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Choosing hardware

Point-of-sale hardware for a restaurant, by type of service

The type of service decides the hardware: where orders are taken, where they print, and how the guest or the staff gets alerted.

In short

A restaurant’s point-of-sale hardware is chosen by type of service. A quick-service counter needs an all-in-one terminal, a receipt printer and guest pagers. Table service adds tablets on the floor and a printer in the kitchen. In Québec, G4POS sells this hardware wholesale to the resellers who equip restaurants.

Which hardware fits each type of service?

The type of service settles three things: where orders are taken, where they print and how the guest or the employee is alerted. The table matches each type of service with models from the G4POS catalogue. The number of devices then depends on the floor plan and on the software your client has chosen.

Point-of-sale hardware by type of restaurant service, based on the G4POS catalogue product pages: checkout, order taking, printing, waiting and calling.
Type of serviceCheckoutOrder takingPrintingWaiting and calling
Counter and quick serviceJG7000 or JG8000 all-in-one terminalAt the counter, on the terminalMG80 receipt printerLRS guest pagers
Table serviceAll-in-one terminal at the counterDG820 or DG870GB tablets on the floorMG80 at the counter and in the kitchenLRS staff pagers and call buttons
PatioAll-in-one terminal at the counterDG870GB tablet (IP65, 4G LTE)MG80 at the counter and in the kitchenLRS staff pagers

Both terminals have the same 15-inch touchscreen and the same ports. The JG7000 adds a 10.1-inch customer display that shows guests their order as it is entered. The JG8000, with an Intel Core i5-8265U processor, is offered as the server station.

To compare:

What does a quick-service counter need?

At the counter, one station takes the order, handles payment and prints the receipt. The JG8000 is a Windows-compatible all-in-one terminal with a 15-inch touchscreen, 8 GB of DDR4 memory and 256 GB of NVMe storage. The MG80 prints the receipt on 80 mm thermal paper at 260 mm/s, and its 24 V output opens the cash drawer.

When the order is not ready right away, an LRS guest pager replaces calling names over the speaker. The guest receives it at the till and waits wherever they like. The pager lights up and vibrates when the order is ready. The pagers recharge when stacked.

Product pages:

How do you equip table service?

With table service, the server takes the order on a tablet on the floor, and the order goes to the kitchen and to the till. The DG820 and the DG870GB are rugged 8-inch Windows-compatible tablets, each offered with its charging station. The DG820 has 4 GB of memory and 64 GB of storage, while the DG870GB has 8 GB and 128 GB.

For a patio, propose the DG870GB. Its housing is IP65, it withstands 1.22 m drops and it operates from -20 °C to 60 °C. It connects over dual-band Wi-Fi and, away from the Wi-Fi, over 4G LTE.

On the floor, LRS staff paging saves employees from crossing the room to check whether an order is ready. The transmitter, placed at the host stand or at the pass, vibrates the server’s pager, which shows the number or the message. Call buttons on the tables let guests call the staff.

Product pages and guide:

Which printer do you need in the kitchen?

In the kitchen, the printer receives the order tickets sent by the till and by the tablets. A thermal printer such as the MG80 works well there when it is installed away from heat and steam, which turn thermal paper grey. Connected over Ethernet, it takes orders from several stations, and a station that is switched off does not stop the kitchen.

Plan one printer per production area, and check that your client’s software can route orders between them. If the kitchen wants to follow its orders on a screen, the printer can stay in place as a fallback.

Further reading:

Which rules apply to restaurants in Québec?

In Québec, a restaurant establishment subject to mandatory billing must use a sales recording system (SRS) certified by Revenu Québec and designed to communicate with the WEB-SRM. The certification applies to the SRS, that is, the software. The printer, if necessary, must be compatible with that SRS: confirm it with the SRS developer before you quote. To find out whether an establishment is subject to mandatory billing or qualifies for an exemption, see Revenu Québec’s pages on who is subject to the measures and on exemptions in the restaurant sector.

On mandatory billing:

Which questions should you ask the restaurant owner?

Five answers are enough to build a first quote. Keep them in the client file, because they also serve as the reference on installation day.

  1. Which point-of-sale software does the restaurant use, and what configuration does it require?
  2. How many checkout points are needed, and where?
  3. Are orders taken at the counter, on the floor, on a patio or in several places?
  4. How many production areas does the kitchen have?
  5. Does the restaurant want to page its guests, its staff, or both?

For an LRS paging system, G4POS handles the sizing and your team handles the installation at the client’s site.

Guide:

Key points

  • The type of service decides a restaurant’s hardware: counter, table service or patio.
  • At the counter, a JG7000 or JG8000 all-in-one terminal and the MG80 printer cover ordering, payment and the receipt.
  • On the floor, the DG820 and DG870GB tablets take orders; the DG870GB is IP65 and connects over 4G LTE.
  • In the kitchen, a thermal printer goes away from heat and steam, preferably on Ethernet.
  • In Québec, a restaurant subject to mandatory billing must use an SRS certified by Revenu Québec; the printer, if necessary, must be compatible with that SRS.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best POS system for a restaurant in Québec?

The right system depends on the type of service and on the software the restaurant chooses. G4POS does not sell software: it sells the surrounding hardware wholesale to resellers, such as all-in-one terminals, tablets, the MG80 printer and LRS pagers. The reseller chooses the software with the restaurant owner and installs everything.

Can a restaurant owner buy hardware directly from G4POS?

As a rule, no. G4POS sells mainly to point-of-sale resellers, integrators and consultants, who equip restaurants and keep the relationship with them. A restaurant owner goes through their reseller.

How many printers does a restaurant need?

Count the receipt printer at the counter, plus one printer per production area in the kitchen. The floor plan and the restaurant’s software set the exact number.

Sources

G4POS·Updated on · 6 min read

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