In an era where sleek and simple tablet devices are everywhere, restaurant point-of-sale franchises and chains are also trying to follow suit. Tablet POS devices are not only easy for younger employees to use, but they also allow for self-ordering by consumers as well as prevent clutter on countertops.
But while operators are moving toward this streamlined ideal, restaurant POS systems usually contain the following:
- Terminal
- Cash drawer
- Magnetic stripe/EMV reader
- Receipt printer
Many fast-casual restaurants are staying true to the cashier-driven order process (versus the self-ordering kiosks) to maintain a personal relationship with the customer. According to research done in 2012 by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average age of workers in restaurants and other food services was approximately 28 years old. This indicates, more than likely, most of the cashiers tend to be of the touch-tablet era.
While operators have access to various modern and aesthetically appealing tablet systems for order and payment processing, and many of those have options for magnetic stripe or EMV readers, what about the other components?
Cash drawers
While many people are used to paying with credit and debit cards, there’s still a place for cash drawers. And while they’re meant for housing currency, they can serve a dual purpose as a platform to boost the smaller tablet terminal so it’s easier to access by the cashier and customer. Cash drawers provide functionality but can still add to the overall look restaurant operators are trying to achieve.
Receipt printers
Receipt printers are also available to coordinate with the tablet POS system. Some brands of receipt printers can be found in either white or black and may come in more functional and space saving ergonomic shapes. These types of products fit better into the newer POS system mix rather than the older, bulky POS printer designs.
Citizen Systems has found that front exit printing is key for keeping food and beverage spills or contaminants from getting into the printer. Citizen also discovered that operators want printers that blend ergonomically with the POS entire system; thus, having a receipt printer that is small—like the height of a standard cash drawer—allows it to sit nicely next to the system, stacked on top of the cash drawer, or even underneath the counter to save space. Size of footprint used by the printer and ease-of-use for the employee are the areas that products like the Citizen CT-S251 lead the way in the new POS system.
POS systems can absolutely allow operators to run a restaurant efficiently while still being aesthetically appealing. The days of the hulk-ish look for a front-of-house system are long gone or, at least in most restaurants, fading quickly. Now, restaurants can have an entire POS system that provides them the functionality needed while saving space, time on usage training and contributing a sleek, wealthy, high-tech look that adds to the overall appearance.
This post is sponsored by CITIZEN Systems