The successful operation of a food truck depends on many factors, but one of the most important is speed of service. 81 percent of all transactions are cashless, so having an efficient means of accepting credit cards is one of the best ways to keep your line moving. One way of doing this is incorporating a sophisticated point of sale (POS) system that includes payment processing software. Not all POS systems are created equal, however. In addition to being able to accept card payments, there are a few key features that a good food truck POS should not be without.
Top Food Truck POS Services
1. Offline Capability
As a food truck vendor, you cannot always guarantee that you will be within range of WiFi. A good POS should offer full functionality even when offline. Many POS systems utilize a cloud backup system that will sync new data once you are back in range of WiFi. This is ideal and provides peace of mind should you have a bad connection or no internet access.
2. Inventory Monitoring
Food truck service can be chaotic. You are running through so many customers so quickly that, suddenly, you might run out of something without realizing it. Certain POS systems, like Revel, keep track of your stock and automatically update menus according to what is available. This can prevent unnecessary closures or refunds to disappointed customers.
3. Marketing
A good food truck POS should offer some form of marketing to existing and potential customers. Square, for example, provides both free and paid email marketing based on your customer profiles; Touchbistro comes with automated popup suggestions for a logical upsell. Whatever you use, your POS should offer some means of reaching new customers and increasing the amount they spend with you.
4. Contactless Payments
In the wake of COVID-19, many individuals still prefer to have as little in-person contact as possible. The best food truck POS will be able to accommodate contactless payments. One method is by generating a one-time QR code that can be used for ordering and payment. Rezku and Square offer this as an option.
5. Loyalty Program
It’s never a bad idea to encourage customers to come again, and a loyalty or rewards program is a great way to accomplish this. Most POS systems have the capability of creating a custom loyalty program, as well as custom gift cards.
6. Online Ordering
In previous years, food trucks were more of an in-the-moment kind of experience. Nowadays, however, most food truck vendors have the option to order your food online and pick it up in person. To stay competitive, you will need a POS that allows for online ordering and syncs with your available inventory.
7. Customized Tipping
Again, over 80 percent of transactions these days are cashless. This means your tip jar might be woefully empty if you do not offer a means of tipping electronically. A food truck POS should give customers the option to tip in varying percentages or enter in a custom amount.
Get Help Finding the Right Food Truck POS
There are many great options for your food truck POS, each with its own associated fees, contracts, and services. A merchant services broker is familiar with all sorts of payment processing and POS systems and can help you find the one that is just right for your business. Summit Payments helps all sorts of business owners in Colorado pair up with their ideal merchant services provider and point of sale system. Contact our office today to get started.