| The basic POS systems you may see on a typical | | | | Additional POS hardware to consider |
| retail establishment consists of a cash register (with or | | | | Cash drawers: Where you store cash, credit card slips, |
| without a built in cash drawer), monitor, receipt printers, | | | | gift certificates, and other imporatant things. When |
| and an input device. It can also be a touch screen | | | | looking to buy for a POS cash register, look for sturdy |
| monitors, programmable keyboards, or scanners and | | | | construction of at least 18-gauge steel. And since the |
| handheld devices for inputting data into the POS | | | | usable life of a cash drawer is measured, make sure |
| system. | | | | you can replace rollers, bearings, and other parts, |
| Touch Screens: Many restaurants find touch screen | | | | because most cash drawers opens when a signal is |
| monitors as more intuitive to use than keyboards, as it | | | | released from the receipt printer. |
| can reduce mistypes and can easily cancel orders | | | | POS printers: An addition to your restaurant POS |
| within a second, and because it provides flexible user | | | | system is a receipt printer, every retail business needs |
| interfaces and programming. Touch screens also uses | | | | one to complete a sales transaction. A POS printer is |
| less electricity and much easier to position on the | | | | needed in order to print a receipt and create credit |
| counter table, but they are more prone to breakdowns. | | | | card slips. There are two types of POS printers, the |
| Handheld devices: Restaurant POS equipment like | | | | dot matrix printer and the thermal printer. The dot |
| PDAs, which are commonly wireless devices that | | | | matrix printer uses ribbons and regular paper to print. |
| transmits data back to its base station and into the | | | | On the other hand, Thermal printers are slighly |
| POS system. You can use the newer version, which is | | | | expensive than the dot matrix printers because they |
| the write-on handhelds that allows you to write detail | | | | are more realiable, they have less moving parts, faster |
| such as the orders and sends them directly to the | | | | and quieter when printing. |
| kitchen! These types of handheld devices are perfect | | | | Customer displays: Also called the pole display. This |
| for your staff who interacts with your customers, | | | | restaurant hardware lets your customer view their |
| when up-selling desserts and drinks roaming around | | | | item and its price, and sometimes used to support |
| table per table. | | | | advertising. When buying a customer display, make |
| POS keyboards: Most grocery stores prefer to use | | | | sure that you check for the right height and width, |
| this type of POS systems, since they can program | | | | which will perfectly fit your counter table, and its |
| individual keys for specific item codes and prices. The | | | | compatibility with your POS software. |
| standard POS keyboard is a 101-key, like what you | | | | Check readers: If you don't have one, I suggest getting |
| will find with any computer. Others are small and flat, | | | | one now. This device helps you be preventing check |
| which we commonly see in fast food chains. POS | | | | fraud by verifying essential account information, saving |
| keyboards often has a built-in magnetic stripe readers | | | | you tons of profit. |
| for processing credit cards. | | | | Magnetic stripe readers: This piece of hardware is |
| | | | used to read credit cards. You can also purchase |
| Scanners: A very useful piece of electronic device | | | | keyboards and touch screens has a built-in magnetic |
| that reads bar codes, convert it and inputs its details to | | | | strip readers for convenience. |
| a POS system computer. Generally, it fastens a sales | | | | Fingerprint readers: If you want to limit which POS |
| transaction as well as accurately inputs product or | | | | terminal can a staff use, then this type of restaurant |
| service payment of a customer. POS scanners | | | | hardware can be handy. You can also use this for |
| connects through Y-connectors called wedges that | | | | employee logins thus preventing any of your |
| make them function as an extension of the keyboard. | | | | employees from logging in inplace of somebody. |
| Volume of customers: When it comes to serving | | | | Always rememeber when purchasing a restaurant |
| different volumes of customers, using this restaruant | | | | POS system, hardawre or software, you have to |
| hardware could be very useful. If your counter line | | | | make sure that you review their details first. It doesn't |
| holds several customers, your staff can easily use a | | | | matter how expensive or cheap a POS equipment is, |
| CCD scanner or entry-level laser scanner. If the line is | | | | consider the environment where you're going to use it. |
| loaded with customers, then an autosensing laser | | | | Regular cleaning keeps your keyboards and touch |
| scanners would be better. This type of scanner turns | | | | screens in top shape, vacuuming dust and lubing your |
| on when an item is placed in front of it, scans its code, | | | | receipt printer can extend its life and maintaining an |
| and then turn off again. But if the counter line is | | | | over all clean workstation can help protect your POS |
| overflowing with customers, you could sure use the | | | | terminal from dust and spills. You can always request |
| help of an omnidirectional scanner, where it can scan a | | | | for a FREE POS system quote online where local |
| bar code from any angle with its 15 or 20 lasers | | | | suppliers will provide you competitive price lists on any |
| simultaneously! | | | | type of POS terminal your business needs. |