The basic POS systems you may see on restaurants and fast food chains are touch screen monitors, programmable keyboards, or scanners and handheld devices. Cash registers (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 screens: Many restaurants find touch screen monitors as more intuitive to use than keyboards, as it can reduce mistypes and can easily cancel 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 can be more prone to breakdowns.

Handheld 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 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 handheld device is perfect when up-selling desserts and drinks to customers either by roaming on tables or by approaching customers in line.

POS keyboards: Most grocery stores prefer to use this type of POS systems, since they can program individual keys for specific item codes and prices. The standard POS keyboard is a  101-key, which you will find 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 useful piece of electronic device that reads bar codes, converts and inputs its details to a POS system computer. It fastens sales transactions and accurately inputs a customer’s product or service details that is being purchased. POS scanners are connected through Y-connectors called wedges which makes them function as an extension of your keyboard.

Customers’ volume: For diffent types of volume of customers, using a scanner can be very helpful. If the line has 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 would be better. It’s a type of laser 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, an omnidirectional scanner would be the right scanner to use, using its 15 or 20 lasers simultaneously, it scans a bar code from any angle!

Additional Restaurant POS hardware to consider

POS Cash Drawers: 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.

Point of Sale printers: Every retail store owner has them, every POS system needs one of course! POS printers are used for printing customer receipts and creating 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. On the other hand, Thermal printers are slighly expensive than the dot matrix printers because they are more realiable, they have less moving parts, faster and quieter when printing.

POS Customer display: A customer display or pole display lets your customers know the price of the item they’re purchasing and some support advertising. You also need to make sure that your customer display is of the right height and shape to fit in to your counter table, as well as it’s compatibility with your POS software.

Check readers: Advisable for restaurants, fast food chains, hotels, casinos, and convenient stores. The check reader prevents fraud by verifying essential account information. By this, you are assure that every check in your cash drawer is authentic.

Magnetic stripe readers: A simple piece of restaurant 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 readers: Mostly this type of hardware is used for employee login. But it is very helpful to limit which staff can access a POS terminal and prevent other staff from logging in inplace of somebody.

Remember, when purchasing for POS systems, hardware or software, make sure to know the item first before heading to your local supplier. It doesn’t matter how expensive or cheap a POS equipment is, always consider the environment where you’re going to use it. Regular cleaning can help keep your POS terminal in tip top shape, vacuuming dust and lubing your receipt printer can extend its life and maintaining your workstation clean will definitely help your POS computers from annoying dust and spills. You can always request for a FREE POS system quote online where local vendors will provide you competitive price lists on any type of POS terminal your business needs.

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.

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