When it comes to your point of sales system (POS system), it’s important to choose the right one when opening your restaurant. As Connecticut natives, we’re no strangers to the many seafood restaurants that dot our shoreline. As we’ve learned more about each space and each restaurant, we’ve come to realize that some POS systems work better than others in this industry. That’s why we’re breaking down which POS system is best for a seafood restaurant, and what features to look out for.
Full Service or Quick Service Seafood Restaurant?
First off, it’s important to determine whether your restaurant is a full service or quick service restaurant. In Connecticut, there are a lot of seasonal, seafood restaurants that do very well. However, those restaurants will benefit from a different POS system than ones that are full-service, sit down establishments. Quick service seafood restaurants normally thrive during the spring, summer, and early fall. They’re known for creating delicious lobster rolls, fish sandwiches, fish and chips, and more. They’re normally casual locations that have limited (or outdoor) seating, and where you order at a window or counter rather than having a sit down experience. Needless to say, these locations don’t need as many bells and whistles on their POS system as a full service restaurant would.
What POS is Best for a Quick Service Seafood Restaurant?
When it comes to a quick service seafood restaurant, you’ll want your POS to have some specific capabilities. First, is your POS system easy to use? Secondly, can it be mobile (if needed) to deal with a fast service environment? Finally, does it have everything you need to track inventory and other, cost-saving items? For a quick service restaurant, we normally recommend Clover Flex or a Clover Terminal. It has all of the capabilities you need to track your inventory while serving your customers quickly and efficiently.
What POS is Best for a Full Service Seafood Restaurant?
Full service seafood restaurants require more out of their POS system. This is largely because there is more to track, including liquor inventory levels, timing for coursing, and reservations. With that in mind, a Clover system isn’t something we recommend if you want all of the bells and whistles that you need to successfully run your restaurant. Instead, we recommend OrderCounter, which has capabilities that are perfect for a full service seafood restaurant. OrderCounter is a hybrid POS system that provides the reliability of an on-premise system. In fact, it can continue to operate even if the internet connection goes down.
Conclusion
As you continue setting up your seafood restaurant, remember to keep logistics in mind. While food and service are important, you also need to have a way to take cashless payments. If you’re looking for help setting up your POS system, need advice, or are looking for solutions for your business, give us a call. We’re happy to guide you through the steps of POS systems, marketing, and other business services.
