Restaurant glossary
A POS is more than a cash register. It carries an order through the venue.
Staff take an order, record a request such as “no onion”, send clear details to the kitchen and eventually close the bill. A POS keeps that workflow from depending on memory, paper notes or chat messages.
One order
Five stages where details can be lost
Order
table, counter, QR or online
Kitchen
items, modifiers and notes
Handover
ready, collected or cancelled
Checkout
bill, discount and payment method
Report
sales, busy hours and popular items
If one stage still lives in a notebook, spreadsheet or chat, the system does not yet cover the venue's complete order workflow.
5 stages
from taking the order to reviewing the report
3 channels
floor service, QR and online orders
1 screen
a shared work queue for the kitchen
0 marketplace fee
charged by OrderNow on the venue's own online orders
In plain English
What does a POS actually do?
It is not simply a screen with buttons. It gives the service team, kitchen and manager the same version of an order.
More than recording a sale
A cash register records a sale. A POS keeps the table, item choices, order notes and handover details together.
Service and kitchen use the same order details
The kitchen receives the item, sides, allergens, modifiers and notes instead of relying on handwritten additions.
A report after the shift, not an investigation
Managers can review what sold, when demand was highest and which configured options appeared in orders.
Everyday venue work
Where does a POS help?
In the parts of the workflow where someone currently retypes information, adds a verbal note or remembers a detail.
A guest adds another order at the table
Without a POS
Staff write it separately or open another bill.
With a POS
The additional items stay with the same table, while the kitchen receives the new order details.
The kitchen receives a modified burger
Without a POS
The sauce, cooking preference or “no onion” request disappears inside a long note.
With a POS
The change stays with the relevant item, so the preparation team can see it clearly.
The manager reviews the end of the day
Without a POS
Counter sales, delivery data and other orders sit in separate places.
With a POS
Reports can group recorded sales by channel, hour, item and configured option.
An ingredient runs out during a busy period
Without a POS
Staff accept an order for an item the kitchen can no longer prepare.
With a POS
The item can be hidden from supported menus and ordering channels.
When it becomes useful
When should a venue stop patching the process manually?
A small venue can use simple tools for a long time. The trade-off changes when mistakes and additional orders consume time on every shift.
Staff return to a table because an item choice is missing.
The POS menu should guide staff through size, sauce, side and note choices.
The kitchen repeatedly asks what should be prepared first.
Orders should have a clear sequence, status and visible additional items.
Phone, floor and online orders are handled separately.
Supported channels should enter one order workflow without manual retyping.
Managers know the sales total but cannot explain what produced it.
Reports should show recorded busy hours, channels, options and menu items.
Before speaking to a vendor
Questions that reveal whether a POS fits the venue
A polished presentation is not enough. Ask the vendor to walk through a normal order, kitchen, checkout and reporting workflow.
Does an additional order stay with the same table and bill?
Do item choices and notes reach the kitchen with the correct item?
What happens if the internet connection is lost during a shift?
Can reports separate floor, QR, online and phone orders?
Who transfers the menu, and what staff training is included?
Can the venue begin with the POS and add KDS or online ordering later?
Fit
Different venue, different POS workflow
A restaurant, café, pizzeria and food truck work at different speeds. A workflow designed for table service may not suit a counter queue.
In brief
POS FAQ
Short answers to questions restaurant teams often ask before choosing a system.
Next
If you are choosing a POS, do not begin with the price list
First record where orders come from, where information is lost and what the kitchen needs to see.
Choosing a restaurant POS
Use practical workflow questions before comparing vendors.
Read the guideRestaurant POS costs
Compare subscriptions, devices, implementation and support.
Review POS costsOrderNow features
Review the KDS, QR menu, reports and direct online channel.
View featuresOrderNow pricing
Compare the current plan prices and included feature scope.
View pricingA realistic boundary
What will a POS not do for the venue?
A POS organises work, but it does not repair a menu, retain staff or create demand on its own.
It will not design the menu for you
The system can organise items, variants and extras. Margin, food cost and menu decisions still require the venue's judgement.
It will not retain staff on its own
A clearer workflow can shorten onboarding, but it does not replace sound organisation and fair working conditions.
It will not create customer demand from nothing
Direct online ordering and QR provide tools. The venue still needs a relevant offer, reputation and communication.
Want to see which POS workflow fits your venue?
We can review floor service, kitchen work, online ordering, reports and startup requirements, then identify what the venue needs first.