How to Choose a Restaurant POS: 12 Comparison Criteria and Common Mistakes

Define the operating problem first

Quantify order delays, checkout queues, entry mistakes, closing time, cost visibility, and multi-store reporting before reviewing products.

Separate requirements for floor staff, managers, accounting, and owners into daily, occasional, and unnecessary functions.

Twelve criteria to compare

Compare ordering, tables, split bills, kitchen output, payments, menu setup, permissions, analytics, accounting, multi-store support, incident response, and exports.

Model a three-year total including devices, printers, installation, setup, training, payment fees, support, and cancellation.

• Steps from order to payment
• Peak-period handling
• Required peripherals
• Data portability

When mobile ordering matters

It is more valuable for repeated-order formats, staffing shortages, and large dining rooms. It is less essential for fixed-course or recommendation-led service.

Test sold-out items, allergens, additional orders, split payment, and age-restricted items instead of only the happy path.

Analytics must lead to action

Time, day, item, and basket analysis only matters when someone reviews it and changes pricing, staffing, or the menu.

Partner material for Kantan Chumon describes detailed analysis. Confirm exports, date filters, store comparisons, permissions, and accounting integration.

Common selection failures

A low entry price can become expensive after necessary options are added. A feature-heavy plan can also fail when staff return to paper.

Subsidy deadlines can push restaurants into premature purchases or ineligible spending. Do not buy unnecessary functions merely because funding may be available.

Final selection process

Shortlist three products and use the same store scenario, question list, and quotation format. Include the staff who will enter orders and complete checkout.

Agree on KPIs, training, parallel operation, incident contacts, migration, and export procedures before signing.

Use a scored demonstration instead of a generic sales presentation

Give every shortlisted vendor the same operating script. It should include opening, item registration, modifiers, course or set menus, sold-out handling, table transfer, split bills, discounts, refunds, cash and cashless payment, kitchen routing, closing, data export, staff permissions, and network failure. Score whether each task is standard, optional, externally integrated, manually handled, or unavailable. Record the number of steps and the training required for temporary staff.

Commercial comparison should cover implementation, devices, printers, payment terminals, monthly fees, transaction charges, support, maintenance, replacement equipment, contract period, cancellation, migration, and data ownership. Ask for a written configuration and quotation that matches the demonstration. A low monthly fee is not automatically the lowest total cost when required hardware, additional accounts, payment processing, and support are excluded.

Require a short written response for every failed demonstration item. The vendor should state whether the gap can be solved by configuration, development, another product, or a manual process, together with cost, delivery time, and the party responsible for support.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Wiz — Kantan Chumon official page
• EMEAO! POS vendor selection guide
• EMEAO! POS vendor directory