Studying the Types of Input Devices: Restaurant Point of Sale Equipment
Point of Sale (POS) Equipment: Keyboards and touch screens
One of the first choices you will have to make about your point of sale equipment is whether to go with a touch screen or a programmable keyboard. Most businesses choose touch screens. The only market where keyboards are more popular is grocery stores, because it can program individual keys for specific item codes and prices.
Many of the available touch screens today are specifically designed by restaurant owners, it focuses more on meeting the needs of a restaurant that’s why they are more intuitive to use. They also provide more flexibility in the user interface and programming. You will find most touch screens today are all based on flat-screen LCDs unlike the traditional CRT monitors. While LCD touch screens are a bit more expensive (typically $600 – $1,000 instead of $400 – $500), they last longer, use less electricity, and saves up space. They also look much better. With both CRT and LCD displays, avoid “overlay” touch screens that are added on to regular monitors – these kind of monitors are prone to breakdowns, they can also add unnecessary complications to your computer systems.
When it comes to keyboards, some has the standard 101-keys model similar to any computer. Others are smaller, more POS-specific devices, such as the flat-panel membrane keyboards common in fast food chains. Often, POS keyboards come with built-in magnetic stripe readers for credit card processing. Most programmable keyboards usually ranges between $150 and $300.
It doesn’t matter which POS equipment you use, just make sure to take in consideration the environment where you would like to place it. Both keyboards and touch screens are available with varying levels of spill and dust-proofing.
Bar code scanners
POS scanners reads bar codes and sends the information back to the computer. They typically connect to the system through Y-connectors called wedges that make them function as an extension of the keyboard. It can improve the speed of transaction as well as accurately stores information.
Low-end scanners are made based on CCD technology. They can be inexpensive, but usually have a very short range – the item being scanned needs to be 1 to 3 inches from the scanner. In a typical retail setting, that should be fine.
Laser scanners, which use a beam of light to read bar codes, offer better scanning ability with the ability to scan at longer distances. Some laser scanners are “autosensing,” meaning they turn themselves on when scanning of an item’s bar code, and then turn off again. The omnidirectional scanners can send out 15 or 20 lasers simultaneously, letting you scan bar codes from any angle. And the top of the line are embedded scanners, which are omnidirectional scanners that are positioned below a counter, commonly seen in supermarkets.
Wondering what types of POS scanners to use when serving different volume of customers? If you do not usually have more than a customer or two in line,. A fairly constant flow of customers might call for an autosensing model, and very high volume businesses should investigate omnidirectional or embedded scanners. Their prices ranges from below 0 to 0 or more.
Handheld POS
One of the latest and clever type of input device is the handheld, wireless terminal. PDAs, which wirelessly transmits orders back to its base station. A great advantage this POS equipment can provide to a restaurant is that they increase the amount of time servers spend on the floor taking orders and interacting with customers, because it eliminates the need to go back to a terminal to give the orders.
Write-on handhelds: think about combining touch screens with PDAs, this tiny input device allow servers to simply write the orders down. Handwriting recognition software parses the order then sends it directly on to the kitchen and bar as needed.
Handheld terminals are more expensive compared to traditional touch-screen order terminals. However they can make up for the cost by up-selling your customers more desserts and drinks. When evaluating handheld terminals, make sure to take the “drop test” – units are rated for toughness according to how much they can take a fall. To find out if your business is a candidate for handheld POS terminals, compare multiple POS equipment vendors and check out their offered products and services.
For more info and free POS quotes or an online resource?
You may got to POS-For-Restaurants.com
The author of this article is the Vice-President of Customer Relations at POS-For-Restaurants with over 20 years of experience serving restaurants of all types throughout the U.S.