The Best Examples of Restaurant POS Systems

If you’re looking for examples of POS systems in action, it makes sense to start with the country’s most successful restaurant chains. After all, big operations such as these require the very best restaurant POS systems to streamline their services and improve customer retention. Learning what systems top companies use now will help you prepare for the future expansion of your business.

Or, you may just be curious about what POS systems goliaths like Starbucks, Burger King, and KFC use. Either way, we’ve got the answers here in this article, which includes a detailed list of the US’s leading restaurant chains’ chosen POS systems and their respective features.

Since most big franchises use custom-made POS systems, it’s likely they won’t suit the average US restaurant business. So, if you need help finding the best POS systems for your business, we’ve got a few suggestions:

Working in the Food & Beverage Industry? Don’t miss Expert Market’s exclusive industry report – sponsored by Toast – exploring today’s challenges and future predictions.

Restaurant POS Systems Examples

Here are some examples of POS systems used by restaurant chains in the US. Scroll on to the next section to find out why Starbucks, KFC, Subway, and Burger King picked their systems.

• Starbucks: Oracle Simphony
• Burger King: Brink PO by ParTech
• KFC: Poseidon (Yum!’s proprietary system)
• Subway: Custom-made POS by Scoresby International
• iHOP: TRAY POS
• Chipotle: Aloha POS
• Five Guys: Lightspeed Restaurant

What Point of Sale System Does Starbucks Use?

Starbucks uses Oracle Simphony as its POS system, since it requires a heavy duty system that has the capacity to grow with them.

Oracle’s POS system is more than just a means for customers to pay for their coffee. It’s a data collection center, providing Starbucks with all the information it needs to make intelligent business decisions. Whether it’s recognizing the need for a new store or sending customers tailored offers based on their buying habits, Oracle allows Starbucks to get the most out of its customer data.

But we’re forgetting the basics – that Oracle is simply an easy to use POS system. It enables baristas to quickly process coffee orders with its intuitive menu function, and helps store managers with back office operations – whether it’s managing rotas, or assessing stock and losses.

Integration with Mobile POS

Did you know that Starbucks beat Apple and Samsung to become the first company to offer its customers the means to pay via mobile?

That’s right. With the release of its app way back in 2011, Starbucks was the first to give its customers the means to pay via their cellphone. Sure, it wasn’t quite the sophisticated NFC (near-field communication) technology we use today. But virtualizing gift cards by turning them into unique barcodes meant that Starbucks’ POS system could scan customers’ accounts, and subtract the cost of their order.

Fast forward eight years, and the Starbucks app has become more than just a place to pay and log rewards. It’s a hub where people can order and pay for their coffee in advance. It’s also another way to collect valuable data on buying habits, integrating with Starbucks’ in-store POS system to keep sales and stock figures in one place. 

There’s no doubt that Starbucks’ POS system is at the forefront of modern retail technology. Providing the company with the means to process transactions, manage customer relationships, and improve business operations, there’s no wonder Starbucks is very much at the top of the coffee chain game.

What businesses is Starbucks’ POS system for?

Starbuck’s Oracle POS system is for medium to large businesses looking to expand. Oracle’s POS system guides Starbucks’ growth by analyzing customer data and pinpointing areas of opportunity.

What Point of Sale System Does Burger King Use?

In North America, Burger King has begun using PAR Technology’s (ParTech) Brink POS and MENU Link systems.

ParTech’s Brink POS system is a cloud-based software, that can be fully customized, and designed to support omni-channel ordering, and restaurant management.

The Brink POS system can handle online ordering and delivery, and has advanced loyalty and engagement tools, key for a large business like Burger King. It supports employee training and scheduling, and integrates with over 300 partner platforms.

ParTech also has an extensive range of hardware, designed to equip drive-through and in-restaurant staff. It provides headsets and base stations (for communicating with customers), as well as countertop POS terminals, tablets, and a range of KDSs and kitchen accessories.

What businesses is Burger King’s POS system for?

Burger King’s Brink POS system is designed for quick-service establishments that need high levels of customization, from fast food joints, to cinemas and amusement parks. While ParTech does offers solution for small businesses, it’s definitely not a POS system we’d recommend to new businesses.

What Point of Sale System Does KFC Use?

In the United States, KFC is owned by Yum!, which has started rolling out its proprietary POS system, Poseidon, in KFC franchises across the country.

Poseidon is a cloud-based system designed specifically for Yum! brands, such as KFC and Taco Bell. It integrates with Yum!’s other proprietary software, such as its ecommerce platform, Yum! Commerce Platform, and the Yum! Admin Portal, where franchise owners can go to manage menus, promotions, store hours, and more.

Yum!’s rollout of proprietary POS software and hardware at US KFC franchises is expected to continue in 2024. KFC systems have recently been upgraded to include Yum!’s proprietary AI-powered inventory management tools, and 500 location have been upgraded with new kiosks.

What businesses is KFC’s POS system for?

KFC’s Poseidon POS system isn’t available to use in restaurants not owned by Yum!. However, if it it were, we’d only recommend it to other large fast-food chain restaurants.

What Point of Sale System Does Subway Use?

Subway’s POS system is custom made, specifically designed for its needs by Scoresby International.

Subway’s aim when creating its POS system was simplicity of use. This was in order to reduce training time. They also wanted a system to prevent employee theft. 

The full list of Subway’s requests and goals can be seen below:

• Reduce the amount of time needed to train new staff
• Minimize the risk of employee theft
• Increase the speed of service
• Improve order accuracy

The system turned out to be so effective that staff found they could engage more with their customers whilst using it. Plus, Subway’s POS system is so easy to use that most store managers no longer need to offer new members of staff formal training. Now, they just give a simple orientation to each new employee at the start of their first shift.

What businesses is Subway’s POS system for?

Businesses who use Scoresby International to design a custom built POS system are generally large enterprises, with lots of staff. Scoresby has worked with giants like Dunkin’ and Wendy’s to either improve or design their POS systems.

How to Find the Right POS System for Your Business

When browsing for a POS system, it’s important to look for a solution that fits your current needs. Factors you should take in to account include the size of your restaurant, how you serve your food (for example, counter ordering, table service, or QR code), and the number of locations you have.

Highly-customized POS systems – like some we’ve mentioned in this article – can come with a hefty price tag, and aren’t necessary for most US businesses. You can find simpler systems that will still fit your needs, especially since most regular POS systems still afford you some degree of customization.

Here’s a quick look at the POS systems we recommend for regular restaurant businesses:

Versatile players like Square and SpotOn come with many industry-specific features and require little initial investment, since both offer free POS software. Their transaction fee-based pricing means both providers’ free plans aren’t the best option for businesses with high sales volumes, but they can serve small ones well. Both Square and SpotOn are great POS systems for food trucks and street market vendors, for example.

If your business is more established, and offers traditional table service, providers such as Toast, Clover, and Lightspeed are more likely to serve you due to their scalability potential and their inclusion of more advanced features, like floorplan management and marketing tools. These usually charge a monthly base fee and therefore, are more suited to growing operations with more than one location.

How We Test POS Systems

We tested and compared over 10 POS providers, evaluating them against each other on how well they cater to the specific needs of restaurants. We rated each provider according to how it performed in six key areas of interest, which where:

• POS software: the breadth of features included in the EPOS software, and how valuable they are to the average restaurant
• Hardware/equipment: the variety of equipment available to purchase or rent, with special importance given to key items, such as KDSs, portable card machines, and cash drawers
• Ease-of-use: how easy the system is to use, navigate, and customize
• Help and support: how effective and reachable the customer support team is, with bonus points given to EPOS systems with help centers and training modes
• Costs: the price of the system, how it compares to competitors, and whether it’s good value for money
• User experience: whether everyday restaurant owners know and like the system, whether they’d recommend it, and what they say about it in online reviews