Choosing a POS Is One of the Biggest Decisions You'll Make
Your POS system touches every part of your restaurant: orders, payments, inventory, staff management, and customer experience. Choosing the wrong one costs you time, money, and sanity. This guide breaks down exactly what to look for.
1. Total Cost of Ownership
Don't just look at the monthly fee. Calculate the total cost including hardware, processing fees, add-on modules, and contract terms. A $60/month POS with 2.6% processing fees costs far more than a $29.99/month system with 0% processing.
Ask these questions: Is there a hardware cost? Are there long-term contracts? What are the processing fees? Are features like online ordering and loyalty programs included or extra?
2. Ease of Use
Your staff needs to learn the system quickly. High turnover in restaurants means you'll be training new employees constantly. Look for intuitive interfaces that new servers can learn in under an hour.
Test the system yourself. If you can't figure out how to split a check or apply a discount in under 30 seconds, your staff will struggle too.
3. Integration Capabilities
Your POS should connect with the tools you already use: delivery platforms (Uber Eats, DoorDash), accounting software (QuickBooks), and loyalty programs. Ask about native integrations vs. third-party connectors.
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4. Reporting and Analytics
Real-time sales data, labor cost tracking, menu performance analysis, and trend reporting should be standard—not premium add-ons. You need to know your numbers to make smart decisions.
5. Support Quality
24/7 support isn't enough—the quality of that support matters. Ask: Is support US-based? What's the average response time? Do they offer on-site help? Can they support bilingual staff?
SkyTab provides 24/7 bilingual phone support with an average response time of under 2 minutes. No chatbots, no ticket queues—just real help when you need it.
6. Hardware Quality and Flexibility
Cheap hardware breaks. Look for commercial-grade terminals built for the heat, grease, and chaos of a restaurant kitchen. Bonus points for portable options like handheld devices for tableside ordering.