Things You Need To Know Before Purchasing A Restaurant POS Hardware
The typicall POS systems you may see on restaurants and fast food chains are touch screen monitors, programmable keyboards, or scanners and handheld devices. Cash registers can be baught with or without a built-in cash drawer, printers can be dot matrix or thermal, programmable keyboards can have covers for spill protection and scanners can be a CCD scanner or an autosending laser scanner.
Touch screen technology: Many restaruant owners find touch screen monitors as more intuitive to use than keyboards, as it can reduce mistypes and can easily cancel orders within a second, and because it provides flexible user interfaces and programming. Aside from that, touch screens are easier to position in any counter and even uses less electricity, although, they can be more prone to breakdowns.
Hand held devices: Restaurant POS equipment like PDAs, which are commonly wireless devices that transmits data back to its base station and into the POS system. You can use the newer version, which is the write-on handhelds that allows you to write information such as the orders and sends them directly to the kitchen! This type of handheld device is perfect when up-selling desserts and drinks to customers either by roaming on tables or by approaching customers in line.
Keyboards: Most grocery stores prefer to use this type of POS systems, since they can program individual keys for specific item codes and prices. A standard keyboard consists of 101-key, which can be seen with any computer. Others are small and flat, which we commonly see in fast food outlets. POS keyboards often has a built-in magnetic stripe readers for processing credit cards.
Scanners: This useful piece of electronic device that reads bar codes, convert it and inputs its details to a POS system computer. Generally, it fastens a sales transaction and accurately inputs product or service payment of a customer. It typically connects through Y-connectors called wedges which makes them function as an extension of your keyboard.
Customers’ volume: When it comes to serving different volumes of customers, using this POS scanners could be very useful. If your counter line holds several customers, then its good to use a CCD scanner or entry-level laser scanner. If the line is loaded with customers, then autosensing laser scanners is the perfect choice. This type of scanner turns on when an item is placed in front of it, scans its code, and then turn off again. But if the counter line is overflowing with customers, you could sure use the help of an omnidirectional scanner, using its 15 or 20 lasers simultaneously, it can scan a bar code from any angle!
Other Restaurant Hardware To Consider
Cash drawers: Where you store cash, credit card slips, 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: An addition to your restaurant POS system is a receipt printer, every retail business needs one to complete a sales transaction. A POS printer is needed in order to print a receipt and creating credit card slips. The dot matrix printers, also known as impact printers, are inexpensive and uses ink ribbon to print on regular paper. While thermal printers use heat and special heat-sensitive paper to generate receipts. It is slightly expensive than a dot matrix printer because it prints receipts faster and more quieter. They are also more reliable because they have less moving parts.
POS Customer display: Also called the pole display. This restaurant hardware lets your customer view their item and its price, and sometimes used to support advertising. Before 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.
The Check readers: If you don’t have one, I suggest getting one now. This device helps you be preventing check fraud by verifying essential account information, saving you tons of profit.
Magnetic stripe readers (also known as magstripe reader): This piece of hardware is used to read credit cards. You can also purchase keyboards and touch screens has a built-in magnetic strip readers for convenience.
Fingerprint readers: This type of POS equipment can be used to limit which staff can access a POS terminal. Typically used by employees to log on to their designated stations.
Always rememeber 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 expensive or cheap a POS equipment is, consider the environment where you’re going to use it. Regular cleaning keeps your keyboards and touch screens in top shape, vacuuming dust and lubing your receipt printer can extend its usable life and maintaining an over all clean workstation will definitely help your POS stations from annoying dust and spills. You can always request for a FREE POS system quote online where local vendors 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.