one piece of software. (tweet this)

Now let’s look at some of the reasons a POS is really worth the investment.

You Provide an Improved Customer Experience

If you’re like most restaurants, at one time or another a customer has complained that they had to wait too long to order food or pay for their meal.

Those customers generally leave your restaurant disappointed, and some may not return. With a POS system, diners can take matters into their own hands. They don’t have to wait, and the customer experience is improved.

For people who dine in your restaurant, a POS is especially helpful to them. It shows your customers you value them and their time. What’s more, for those “regular” customers, a POS system can store their name, payment information, and their favorite meal.

And, with a POS system, you eliminate any errors on the part of your servers calculating payment and collecting it. Your diners do it on their own and can even tip through your POS system.

This makes it easy for returning customers to place an order and pay with ease.

You’ll also find another benefit as your POS will alert your staff when orders are up, so meals are delivered while they’re still hot. Customers are happier because their food arrives in a timely manner.

Along these same lines, a POS can also text your customers when their food or their table is ready. This helps you stay in contact with diners, again improving their experience.

Finally, a POS system may also come with built in loyalty programs. This helps you market to your diners and encourage them to return and dine with you again and again.

You Help Your Staff be More Efficient

By making the worthwhile investment in a POS system, you’ll find it takes some of the burden off your team members. How?

Your wait staff is quicker to take orders, and there is less chance of a mistake because they are using a tablet and not pen and paper. In addition, they can easily calculate tips and fees and run bills faster.

A POS system is also beneficial for your kitchen staff. They receive diners’ orders quickly and correctly. This means they can start processing meals in a speedier fashion. Ultimately, your customers get their food faster because kitchen staff isn’t waiting on your servers to enter the orders.

Finally, it’s easier for you and your team to track and manage your inventory because the POS system updates it for you as items are sold and used. You’ll find you throw out less food, and you prevent less food theft.

Bottomline, your POS system improves your return on investment (ROI) almost immediately with cost savings.

You Improve Staff Mobility

With a POS system, your staff has more time to take care of your customers. They are more mobile and not stuck in front of a computer placing orders and taking payment.

With a tablet in hand, or even their own smartphones, they can easily move around your restaurant helping customers right at their tables.

With better mobility and enhanced efficiency, you will realize the cost savings.

You Improve Your Restaurant

Another reason a POS is really worth the investment is because you can manage the back end of your restaurant.

With on demand reporting, you can see what dishes are performing well and which ones are underperforming.

You can also view employee performance and see who is delivering the best customer service and upselling the most items.

In addition, you can manage your inventory, so you never run out of anything and have less ordering mistakes.

Final Thoughts

Cash registers are things of the past. While they are nostalgic, and some restaurant owners may be hesitant to leave them in the past, it’s time.

A point of sale system moves your restaurant business forward. It helps you provide an excellent customer experience every time a diner visits your restaurant. (tweet this)

A POS system also helps you manage your daily operations and your team with ease and efficiency.

Lastly, a POS system’s ROI (return on investment) is huge. While you’ll lay out a significant amount of money to begin with, you’ll earn that back quickly. You’ll have happier customers, better customer retention, more efficient staff, and the ability to track inventory and payroll with efficiency.

So, what are you waiting for? Take the leap today and start using a POS system to grow your business and improve your customer service.

At Restaurant Engine, not only do we create great, responsive websites, but you can count on us to create a website that works right beside your point of sale system. Let us help you by creating the perfect site that draws customers in and helps you grow your business! Ready to take the plunge and create a new website? Get your free website consultation today!

Images: Chris Liverani and Jay Wennington on Unsplash