Restaurant owners depend on their point-of-sale system for payments, orders, kitchen communication, online ordering and daily reporting. When the system slows down or loses connectivity, the POS company or internet provider often receives the blame.

However, the real problem may be somewhere else in the restaurant’s technology chain.

Over time, restaurants add payment terminals, printers, switches, Wi-Fi access points, delivery equipment, tablets, security systems and other connected devices. New cables are installed, but old cables are not always removed or labeled.

The result can become what restaurant profitability advisor Louis Ramirez calls a “spaghetti setup.”

Restaurant Connectivity Has Three Layers

A reliable restaurant technology setup depends on three connected areas:

1. Internet entering the restaurant

The restaurant needs dependable business internet. Backup connectivity may also help keep important systems online when the primary service or power is interrupted.

2. The internal restaurant network

Once the internet enters the building, it must travel through routers, switches, Ethernet cables and Wi-Fi access points before reaching the POS, handhelds, printers and kitchen systems.

Fast internet cannot correct damaged cables, outdated switches, weak Wi-Fi coverage or poorly placed access points.

3. Installation and ongoing support

A POS is not fully installed simply because a terminal was delivered and turned on. The network must be ready, the equipment must work where employees use it, and the restaurant team must know how to operate it.

Depending on the restaurant and selected solution, a complete implementation may include Ethernet cabling, equipment installation, menu programming, employee training, online ordering and ongoing support.

Diagnose Before Replacing

The answer is not always a new POS, a faster internet plan or additional equipment.

The first step is determining where the failure is actually occurring.

Local Restaurant Owner helps independent restaurant owners examine their technology, operations and related costs before making another purchasing decision.

The guiding principle is simple:

Diagnose first. Recommend second.

Restaurant owners experiencing recurring POS, internet or connectivity problems can request a no-cost restaurant technology review through LocalRestaurantOwner.com.