 | Picture 1 is
a display of the main screen. This screen has the current Time, Date and
Day. The option buttons for both server and manager are accessible from
here. The OPEN TABLE button allow
access to any table in the restaurant. The BREAKFAST,
LUNCH and DINNER buttons change the menu for those meals and
pricing database instantly. The SIGN IN button
records the server or anyone else in the database. This will record the
current time and date and day name to the database. The SIGN
OUT button does the same function as the sign in button but
will also record this employees sales (If any) and their tip summary based
on a predetermined percentage. (In this case 15%) The wait printer will then print a Time
Slip and a managers copy is sent to the remote printer. The MY
SALES button simply allows any server or manager to check a
employees current sales total based on closed tables. The server would use
this option if they are ready to cash out and are totaling their charges
and cash sales prior to actually cashing out. The TABLE
LIST button displays a chart of tables that are currently open
and active in your restaurant. The CALCULATOR
accesses the windows calculator. The BARTENDER
button opens a bartenders database full of printable recipes.
The MANAGER button
opens a password protected screen full of the standard managers reports
and functions. The RESERVATION
button opens a auto remind feature that lists all of the reservations for
the current day. You can also book reservations for the year and the
program will list and remind you daily on startup the reservations for the
current day. The CASH REGISTER button
is a feature that mimics a regular cash register. Some restaurants use
this as a bar POS that will both record food orders and handle cash, check
or credit card orders from the bar. This feature will handle basic cash
drawer functions and customer receipts.
|
 | Picture 2 is
a display of a open table form. The wait staff click their name and push
the table # to open the table. |
 | Picture 3 is
the actual table form. The first function is to choose the number of
customers in the party. The second function is to select from the menu
category buttons to display the sub menu items in that category. In this
example we have selected Pasta. We are ready to build our kitchen order
ticket. The manager button is there if a waiter(tress) needs to delete a
item from a guest check. This button displays the password box and once
the mgr. presses a button the item can be deleted. |
 | Picture 3- 4 shows
a 2top with a order of Manicotti Al Forno and Cappelinni. The Manicotti
person wants us to go easy on the garlic so our wait staff presses the
message button to send a text or numeric message to the kitchen. Once we
have added a message push the done button in that window and the message
is added to the kitchen and guest ticket. Once all of the menu items have
been added the wait staff pushes the send to kitchen button. When all of
the non kitchen menu items have been added such as beverages the wait
staff pushes the main "Done" button and the ticket is recorded
to a database and the open table stands by until it is opened again for
the addition of more menu items or closing the table. Once the wait staff
is ready to close a table they will push the "Close Table"
button and the guest check is printed to the wait staff printer. A copy of
this guest check is also printed to the second printer as a printed
record. The database is cleared for that table and the wait staffs name
and ticket $$ amounts are recorded to another database for the reporting
process. The table is now ready to be reopened. There is no limit to the #
of tables that can be opened at one time. Also note that the wait staff
has a number of options for modifying a guest check. There is a senior or
10% discount button, employee meal discount button and if your operation
adds a tip to party's over a certain number then there is a button for
instantly figuring the tip amount for that guest check. Also
there is a clear notes button that clears all of the non-$$ messages and
instructions from the guest check prior to printing and closing the table.
When the print guest check button is pushed a message box pops
up asking if you are ready to close the table. |
 | Picture 5
shows how easy it is to "Split" a guest check. When we started
writing this program we all had experience with other POS systems that are
very un-user friendly when it comes to splitting a guest check. This is
one reason our system handles this Med. volume restaurant with only one
terminal as the wait staff is not in front of it for more than a few
seconds performing any function. To split a check simply push the
"Split check" button and the whole ticket is reopen in a upper
window. The user simply touches the item he or she want to add to the
separate ticket and presses "Move selected". Once the new ticket
contains all of the items for this separate ticket the user presses print
split. The ticket is printed (With copy as before) and the window is
automatically cleared and ready for the next separate ticket. Once the top
main ticket is cleared the table is automatically closed and all is
recorded to the database. There are also "Undo" and options that
allow the addition of items from the menu in case something was missed.
This feature also allows the staff to add a tip based on your policy to
any check split or un-split. Every restaurant has a party of 8+ that may
qualify for a predetermined
tip but in some cases the party may want the total split into individual
checks. This feature allows the split check to add the tip directly to the
printed check. You can also
do the same for any check large or small. |
 | Picture 6
shows the Managers portion of the program. The manager is greeted with a
password screen as to keep non-managers out of the critical functions
available. Note all of the functions of this program are built to be used
by a touch face computer screen or a mouse or touch pad. There are built
in screen key boards for either function. |
 | Picture 7
shows all of the functions available to the manager. These functions are
pretty standard so take a look at this frame. We are going to add
additional functions as with any software application it is a continuing
process of improvement. There are 26 functions available for your security
and reporting. View open tables, View server
totals, Sales quick check, Delete server sales, Close no timecard reset,
Print sales backup, Open (view) sales backup, "Z" report, Reset
time cards, Servers (employees ) on time clock, Sales mix, Test printers,
Adjust touch screen, Close shift, Remove item (table order) Tax/user setup
(Tax rates, Guest check titles and addresses phone# fax ..., employee
disc. Tip rate and advertisements.) Edit menus, add/del servers
(employees), Deleted items report, Cash out, open cash drawer (No sale)
cycle tickets (find abandoned tickets or non-closed tickets), Auto cycle
(same as cycle but will print and delete.), delete order (prior to
closing...walk out or??), print sales report (List), close POS and
more..... |
 | Picture 8
Shows the User/Tax setup. This dialog allow the ability to customize your
guest check printout. Taxes, Category button names. Tip rate, Buffet
prices and……….. |
 | Picture 9
Shows how easy it is to edit add delete any item on your menus. Change
prices, categories, for any meal rite from your screen on the fly! |
 | Picture 10
shows the bartenders database. With all the new and old multitude of drink
recipes out there we decided to make a simple printable database for those
drinks a customer had in 1935 in the Congo. The bartender can add, edit,
delete, print recipes simply by touching the drink and pressing print. The
name, type, ingredients and instructions are printed to the printer
instantly. This can also record kitchen recipes. |
 | Picture 11
shows how your employees clock in. The process works like this, when your
staff comes to work they push the clock in button on the main screen.
Another screen pops up and they simply select their name from the list on
the left. They then press the sign in button and save. This records the
time card information to a database until the employee signs out. |
 | Picture 12
shows the sign out process. It is handled as above but when a employee
signs out any sales at that time are recorded as well as their tip amount
bases on sales and a pre determined %. A time slip is automatically sent
to the secondary printer and the employee has the option of printing a
copy for themselves. This data is retained until the manager opts to clear
it. |
 | Picture 13-14-15 Shows
the cash register portion of our POS system. It feels and works just like
a regular cash register. Most of our users use this for their bar where
both food and bar sales can be handled from one station. |
 | Picture 16
shows the cash out process. The cash out process is pretty straight
forward. The window only lists employees that have sales for that
particular shift. Simply select the employee that is cashing out and
record the $ amount of cash, coupons (checks and coupons) and charges. The
program will automatically re total the amount still out standing after
each input. The print receipt button will print a receipt and
trigger the cash drawer to open. Easy enough. |
 | Picture 17 Shows
the "Z" report it shows you details of the days transactions. It
will also print a standard "Z" just like a cash register. |
 | Picture 18 The
Reservation Database button opens a auto remind feature that lists all of
the reservations for the current day. You can also book reservations for
the year and the program will list and remind you daily on startup the
reservations for the current day. |
 | 23-26 Source Code Information |
 | Notes: Security
features: Delete reports, Items removed reports, Managers password changes
on demand, Second printout of all guest checks printed, Time card reports
and copies, Traditional Cash out reports and copies, Individual server
sales reports and lists. Sales backup in the event of power failures…..,
Cash Drawer option record “No Sales” “Open Cash Drawer” .01 misc,
Abandoned checks still in the system….. and more. |
 | How easy is it to use? |
 | Clock in, Open Table,
Enter menu items, Add speed notes, Send order to Kitchen, Done.
|
Come back after the Entrée and
Open table again add any items such as drinks, bar items or desserts, review
and print guest check. An average order takes a total of 10 to 25 seconds to
fully complete from beginning to end depending on the size of the party.
We will be adding a How to
Build My Own POS System very soon. We will also provide the know how to
add the software to an existing system.
Here is a picture of our typical system. It consists of a
basic PII or higher PC, 2 receipt printers, one touchscreen monitor, (Elo or
MicroTouch) Windows OP system. We have all of our equipment upgraded and
refurbished.
A few things to keep in mind when building your own:
Epson printers are essentially bullet proof and the drivers are available for
most any OP system. Plus we have seen these operate fine using 125 foot cables
to the kitchen. Using a flat panel LCD touchscreen monitor invites several
problems. 1. Kitchen grease is harder on these than the CRT’s. They are also
light so if not mounted to a counter or wall they are easily knocked over or
cracked. Using above a PII PC the system moves far too fast for your staff to
#1 understand what the system is doing or allows time to stop a process they
really did not want to do in the first place. Leave a key board and mouse to
allow the PC to be used as a regular PC such as word processing or internet
access. Also connecting multiple monitors to one CPU runs into some expensive
cards and programming. We have found it very cost effective to simply use two
systems if your establishment has more than 6 servers a shift. If your monitor
has a swivel base it can be placed in an area where you bartender can spin it
their way and back for your servers eliminating a second system or screen.
Look for details coming up for how to actually put
together a complete system from beginning to end……