Choosing the right POS system can make or break your restaurant’s efficiency in 2025. With rapid shifts in customer expectations and technology, it’s no longer just about processing payments — your system needs to do more. From smart inventory tracking to seamless staff management, the right POS features for restaurants can streamline operations, boost profits, and enhance the dining experience. In this post, we’ll break down the top 8 must-have features every modern restaurant should look for in a POS system to stay competitive and future-ready.
As for any restaurant enterprise, the hub and starting point for any order is its point-of-sale (POS) system. This is where the action happens, where a server can make orders and take payment.
As technology and the customer experience have evolved, businesses have increasingly come to rely on POS system features to keep their business running. A restaurant POS seamlessly processes orders, accepts payments, and checks inventory levels.
Yet although it’s becoming increasingly indispensable for businesses across industries, not every restaurant is on board. Many smaller mom-and-pop shops are still using analog cash registers and/or spreadsheets to process transactions and update inventory — and they are missing out on what is possible with POS system features.
Let’s look at what restaurants can do with the right POS system. Here are eight POS system features that can simplify business operations and make a restaurant easier to run.
1. Smart Inventory Tracking: A Crucial POS Feature for Restaurants
Striking the delicate balance between having ingredients on hand and customer demand can make or break an operation. Gauging which items will be popular and which will be left on the shelves has always been one of the industry’s great challenges.
POS software can make a huge dent in those figures by keeping inventory levels up to date automatically. You can keep track of what you’re running out of and what customers aren’t interested in. Some restaurant POS solutions can even notify you when you’re running low on certain items—which is crucial during high-volume times. The last thing you want on a busy Saturday night is to run out of your bestselling entrée.
2. Sales Reporting: One of the Most Valuable POS Features for Restaurants
POS software can create sales reports and help managers track the performance of individual establishments in different locations. Such reporting highlights which items are selling quickly and shows businesses how to focus on the biggest revenue generators. This data can be critical for demand and revenue forecasting.
Depending on the POS system, reporting capabilities may include total sales, sales for any given time period, sales per item or category, and sales by item or server. Entrepreneur magazine reports that by using an integrated POS system, an independent retailer can cut costs by close to 10%.
3. Customer Management Tools: POS Features Every Restaurant Needs
Some restaurant POS systems have the capability to store basic customer data like names and contact information. This data can give sales managers and servers the ability to personalize the dining experience and thereby improve customer loyalty.
By collecting customer details, retailers can identify valued customers and anticipate their orders. After all, there are few things as comforting as that age-old notion of going somewhere where everyone knows your name and dinner order.
4. Streamlined Kitchen Communication
POS systems are the key to strong communications and order accuracy at your restaurant or bar. Use a POS system to easily track orders and ensure that customers get their meals quickly and exactly as requested. Some restaurant POS system features allow you to send orders from any front-of-house device to the kitchen with the press of a button.
5. Payments and Labor Tracking: Core POS Features for Restaurants in 2025
With a POS system, you can track hourly and total sales, average sales, taxes, voids and discounts, and payments by credit card, cash, or gift card.
You can also check labor summaries by hourly labor costs and as a percentage of sales. There are also software solutions that let you see hours by employee and employee class.
6. In-Depth Analytics
When choosing a POS system you need to keep in mind what reports you are looking to get from the software. With the right POS software, you can check detailed reports on everything from labor to sales to activity.
7. Built-In Security: A Non-Negotiable POS Feature for Restaurants
The right POS system should come with a cash drawer that helps manage security at the point of sale terminal. By using two cash drawers that are attached to a single, shared POS terminal and printer, each drawer is assigned to a single server. This type of POS system and cash drawer allows managers to hold employees accountable for the integrity of the till.
8. Combo Builders
Allowing restaurant owners to create combinations or “combos” from existing menu items is a great way to allow creative process in building your menu items. For example, one combo might be a soda, burger, and fries all grouped together as one combo. Grouping items is easier for servers and more efficient for kitchen operations.
Other Essential POS Features for Restaurants to Consider
By bringing in the latest innovations in POS systems, restaurants are investing in resources where they are needed most. POS software solutions offer many different features, but if companies focus on what is most critical, they will seldom fail.
Check out some more features available in a restaurant POS:
- Schedule Shifts
- Customer Database
- Global Outreach
- Simplify Vendor Relations and PO Processing
- Improve Profit Margins
- Transfer Items to Meet Location Needs
- Go Green
Choosing a top POS system is a big decision. Lavu is here to help you make the right decision. See how Lavu’s #1 Rated Restaurant POS System can work for your business.
Download our Beginner’s Guide to POS Systems to get the full details on how our POS can meet your needs and outshine your expectations.
FAQs:
1. What are the best restaurant POS features to look for in 2025?
The best restaurant POS features in 2025 include cloud-based access, real-time inventory management, tableside ordering, advanced reporting, integrated payments, and staff management tools. Restaurants also benefit from AI-driven sales insights and automated reordering systems. A system like Lavu offers all these must-have POS features, ensuring your restaurant runs smoothly, even during peak hours. When evaluating POS software, focus on flexibility, integrations with accounting and delivery platforms, and user-friendly design. These features help improve speed, accuracy, and profitability.
2. Why is cloud POS for restaurants better than traditional POS?
A cloud POS for restaurants stores data securely online, allowing access from any device and location. Unlike traditional systems, cloud POS updates in real time, meaning menu changes, inventory updates, and sales reports sync instantly across locations. Lavu’s cloud POS system ensures uninterrupted service, even during internet outages, with an offline mode. This flexibility helps restaurant owners monitor operations remotely, streamline workflows, and make data-driven decisions quickly.
3. How do I choose the best POS system for restaurants?
When learning how to choose a POS system for restaurants, start by assessing your operational needs—like quick service, fine dining, or multi-location management. Key considerations include ease of use, customization, integrations, hardware compatibility, and cost. Compare top providers in a restaurant POS system comparison to see which offers the most value. Lavu POS stands out with features like tableside ordering, loyalty programs, and integration with Restaurant365 for seamless inventory and accounting.
4. How does Lavu compare in a restaurant POS system comparison?
In a restaurant POS system comparison, Lavu stands out for its industry-specific features like customizable menus, ingredient-level inventory tracking, and delivery integrations. While many POS systems offer basic functions, Lavu’s cloud infrastructure, mobile compatibility, and multilingual support make it an excellent choice for diverse restaurants. It also has 24/7 customer support, giving it an edge over competitors.
5. Does Lavu offer all the must-have POS features for restaurants in 2025?
Yes. Lavu POS delivers all the must-have POS features for 2025, including cloud access, mobile ordering, advanced reporting, integrated payments, loyalty programs, and vendor integrations. It’s designed to adapt to evolving restaurant technology trends, ensuring your business remains competitive and efficient.
