Buyer’s guide
How to Choose a Restaurant POS System
Choose around the busiest real-world shift—not a feature checklist. Start with service style, order flow, kitchen communication, payments, reporting, integrations, and the support your team will need after launch.
What to know
Practical guidance for a clearer decision.
Map the guest journey
Document reservations, seating, counter or tableside ordering, modifiers, coursing, kitchen routing, payments, tips, receipts, loyalty, and online orders.
Test peak-hour workflows
Use a live demonstration to recreate split checks, voids, discounts, bar tabs, rush-hour order changes, offline scenarios, and manager approvals.
Price the whole system
Compare stations, handhelds, printers, kitchen displays, software, processing, installation, programming, training, connectivity, and support together.
Confirm the launch plan
Assign responsibility for menu data, cabling, configuration, integrations, testing, employee training, installation, and opening-day assistance.
Keep exploring
Connect the guide to your operation.
Merchant questions
Frequently asked questions.
What is the most important restaurant POS feature?
The most important capability is dependable support for the restaurant’s actual order-to-kitchen-to-payment workflow. The right answer differs for full-service, quick-service, bar, café, bakery, and multi-location operations.
Should a restaurant POS include payment processing?
Integrated processing can simplify checkout and reporting, but the processing rates, transaction fees, equipment, software, funding, and contract terms should be reviewed together.
Which restaurant POS brands can Epic compare?
Epic can evaluate several supported restaurant platforms, including Clover, SpotOn, Shift4 Dine, KwickPOS, SALIDO, Foodhub, Square, and other compatible solutions based on current availability.