Choosing a POS is one of the highest-stakes technology decisions a restaurant makes. It touches every transaction, your staff's speed, your reporting, and your ability to grow. Get it right and it disappears into the background. Get it wrong and it's a daily frustration.
Here's the framework we walk operators through.
Start with your service model, not features
The right POS for a quick-service counter is different from the right one for a full-service dining room with a bar.
- Quick service / counter: speed of order entry, customer-facing displays, and kitchen display systems matter most
- Full service: table management, coursing, split bills, and seat-level ordering are non-negotiable
- Bar-heavy: tab management, pre-auth, and fast reorder flows
- Multi-location or growth plans: centralized menu management and consolidated reporting
Write down your service model first. Every feature evaluation should map back to it.
Hardware: buy for your floor, not the brochure
Think about where terminals physically live. A cramped bar needs a compact footprint. A busy dining room benefits from handhelds so servers fire orders tableside instead of queueing at a terminal.
With Clover, for example, the Station Duo anchors a counter, the Mini fits tight bar spaces, and the Flex handles tableside ordering and line-busting. Match the device to the workflow.
Payment processing: read the whole rate
The advertised rate is rarely the whole story. Ask for:
- Effective rate — total processing cost divided by total volume, including all fees
- Contract length and early termination fees
- Rate lock terms — can they raise your rate mid-contract?
- Hardware costs — purchase, lease, or "free with conditions"
A fixed, transparent processing rate for your first two years is worth real money in budgeting certainty.
Offline mode is not optional
Your internet will go down. It will happen on a Friday night. Ask every vendor exactly what works offline: can you still take orders, process payments, and print kitchen tickets? If the answer is vague, that's your answer.
The questions that reveal everything
Before signing, ask:
- What happens to my data if I leave?
- What does support look like at 8pm on a Saturday — phone, chat, or a ticket queue?
- What's the total cost over 3 years, all-in?
- Who does the menu build and staff training — you or me?
That last one matters more than people expect. A great POS with a rushed implementation performs worse than a good POS implemented properly.
The local advantage
This is where working with a local implementation partner pays off. Instead of a call centre in another time zone, you get someone who comes to your restaurant, builds your menu with you, trains your team on-site, and answers the phone when it matters.
If you're evaluating POS options for an Alberta restaurant, we're happy to give you a straight comparison — even if the answer isn't us.