As more restaurants turn to tablet solutions, we’re seeing an increase in the number of owners and managers who are considering the transition from a stationary POS terminal to a mobile solution. Here are four questions you should ask before taking the plunge into tablet POS.

1.  Should we buy, rent, or use our own equipment?

This depends on the nature of your business. There are advantages and disadvantages to each option. If you choose to buy your hardware, you pay more upfront, but then you’re done with that expense.

Leasing makes more sense for a business that only needs the equipment for a short time (i.g., a pop-up store, special event, etc.) Leasing is also a good option for start-ups that don’t want to front a lot of cash for a restaurant point of sale. If your funds are limited, leasing might be a good way to go.

Using your own equipment is a great idea if your hardware is relatively new. Most re

staurant mobile POS software packages require a newer operating system to run at maximum efficiency, so if your tablet is more than a few years old or collecting dust in the basement, it may need updated before you can start using it.

2. Should we use a standard or custom solution?

Again, that depends. If your business handles standard transactions and your municipality has no complicated tax laws, you can probably use a standard, out-of-the box mobile solution. But if your town or state requires special taxes (for example, the soda tax in California), or you want to accept coupons or implement a loyalty plan, you may need some customizations done to ensure your business is in compliance.

3. Who is going to host, manage and process payments?

If you opt to purchase your restaurant mobile POS solution from an established vendor, they can give you a list of processors they work with. Remember, there’s usually a caveat emptor if you want to work with a company offering a “free” POS.  Although you aren’t required to lay out any money up front, you’ll be locked into their processor for a number of years. If you choose your own processor, you can negotiate the rate, whereas the “free” POS may end up costing you more in the long run. Remember, nothing is ever free.

4. What are the transaction costs?

Some mobile POS vendors offer a flat, fixed rate per transaction. This is great if you sell a lot of high-ticket items, but it’s probably not the best option for a restaurant. If you own a coffee shop or a quick service restaurant where most transactions are between $10 – $20, it makes more sense for you to shop around for a vendor that will charge you a percentage of each sale.

At pcAmerica, we believe in mobile POS technology and have seen first-hand the benefits that this platform provides. A mobile solution means less waiting for everyone involved: diners wait less time for tables, receive their meals faster, and pay the check right at the table without the common back-and-forth to deliver the check, pick up the payment and then return with the change or credit card slip.  Servers will spend less time waiting to input orders into a stationary POS terminal and will turn tables faster, allowing for a higher level of service, more tips, and overall higher profit margins for the restaurant.

Restaurant Pro Express Mobile is ideal for a variety of hospitality environments including restaurants, bars, nightclubs, stadiums or any environment where wireless POS capability is needed. Using Restaurant Express Mobile, business owners will find all of the features they expect on a stationary point of sale terminal on an Apple® iPod touch® or iPhone®.

For more information about integrating Restaurant Pro Express Mobile with your current system, please contact a pcAmerica account manager at 1-800-722-6374.