Restaurant POS system: how to choose one in 2026

A restaurant POS system is software, usually run on a terminal or tablet, that records every sale, payment and refund at the counter, at the table or over the phone. A good one also sends orders to the kitchen without re-keying and reads the same menu as your other channels.

Which criteria really matter when choosing a restaurant POS?

A pleasant screen is not enough. Five points set systems apart: how fast it rings up your real menu, how it tracks your team, its link to the kitchen, the connected channels (website, kiosk, platforms) and the compliance proof the vendor gives you. The rest of this article goes through them.

Does it ring up your real menu quickly?

At the counter, every tap you save counts during the rush. Look for an item grid with photos, options, sizes and meal deals laid out the way orders are called out, and the ability to hold an order. The Maxilog POS offers an illustrated grid, an options panel, meal deals, splitting the bill by dish, refunds and receipts in one place.

How does it handle the floor and the team?

On the floor, check the floor plan (status of each table, covers, open order attached to the table) and whether you can take orders at the table. Maxilog has a floor plan in the POS and a waiter terminal that sends the order to the kitchen as soon as the server taps Send, with a list of dishes ready to serve.

For staff, ask how each person logs in and what is tied to their name. With Maxilog each team member logs in with a PIN, and every sale, cancellation and refund stays attached to whoever was logged in. Opening and closing the day, cash handover and PIN-approved discounts are covered.

Do orders reach the kitchen without re-keying?

This is the most telling demo test: ring up a counter sale and watch where it appears. With the Maxilog kitchen display, tickets from the POS, website, app, kiosk, Uber Eats and Deliveroo land on the same board, colored by waiting time. Each item can also be routed to its station (pizza, grill, desserts).

Does the POS share its menu with your website and kiosk?

If each channel has its own menu, every price change must be made several times. Ask whether the POS, the online ordering site and the kiosk read a single menu: with Maxilog, a price changed once is changed everywhere. Orders placed on your own site carry no commission; Uber Eats and Deliveroo orders remain subject to those platforms’ terms, but arrive in the same queue.

Which compliance document should the vendor give you?

In France, a VAT-registered business that serves consumers using cash-register software or a till system must use software meeting four conditions: inalterability, security, retention and archiving of data. According to the tax authority, this can be proven by a certificate from an accredited body or by an individual attestation from the vendor. So ask in writing which document you will receive. Our article on till compliance in 2026 explains these rules. Have your accountant validate your situation.

What hardware does it run on, and what does it cost?

The Maxilog POS runs on Windows terminals and works with ESC/POS printers, standard cash drawers and a compatible payment terminal, so you may not need to replace everything. Pricing is by quote; ask what is included (hardware, installation, support, commission) and compare quote to quote. To see the main systems on the market side by side, read our restaurant POS software comparison.

Questions to ask in the demo

1. How many taps for a typical sale from your menu, with options?
2. Where does the order appear in the kitchen, and how fast?
3. How does each team member log in, and is each cancellation tied to them?
4. Does a price change carry over to the website and kiosk?
5. Which compliance document do you receive?
6. What does the quote include?

The safest way is to test with your own menu. Book a demo: we run it on your menu.