Blog

Why 'It's the Most Wonderful Time of Year' to update your restaurant tech

Restaurants need to take action to ensure they get the most out of the busy holiday season, and one way to do that is by upgrading their point-of-sale systems.

iStock

October 29, 2019

By Larry Sampey, general manager of Casio's System Products Division

Fall is in the air, and the holidays and winter months will be here before we know it. And while many think about getting great deals on must-have gifts during that time, restaurants are preparing to feed droves of hungry shoppers as they quickly move from store to store. 

According to the National Restaurant Association, the industry's sales are projected to reach $869 billion in 2019. But the competition for those dollars is fierce and like many businesses, restaurants need to take action to ensure they get the most out of the busy holiday season. There are tools that restaurants can implement now to easily and efficiently update their establishments. One thing they can do is update their restaurant point-of-sale systems and software. 

Consider this. A family comes into an establishment, has a great meal, sings the praises of the waitstaff, and has their check in hand, ready to settle up. Whether their waiter reconciles the bill for them, or they do it on their own at the host's stand, it's important that the last interaction they have with the restaurant is a positive one. That is a difficult task when the POS system is aged, dusty, and unreliable. POS terminals can be easily overlooked when making regular restaurant improvements, but it is one thing that is relatively inexpensive to update and can have a big impact. 

Open platforms are an open menu of possibilities for managers
In recent years, POS terminals and software have advanced to provide businesses with a variety of features and functionality that not only allow them to get the job done, but do it more efficiently. In particular, there are POS terminals on the market now that are Android-based which means they are an open platform for restaurant managers to customize based on their needs. As a result, managers aren't restricted to the type of terminal they can purchase, or the pre-loaded applications that come with it. Instead, they have the flexibility to download the third-party apps and interfaces that work best for their establishment right onto the terminal.

Some POS terminal manufacturers even provide a software development kit to POS software companies to ensure that their software runs smoothly on its terminals. During the busy holiday season when appetites are plenty and time is of the utmost importance, knowing that your POS solution is reliable and efficient is paramount.

New hardware means new functionality and aesthetic potential
To complement the open nature of new POS terminals, many come equipped with advanced design and hardware capabilities too. For example, newer POS terminals are now ergonomically designed in slimmer, more aesthetically pleasing cabinets. Not only does this increase the ease of use among restaurant staff, but it adds to the overall décor of the restaurant instead of detracting from it. In addition, these slimmer POS terminals are without some of the moveable components — including a fan or hard disk drive — that may cause issues in other PC-based hardware, therefore ensuring a more efficient store operation. Multiple ports allow for restaurant managers to connect to peripherals with ease, and a bright LCD touchscreen makes it easy for staff to navigate through the software quickly — even during those busy weekend rushes. Wireless and Bluetooth connectivity eliminate the need for all of those pesky wires that inadvertently trip up staff and sometimes shoppers. Some POS terminals even have a back-up battery so that data isn't lost in the event of a power failure and staff can pick up right where they left off when the power comes back on. 

Before the holiday rush is the perfect time to update a restaurant's POS system. By doing so now, managers still have plenty of time to train staff on the interface and get it up and running before the season heats up. New POS systems provide a cost-efficient way to keep operations running smoothly at a time of year when expectations (and sometime tensions) are at an all-time high, so now is the right time for owners and managers to make this upgrade.

Happy holidays!