Back in the 1970s, IBM dropped the first electronic cash registers, changing the way grocers and other retail businesses manage their sales and inventory.
We’ve come a long way since then. Today's quick service restaurant (QSR) point of sale (POS) systems have evolved into sophisticated tools that not only track sales but also analyze customer behavior and preferences.
If you’re still using an old-fashioned, standalone cash register, you’re missing out on critical technology.
That's why we've identified the best QSR point of sale systems for independent grocers, focusing on affordability, ease of use, and scalability to simplify your decision.
Understanding QSR Point of Sale Systems: The Basics
A QSR point of sale system is a specialized technology solution designed to meet the unique needs of fast-paced food service environments. In the context of grocery stores, these systems are particularly relevant for managing "grocerants" — in-store dining areas that offer prepared foods and quick service restaurant options to shoppers.
Here are six reasons why you should consider using QSR point of sale systems:
- Improved operational efficiency: QSR POS systems streamline food ordering, preparation tracking, and checkout processes. They can manage both grocery and restaurant transactions, reducing wait times and improving staff productivity. These systems often include kitchen display screens, which improve communication between front of house and kitchen staff, ensuring orders are prepared accurately and efficiently.
- Enhanced customer experience: These systems enable faster transactions, support self-service kiosks for food ordering, and can integrate with loyalty programs. This leads to increased customer satisfaction in both the grocery and dining areas of the store. Customers appreciate the convenience of being able to purchase prepared meals alongside their groceries, with a smooth and unified checkout process.
- Better inventory and menu management: Advanced tracking prevents ingredient stockouts, reduces waste of perishable foods, and makes it easy to update menus and manage specials. QSR POS systems can track inventory levels in real time, alerting you when stock is low so you can reorder before running out. They also help you manage menu items more efficiently by providing data on which dishes are most popular. You can then adjust your menu and specials based on actual sales trends.
- Data-driven decision-making: Comprehensive reporting and analytics tools provide valuable insights into popular menu items, peak dining hours, and food cost management. With this data, you can make smarter business decisions. You can tweak your menu, adjust staffing levels during busy periods, and identify opportunities for cross-promotion between grocery and prepared food items.
- Increased competitiveness: Modern QSR POS systems let you add features like digital menu boards, mobile ordering, and tableside payment options. These features level the playing field. You can offer dining experiences and efficiency comparable to standalone fast-food restaurants and big stores that have their own eateries.
- Adaptability to changing market conditions: QSR POS systems often support features like online food ordering, integration with third-party delivery services, and mobile payment options. These features help you keep up with consumer preferences and dining trends.
Ready to look at some options? Here are five of the best QSR POS systems on the market. We’ve narrowed down our choices by focusing on systems that offer comprehensive features tailored to the needs of independent grocers.
1. Markt POS
Markt POS offers an all-in-one point of sale solution perfect for deli owners and grocerants. It’s designed to give you control over inventory, reporting, customer communications, and marketing. Our system combines powerful inventory management with specialized features designed to boost efficiency and sales.
Key Features:
- Efficient self-checkout: Reduce wait times with self-checkout options. A single associate can manage multiple lines, increasing throughput during peak hours.
- Advanced inventory management: Keep your QSR stocked and customers satisfied with real-time inventory tracking. Receive low-stock notifications and create purchase orders effortlessly so you never run out of essential ingredients.
- Cloud-based accessibility: Access your restaurant's data anytime, anywhere, with reliable cloud-based technology. Manage inventory, check sales reports, or adjust menu pricing from any device, even when offline.
- Flexible payment processing: Accept a wide range of payment methods, including EMV, debit, gift cards, and contactless options like Apple Pay and Google Pay. PCI-certified security ensures safe transactions for your QSR and your customers.
- Loyalty programs: Keep customers coming back by offering customizable loyalty rewards. Track customer preferences and purchasing habits to create special offers, discounts, and personalized experiences.
Pricing: Get a custom quote for your ideal hardware and software package using our transparent build and price tool.
2. IT Retail
IT Retail is a customizable POS solution tailored specifically to the needs of independent grocers and QSRs. Founded by a second-generation grocer, IT Retail has a deep understanding of the grocery industry's unique challenges and requirements. Their system combines powerful features perfect for the fast-paced quick-service restaurant environment.
Key Features:
- E-commerce integration: Easily connect with major online ordering platforms, allowing you to expand your reach and offer convenient pickup or delivery options to customers.
- Advanced inventory management: Use real-time inventory tracking to avoid issues like overstocking or stockouts.
- Back office tools: Use powerful back office features to organize items reaching low inventory thresholds, with printable reports sorted by vendor for easy stock management.
- Menu optimization: Use analytics to identify which menu items sell well and which may need to be adjusted or removed, maximizing your kitchen's efficiency and profitability.
- Performance analytics: Gain valuable insights into your QSR's performance with advanced reporting features. Identify top-selling menu items, optimize your offerings, and make data-driven decisions to improve profitability.
- Customizable touchscreen interface: Tailor the POS interface to your specific QSR needs, streamlining order taking and improving staff efficiency during peak hours.
Pricing: Get a custom quote using their online pricing tool.
3. TouchBistro
TouchBistro is an all-in-one point of sale solution designed to minimize wait times, maximize margins, and deliver a friction-free customer experience. It has several advanced features and an intuitive platform that helps increase sales, save time, and reduce costs.
Key Features:
- Line-busting handheld POS: Move queues quickly with a mobile POS system and integrated payments solution. Improve order accuracy by allowing customers to confirm their orders before sending them to the kitchen.
- Upselling prompts: Grow your average check size with automatic upselling prompts, encouraging add-ons and upgrades. Customize prompts based on menu items to make offers relevant and effective.
- Integrated online ordering: Reach more customers by accepting takeout and delivery orders online, keeping 100% of the profits without third-party fees.
- Menu management: Upsell with ease, manage on- and off-premise menus, and easily build and update menus from anywhere. Quickly adjust pricing, add specials, or modify menu items to respond to changing costs or customer preferences.
- Offline mode: Continue operations even without internet connectivity, allowing you to take orders, send them to the kitchen, and process offline payments. Ensure uninterrupted service and revenue flow during internet outages or connectivity issues.
Pricing: TouchBistro’s standard package starts at $69/month.
4. Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed offers a versatile and adaptable solution for food service businesses. It combines point of sale functionality with payment processing and management tools. This integrated platform is designed to meet the diverse needs of restaurants and similar establishments.
Key Features:
- Integrated delivery system: Connect with major food delivery apps like Uber Eats, Foodora, and DoorDash directly through your POS. Manage all online orders from a single screen, expanding your reach without complicating operations.
- Self-order kiosks: Equip your restaurant with self-service options directly connected to your POS system. These kiosks allow patrons to customize their orders, potentially increasing average ticket size.
- Kitchen display system: Improve order accuracy, speed up turnovers, and improve communication between front of house and kitchen staff.
- Multi-location management: Easily oversee multiple locations from a single system with cloud-based accessibility. Run built-in reports, edit menus, and manage employee permissions across all your restaurants effortlessly.
- Customer-facing display: Improve the ordering process with a screen that shows customers their order details in real time. This helps reduce errors and increases customer satisfaction.
Pricing: Starts at $69/month for their Lean package, with more advanced features available at higher-tier plans.
5. Clover
Clover is a reliable and efficient point of sale system for independent grocers and quick service restaurants. With features like real-time inventory tracking, customizable reporting, and integrated payment processing, Clover helps you run your grocerant with ease.
Key Features:
- Station duo POS system: Boost efficiency with a dual-screen terminal featuring a 14" HD display for staff and an 8" touchscreen for customers, perfect for high-volume QSRs.
- Self-ordering kiosk: Increase average ticket value with user-friendly kiosks that allow customers to browse, customize, and place orders independently.
- Kitchen display system: Seamlessly connect front of house service, online orders, and kitchen staff for improved order accuracy and reduced food waste.
- Online ordering integration: Expand your reach with commission-free online ordering, delivery management, and integration with third-party delivery apps.
- Robust back office tools: Optimize employee management, payroll processing, trend analysis, and accounting software integrations.
Pricing: Clover’s Standard package starts at $1,799 upfront, plus $49.95/month.
Invest in Your Grocery Store’s Future With the Right QSR Point of Sale System
Each of the five POS systems we've highlighted offers unique strengths, but they all share the common goal of empowering independent grocers like you to run more efficient, profitable businesses. By leveraging these technologies, you can free up time to focus on what really matters: serving your customers and growing your business.
The POS system you choose is an investment in your store's future. It should enable you to easily adapt to changing market conditions and consumer preferences.
As you consider your options, keep in mind that Markt POS stands out with its tailored features for grocerants and grocery stores. Our system is designed to help independent grocers level-up their store processes, from inventory management to customer loyalty programs.
Ready to see how Markt POS works? Schedule a demo today.
