Your hotel’s restaurant and retail outlets require a powerful platform that enhances guest experience and maximizes staff efficiency. Smooth, seamless operations are the key to transforming first-time visitors into loyal returning guests.
Your Point-of-Sale system (POS) should never be an afterthought—it must offer robust functionality like your other hotel management software. Here are 10 key considerations to keep in mind when evaluating a POS:
- Two-way integration with your PMS (Property Management System)
Your hotel POS must seamlessly integrate with your PMS. Your POS is more than just a cash register for your restaurant and retail. It’s a gateway to guest information and accurate billing. A seamless integration allows guests to charge meals directly to their room without hiccups, on the back end for them.
Dynamic integration makes it easy for staff to pull up an itemized receipt when closing a folio, rather than just seeing the total charge. This type of integration saves time for staff and helps answer any questions about their restaurant bill at checkout.
- Multiple service points
If your hotel has multiple F&B outlets— a breakfast buffet, lounge, poolside services, or room service—you need a system that can do it all. A centralized POS system simplifies reporting and streamlines operations. Look for features that can run them all, with centralized data.
The same system should also work in retail operations, like managing gift shops. Using the same system across every outlet ensures rolled-up reporting across your business.
- Comprehensive reporting for end-of-day financials
Numbers matter. A robust reporting system provides insights into peak hours, popular menu items, and staff performance. Armed with this information, you can optimize your offerings and enhance profitability.
A robust integration also makes end-of-day financials across the entire property easy. Send revenue data from your POS to your PMS to stay on top of your overall revenue production for the day.
- Self-service kiosk integration
Give your guests the ability to choose how they want to order and reduce staffing costs with self-service stations. A self-service kiosk is a standalone screen into which guests can tap their food order. The information is then passed along to the kitchen, and their meal starts without needing to wait in line or wait for staff availability.
- Inventory Management
To run your retail or restaurant, your staff needs to keep a close eye on what is in stock. Having inventory management in your restaurant management platform ensures that you reduce waste and stay on top of costs. In a robust POS, inventory can be broken down by dishes and by SKU numbers to account for retail goods. Look for features that work in a way that complements your existing procurement processes.
- Kitchen display screens
A robust restaurant system isn’t just for front of house staff: it runs the kitchen as well. With a cloud-based system, items ordered at the table are sent back to the kitchen with a few clicks of a button. They’ll then appear on kitchen-safe hardware that lets your amazing restaurant staff get to work preparing the meal.
- Guest management
If your restaurant gets busy, you’ll need a system that can manage reservations, storing data like party size, name, and contact number. Another key feature is the ability to create a waitlist and send notifications via text to guests when their table is ready. Don’t let your guests get lost in the shuffle!
Once guests arrive, the POS should have a customized, accurate map of your restaurants. Let your host stand easily assign seats and send that information to every server’s tablet.
- Menu customization
In addition to the ability to simply have and store your menu, your POS should be able to store and display specials based on time of day or days of the week, automatically show sold-out items, and display logos for quick ordering. Menu management in the front-end POS should make it easy for serving staff to answer guest questions and provide a streamlined, memorable meal.
- Part of a technology suite
Your POS should be part of a larger technology suite that integrates and manages your entire property. Your restaurant and retail should seamlessly sync with the system that runs your hotel operations, including bookings, revenue, and distribution.
Choosing the right POS system for your hotel’s restaurant and retail outlets is crucial for delivering exceptional guest experiences and ensuring seamless operations. A well-integrated, feature-rich POS enhances efficiency, streamlines financial reporting, and strengthens guest satisfaction—turning one-time visitors into loyal patrons.
By prioritizing key factors like PMS integration, multi-outlet support, inventory management, and security compliance, you can invest in a system that not only meets your current needs but also scales with your business. Ultimately, a robust POS isn’t just a tool—it’s a strategic asset that contributes to your hotel’s long-term success.