Features of a Pizza POS System

The restaurant business is tough, and pizzerias are no exception. According to PMQ's 2018 Pizza Power Report, the number of pizzerias in the U.S. decreased by 75,243 from 2017 to 2018.  What we found after digging more into the data was those pizzerias that deployed online ordering and delivery technology were the ones that prospered.

To succeed in the pizzeria industry, you’ll need the right POS technology, data and analytics, and a knowledgeable POS provider who cares about the success of your pizzeria as much as you do. A pizza-oriented point of sale system includes the hardware, software and ancillary products needed to run a profitable pizzeria with a growing base of new and repeat customers.

Pizza Point of Sale Software

The POS in your pizza restaurant is the foundation upon which your entire restaurant management infrastructure is built—the central hub for all front- and back-of-house functions.

Plus, pizza restaurants have specialized operational needs, requiring solutions that are unique to the industry. These include:

• Pizza delivery support
• Driver management for pizza delivery
• Customized ordering options that appear the same online and in-store

Each of these elements must integrate seamlessly so data is shared with the central POS without interruptions. Having the right POS software will help you maximize profits and streamline operations. 

Pizza Point of Sale Hardware

A restaurant point of sale system is a comprehensive solution comprised of hardware, software, and accompanying peripherals.

Pizza POS systems typically include these hardware components:

• POS workstation
• Tablet POS
• Receipt printer
• Kitchen display system
• Cash drawer
• EMV reader
• Power conditioner
• Scales and barcode scanners

Interested in learning more about how to select the right pizza POS for you?

The omnichannel demand experienced by retailers has reached the restaurant industry. Customers want access to digital ordering channels and pizza delivery, in addition to in-store dining. To grant customers access every ordering channel, visit our e-book on Why Pizzerias Need an Integrated, Multichannel Restaurant Management System to Compete in Today’s Digital Dining Era.

Mobile App & Online Ordering for Pizza Shops

With everyone on-the-go these days, pizzerias are probably best-positioned to serve customers who need the ordering process to be easy and convenient. And as the pizzeria owner, you also need these features to all work within your POS, reducing both the likelihood of a mistake on the order, and the number of software systems you need to manage your pizza shop.

Be sure that you have a point of sale system that enables you to offer multiple ways to place orders with a consistent brand experience. Your brand is represented on the website where orders are placed, any mobile ordering app that you may offer, and the in-store experience.

Not only does the menu need to be the same everywhere, but so should the customer’s ability to customize each item. This increases the trust in your pizzeria and encourages repeat visits. You’re also more likely to increase the amount per purchase by offering these access points to ordering through the website and/or smartphone app.

You may be interested in reading more about this in our blog: Top Tips for Optimizing Your Pizzeria’s Online Ordering Experience for Customers.

Food Delivery Management in Your POS System

Delivery is simply a required service for most pizzerias. If it goes well, no one really says anything. But if the customer has a poor experience with their food delivery, it can impact repeat business and online reviews.

By using a pizza POS with built-in delivery management features, you can not only bring in additional revenue from delivery operations, but you can also make customers happy by providing a great experience, whether it’s with your driver or another third-party delivery service such as DoorDash.

With integrations for services like DoorDash built into the point of sale software, restaurateurs can offer on-demand delivery services and/or streamline existing delivery operations to accommodate for peak times, down time, and for expansion outside of the standard service area.

Experts say that it’s five times as expensive to attract a new customer as it is to retain one. Loyalty and reward programs that offer points, money, free products or coupons in exchange for purchases will build loyalty and keep people coming back more often. But how can you create and manage a loyalty program for your pizza shop?

• First and foremost, make sure your pizza point of sale software has a way to track customer data. This is critical. You need email address, purchase history and, if possible, a phone number that they have agreed to receive texts at.
• Determine what you’re willing to offer.
  1. Every 10th purchase the customer gets $X discount?
  2. For every $100 spent, they get 15% off their next order?
  3. Points system associated with purchases. Customers can redeem points for various menu items.
• Make sure your pizza point of sale software can manage the entire program. The POS needs to track purchases made on the website, smartphone app orders, and in-store purchase so that no matter how the customer places their order, they have access to their rewards.

Learn more in our blog: Key Advantages of a Personalized Restaurant Loyalty Program

The best pizza in town won’t save a poorly-run pizzeria. Ideally you will have technology in place that allows you to create a great customer experience, run the back of the house, track inventory and even provide insight into the profitability of each location. Believe it or not, this can be done with your pizza point of sale system.

Here are some management features and reports you should look for when choosing the right technology for your pizzeria: 

1. Restaurant reporting: A pizza POS system should give you on-demand access to sales, inventory, employee data, and customer information in real-time, allowing you to keep tabs on your business throughout the day. These systems also include a variety of reporting options that give you comprehensive intelligence by the shift, hour, day, week, month, or year.
   Whether you own one pizzeria or operate a pizzeria chain, comprehensive restaurant reporting functions allow you to see what’s going on in every location simultaneously. Automated reports enable you to keep an eye on key cost centers and revenue numbers, so you can make smarter, more informed business decisions.
   
   
2. Inventory management and reporting: Ingredient tracking functions monitor inventory levels and allow you to plan for ingredient reordering appropriately, so your ingredients for your most popular dishes never run out of stock. The best pizza POS can also act as a safeguard against shrinkage from overbuying or expiration, reducing the cost of goods sold.
   
   
3. Kitchen management: While this isn’t a management report, the kitchen display system (KDS) is one of the most important pieces of your POS. It streamlines food preparation, reducing order errors by sending the orders directly to the kitchen from every channel—in-store, online, or mobile app. Ensure that the KDS used in the pizza POS you choose will work well for your kitchen managers.
   
   
4. Menu management: It’s important to keep your menu and prices up-to-date at all ordering points. Pizza point of sale systems should allow you to make menu changes across all channels— including in-store menu boards, the website, and mobile ordering apps—at the same time, from a single location. If pricing and menu changes vary by location, you should have the option to specify which locations the changes apply to.
   
   
5. Labor management: The labor management feature not only allows you to have the correct amount of staff scheduled to work, but you can also gain insight into payroll reports and review labor budgets and forecasts.

Learn more about how your point of sale software can help you operate a pizzeria more efficiently by

Credit card processing can get complex. In many cases, the POS offers payment processing as an integrated feature. Whether you use their service or choose a third party there are important things to note before you sign a contract.

• Some credit card processing providers advertise a lower percentage rate to get you to use them, but charge a relatively higher fee per every credit card transaction.
  
  
• Other processors start off with a low rate, and then (in the fine print they will tell you that they’re going to) raise the rate dramatically over time.

In either of these cases you end up paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars in monthly fees. And that means less profit for your pizzeria.

There are also practical day-to-day activities that you’ll need to know how to use with your POS including chargebacks, batching , deposits. With these activities being critical for your cash flow, you can’t afford delays in their responsiveness.

You should also be sure the processor you choose meets the PCI- and EMV-standards. Without this certification, it can affect how much you pay for credit card processing for your pizzeria.

Read all the fine print too. Ask questions to make sure you fully understand the services you’re receiving. If you choose a larger merchant, and you are a small client that does fewer transactions, you may not get the same level of customer support/service as a larger company.

Digital signage is an interactive gateway that allows a business to communicate directly with a consumer, engaging them while they are in the pizzeria. Not only does digital signage encourage upselling and cross-selling, it minimizes the perceived wait time in-store, and alerts your customers to seasonal or time-sensitive promotions and offers.

The pizza POS system can facilitate these displays and automate them so they change automatically between menu choices, nutritional information, and daily or weekly promotions. This can be an effective and virtually-effortless way to advertise, which often leads to an increase in sales.

Learn more about how digital signage can increase your pizzeria’s bottom line in our blog: 3 Ways to Leverage Restaurant Digital Signage for More Income.

Would you like to see how this works in the HungerRush POS?

Look for a POS provider that understands the nuances of pizzerias and can offer the right solutions that will grow your business. Ask for references from other pizzerias in the area using the software. Visit or call them to ask questions about the features and functionalities, tech support, updates, and don’t forget to ask for a demo.

Purchasing a pizza POS system based on rock-bottom pricing alone is never recommended and often comes with unexpected fees and add-on costs. Choose a reputable provider with lots of industry experience and a good track record of being reliable and trustworthy.

Before you buy, ask the following questions:

• Do they have a team of developers that will continue to create quality solutions and products?
• Are software updates included? Are they automatic?
• Is there a support team available? What are their hours? Are they remote or local? Is there an additional fee for support?
• Do they have payment processing options and can you use a third party’s service?

A comprehensive pizza point of sale is worth the investment so that you can access all of the features needed to make your pizzeria more profitable. From the front-of-house to the back, mobile & online ordering, loyalty and rewards, and delivery support, your POS should streamline every aspect of your pizzeria, enabling you to provide a better customer experience and grow your business.

This essential restaurant technology increases profit margins and streamlines operations by giving you a new level of insight into your business. Whether you have one location or one hundred, using the best pizza POS and all of its features is an assured way to keep people coming back for more fresh, hot, and delicious pizzas.

HungerRush pizza POS can give you the tools you need for success. .

If you’d like to see how these features all work together in a single system, contact us to !