Pricing and Costs of Restaurant Software

Set a budget for buying restaurant software solutions

If you're in full-service dining, your company needs restaurant management software. This type of software virtually runs your restaurant. Servers take orders and input them in a software program, then the kitchen staff sees the orders and makes them; diners are done eating and the servers cash them out; sales numbers and inventory levels are accounted for and your managers can do their projections and ordering properly.

All of these activities revolve around having the right software. The pricing and costs of restaurant software range dramatically, depending on how extensive your needs are. These programs can help you and your managers run your operation more efficiently by improving front of house relations, scheduling your employees properly and managing costs. Your restaurant management system should include:

1. POS restaurant software: This is used for front of house applications and has a wide variety of functions.

2. Software for restaurant scheduling: Your managers will need to ensure that shifts are covered and allocate hours to all full-time and part-time employees.

3. Restaurant software solutions for the back office: These will assist you in your food costing and accounting needs.

 

Simplify front of house operations with restaurant POS software

Your servers need to get guests' orders into the computer as quickly as possible, as well as check them out properly when they're ready to leave. You can improve on this by installing multiple POS terminals in convenient locations around your dining room. The software you'll use should have complete menu and order input capabilities as well as have a function to close checks with cash or credit options. You'll most likely spend at least $500 for a quality system, but you can find a few software programs for around $300.
Try: The basic program from Inborne Technology has all the programs you'll need for the front of the house, plus has add-on programs to choose from. MICROS Systems has multiple programs for use in the dining room.

Make use of restaurant software for scheduling

Scheduling is difficult for the service industry. Due to the fact that many people that hold restaurant jobs only work part-time and that the turnover rate is high, you'll have many factors to work around when scheduling your employees. Using a good scheduling program will help you determine your needs and schedule employees effectively. You can find web-based software for a monthly fee (usually ranging from $15 to $75) or traditional software programs for between $30 and $300.
Try: TimeForge offers two different programs related to time keeping: one for scheduling and one for attendance. SoftCafe has a very in-depth scheduling program to make your work quick and simple.

Buy food service software for the back office

Back office software is not to be forgotten. Your managers will need to determine food costs, sales forecasts and inventory levels on a daily basis to ensure that your restaurant is operating efficiently. Equipping them with the right software is the first step in making sure your restaurant is profitable. Expect to spend anywhere from $300 to $800, depending on how many programs come in the software package. You can cut down on costs by buying software that only includes programs you truly need.
Try: Check out the various accounting programs available from Abacus 21. Consider using one of the back office programs from Radiant Systems.

 

• If you use touchscreen computers, you'll need different software than if you use a keyboard and/or mouse with your terminals. Touchscreen systems are large investments, so if you can't afford them right now, stick with basic restaurant computer systems that use standard software.

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