Choosing a POS system for your restaurant is one of the most important technology decisions you will make. The right system speeds up service, simplifies operations, and helps you understand your business better. The wrong one creates headaches, slows down your team, and costs you more than it should.
This guide walks you through what to look for, what questions to ask, and how to avoid the most common mistakes restaurant owners make when selecting a POS.
Why Your POS Choice Matters More Than You Think
Your POS system is not just a cash register. It is the central nervous system of your restaurant. Every order, every payment, every tip, every report flows through it. When the POS works well, service is fast, staff is confident, and you have clear visibility into how your business is performing.
When the POS does not work well, you get long lines, frustrated servers, inaccurate tickets, and end-of-day reports that do not add up.
The stakes are high, which is why it pays to be deliberate about this decision.
Step 1: Define Your Restaurant Type and Needs
Before you start comparing POS systems, get clear on what kind of restaurant you are running and what you actually need.
Full-service restaurants need table management, tab tracking, coursing, tip management, split checks, and kitchen display or printer routing for multiple stations.
Quick-service and fast casual restaurants need speed — fast order entry, line-busting with mobile devices, online ordering integration, and simple menu layouts that minimize training time.
Bars and breweries need strong tab management, quick-pour buttons, age verification prompts, and tip pooling.
Coffee shops and bakeries need fast transactions, modifier management (sizes, milk types, extras), loyalty programs, and sometimes mobile ordering.
Food trucks and pop-ups need portability, cellular connectivity, offline mode, and a compact hardware footprint.
The right POS for a food truck is very different from the right POS for a full-service restaurant with 200 seats. Start with your actual needs before looking at features.
Step 2: Evaluate the Features That Actually Matter
Every POS vendor will give you a long feature list. Here are the features that matter most for restaurants — and the ones that separate good systems from great ones.
Menu Management
- Easy menu editing — Can you update prices, add items, and reorganize categories without calling support?
- Modifier support — Does the system handle forced modifiers, optional modifiers, nested modifiers, and modifier pricing?
- Daypart menus — Can you automatically switch between breakfast, lunch, dinner, and happy hour menus?
- 86 items in real time — Can you mark an item as sold out and have it disappear from all terminals instantly?
Order Flow
- Printer and KDS routing — Can you send appetizers to one printer, drinks to the bar, and entrees to the line?
- Coursing — Can servers fire courses when the table is ready, not when the order is placed?
- Order modifications — Can servers easily void, comp, discount, or transfer items mid-service?
- Speed — How many taps does it take to place a typical order? Fewer is better.
Payment Processing
- Integrated payments — Is the payment processing built into the POS, or do you need a separate terminal?
- Tip management — Does the system support suggested tip percentages, custom tips, tip pooling, and tip reporting?
- Split checks — Can servers split by seat, by item, or by custom amount without a hassle?
- Fast checkout — How quickly can a customer pay and leave? Every second matters during a rush.
Reporting and Analytics
- Real-time sales data — Can you see what is selling right now from your phone?
- Labor reports — Does the system track hours, overtime, and labor-to-sales ratios?
- Product mix reports — Can you see which items are most profitable and which are underperforming?
- Cloud access — Can you check reports from home, or only from the terminal?
Staff Management
- Role-based permissions — Can you limit what servers, managers, and owners can do?
- Clock-in and clock-out — Does the system handle time tracking, or do you need a separate solution?
- Ease of training — How long does it take to train a new server on the system?
Step 3: Understand the True Cost
POS pricing can be confusing. Here is what to look for and what to watch out for.
Hardware costs
Some POS vendors sell hardware outright. Others lease it. Some include hardware in a monthly subscription. Make sure you understand whether you are buying, leasing, or renting, and what happens if a device breaks.
Software subscription
Most modern POS systems charge a monthly fee per terminal. This typically ranges from $50 to $150 per terminal per month. Understand what is included in the base plan and what costs extra (online ordering, loyalty, advanced reporting).
Payment processing fees
This is where many restaurant owners get surprised. Some POS companies bundle payment processing into their system and mark up the rates. Others let you choose your processor.
Ask this question: Can I use my own payment processor, or am I locked into yours?
If the POS locks you into their processing, compare those rates carefully. The processing cost over the life of the contract often exceeds the cost of the POS itself.
Contract length and cancellation
Some POS companies lock you into multi-year contracts with early termination fees. Others offer month-to-month agreements. Know what you are signing before you commit.
Step 4: Ask the Right Questions Before You Buy
When you are evaluating POS vendors, ask these questions:
- What does onboarding look like? Do they do on-site installation and training, or do they ship a box and point you to a video library?
- What is support like after go-live? Can you reach a real person on a Sunday night when the system goes down during dinner service?
- How often does the software update? Are updates automatic, or do you have to manage them yourself?
- Can I see a demo with my actual menu? A generic demo does not tell you how the system will handle your specific modifiers, tax rules, and workflow.
- What happens if I want to switch processors? If the POS only works with one processor, you lose negotiating power on rates.
- Do you have references in my area? Talk to other restaurant owners who have used the system in a similar operation.
Step 5: Plan for Onboarding and Training
The best POS in the world is useless if your staff does not know how to use it. Onboarding and training are where most POS projects succeed or fail.
Here is what a good onboarding process looks like:
Pre-launch planning. Your POS partner should meet with you to understand your menu, workflows, and pain points before any equipment is installed.
Menu building. Every item, modifier, tax rate, and printer route should be configured and tested before go-live. You should review and approve the menu before launch day.
On-site installation. Hardware should be set up on-site by someone who knows the system. They should test every terminal, printer, and payment device before service begins.
Staff training. Your team should receive hands-on training, not just a manual. Front-of-house and back-of-house staff need separate walkthroughs tailored to their roles.
Go-live support. Your POS partner should be on-site for the first shift. When a server has a question during a rush, they need someone right there — not a phone number to call.
Post-launch follow-up. The first 30 days are critical. A good POS partner will check in regularly, handle menu adjustments, and address any issues quickly.
At Cloud9 Payments, we stay on-site for the entire first shift during every restaurant go-live. We believe that real-service support is the difference between a smooth launch and a stressful one.
Step 6: Avoid These Common Mistakes
Choosing based on price alone. The cheapest POS often costs more in the long run through poor support, limited features, and locked-in processing rates.
Ignoring payment processing costs. A POS with a $50/month subscription but 3.5% processing rates will cost far more than a POS with a $100/month subscription and transparent interchange+ pricing.
Skipping the on-site demo. Screenshots and videos do not show you how the system performs during a real dinner rush. Insist on seeing the system in action.
Underestimating training time. Budget at least one full day for staff training. Trying to train between shifts or during service leads to mistakes and frustration.
Not reading the contract. Multi-year contracts, auto-renewal clauses, and early termination fees are common. Read every line before you sign.
Forgetting about support. Ask what support looks like at 8 PM on a Friday. If the answer is email-only or a help desk ticket, keep looking.
What to Look for in a POS Partner
A POS system is only as good as the partner standing behind it. Here is what sets a great POS partner apart:
- Local presence — Can they come to your restaurant when you need them, or are they in another state?
- Industry expertise — Do they work with restaurants regularly, or are you their first?
- Hands-on onboarding — Do they set up and train on-site, or do they ship a box?
- Processing flexibility — Can you negotiate your processing rates independently?
- Ongoing support — Do they check in after launch, or do they disappear after the sale?
Choosing a POS for your restaurant is a big decision, but it does not have to be a stressful one. Start with your needs, ask the right questions, and partner with a team that will be there for the long haul.
Ready to talk through your POS options? Book a free strategy call with Cloud9 Payments. We will review your needs, walk you through the best options, and help you make the right choice for your restaurant.