Bar POS systems help manage inventory

Every business owner will benefit from the speed, accuracy, reporting, and overall efficiency of a point of sale (POS) system. But not all businesses have the same needs. While standard retail stores have simple, one-size-fits-all requirements, restaurants with alcohol, bars and standalone pubs and taverns have more detailed and complex needs. Bar POS systems have essential features for those businesses that can streamline operations.

It's important to note that there are hundreds of POS systems available. You should check with multiple vendors before making any purchase. Make sure the different system components work together. If you're buying a complete solution, confirm that it suits your needs. Don't be afraid to ask a vendor to let you try it out first. POS solutions require a significant investment, and you should make the system is exactly what you need.

Benefits of a bar POS system

As with other retail establishments, your bar or pub can benefit from a POS system. It enables your bartenders to perform speedy transactions, facilitates accurate inventory reporting, and provides security features that ensure the correct tab goes out to the right customers and you receive the correct amounts.

You'll also find that a good bar POS system enables you to track how much product your staff sells. This is particularly helpful when scheduling your best employees during the busiest times which can have the best result on your bar's bottom line.

Bar POS system features to look for

There are many useful features a bar POS system can offer that would benefit your business:

• Fast and easy transactions - While every bar point of sale system is different, there are certain features that may stand out. Since it's far easier for your customer to know that a certain drink or appetizer will cost exactly $4 (and not $4.26 to account for tax) you may want to look for a bar POS system that includes a bar tax feature. This automatically reverse calculates menu items to include any taxes. You can also alphabetize your liquor menu which can help speed up the number of drinks you sell and help you generate revenue more efficiently.
• Flexibility - Unlike other businesses, bars and restaurants have the need to keep open tabs. Since customers aren't done buying when they sit down, tracking multiple open tabs allows you to easily add more rounds of drinks to each customer's bill. A bar POS system can also track which tables are being served by certain bartenders or waitresses. This provides accurate reporting when you need it.
• Security - Few businesses do a higher percentage of their transactions in cash than bars and restaurants. This puts your establishment at risk for employee theft and shrinkage. A good bar POS system can help curb these problems by allowing for employee logins. An employee login ensures that each employee is ringing up transactions under his or her own name. Further security options can include the ability to use multiple cash drawers, one for each bartender on duty, to further isolate errors and pinpoint their origins. Using these security features, your establishment can tighten up its bookkeeping and keep better track of income.
• Accurate inventory - How much fun is reordering if you have to go through your inventory, bottle by bottle, to see what you need to replenish? Many bar POS systems include ingredient tracking, so you'll know exactly what liquors were used in which drinks. This way you'll not only know when it's time to reorder, but you can run inventory manually and compare what your system says you should have on hand versus what's actually behind the bar. You'll then be able to isolate instances of staffers over pouring drinks or stealing. You'll also want to look for a POS system that can handle comp tracking for those instances when your bartenders had legitimate reasons to hand out free drinks to customers.

Ready to purchase bar POS systems for your business? Submit a free request for point of sale system quotes, and get matched to multiple suppliers today.