10 Crucial Restaurant POS Problems and Solutions

In this article, we’ll explore 10 of the most common restaurant POS problems and solutions to help you reduce downtime, improve service, and boost profitability.

If you’ve ever had your restaurant grind to a halt because your POS system froze mid-rush you’re not alone. Over 60% of restaurants report losing sales due to POS-related issues.

Your POS system is the driving force behind your entire business, it helps you accept orders and payments on the fly, better organize your staff, and streamline operations. That’s why it must run like a well-oiled machine.

But like any technology-reliant hardware, a POS system can present challenges.

The problem: As a small restaurant owner, especially if you’ve just opened your restaurant, your budget is pretty tight. Most restaurant POS solutions that provide both software and hardware are costly, ranging from $1,000 to $6,000.

The solution: Get a subscription-based POS system that comes with free hardware.

To get started with a restaurant POS system, you only need the following hardware:

• POS workstation
• Payment device
• Front-of-house receipt printer
• Employee RFID cards for POS login

GloriaFood POS offers this hardware for free with a monthly subscription of only $49. Plus, you can will get a free cash drawer if you sign up by October 31st, 2025.

No implementation fees, no payout fees, no customization fees.

The problem: You’re in the business of making delicious food, not setting up technology. If you’re not tech-savvy, one of the main POS issues you’ll encounter is its counterintuitive installation.

The solution: Find a POS system with easy do-it-yourself installation and configuration.

With GloriaFood, the entire process, from ordering the hardware to installing it and accepting the first payment is intuitive and requires no tech know-how.

However, if you’re overwhelmed by the process of installing your POS once the hardware arrives, know that our support team is available at the blue chat box in the bottom right corner.

The problem: In the fast-paced restaurant industry, it can be difficult to find the time to train your employees on complicated technology. This can lead to ineffective use, delays, and disgruntled customers.

The solution: Look for a restaurant POS system that comes with in-depth documentation and tutorials that you can provide to your staff for a fast and easy 30-minute training.

There are numerous resources available for painless training on how to use GloriaFood POS. These resources are updated regularly to cover more and more topics, and include:

• Organized knowledge base
• Specialized support teams
• Informative YouTube channel
• Downloadable documents

If you’re more of a visual learner, you can find a couple of video tutorials on our blog homepage.

The problem: Most of the common restaurant POS systems on the market can help you manage and streamline in-store orders. But what about online orders? Most of the time online orders are not synced seamlessly with the POS system. This is a common issue that restaurant owners mentioned about competitors POS solutions on B2B review portals. Shifting your attention from tool to tool when the restaurant is busy can decrease productivity.

The solution: A restaurant POS with online ordering built-in.

With GloriaFood POS, you can accept unlimited online orders from your website, social media, or mobile app, directly on the POS.

As soon as an order comes through to the POS, it is sent to the back-of-house through the kitchen printer. That takes the load off your employees, while also ensuring you don’t leave any sales channels unturned.

The problem: Picture this: the restaurant is buzzing with customers waiting to be served and suddenly, you can’t get your POS online. Next thing you know, they’re leaving to order something from your competitor across the street. Now what? Your internet connection might be unreliable, but you don’t have to be.

The solution: A POS system with an offline mode.

Don’t miss out on precious sales. With GloriaFood POS, you can continue to take orders even without an internet connection.

The POS saves all transactions and payments offline and then automatically uploads them to the cloud once you’re back online. Easy as that!

The problem: No matter how reliable your POS is, there will still be point of sale problems that you come across in time. How fast you solve them affects the profitability of your business.

The solution: Look for a POS system with a knowledgeable,  customer success manager that can assist you with troubleshooting.

When you don’t know how to solve an issue, you should be able to talk to an real person who can help you, so you don’t lose any food customers.

Other restaurant POS providers charge expensive fees for live consultations for setup and onboarding. With GloriaFood, you can reach out to your customer success manager using the blue chat box in the bottom right corner for FREE. Our support team’s average response time is about 2 minutes, so someone will assist you ASAP, no matter the issue.

The problem: POS problems and solutions related to payments are some of the most common in the restaurant industry. Due to technical errors, some forms of payment might not work right as the customer is trying to pay the check.

The solution: Accept a large variety of payment methods so customers have alternatives.

Restaurant payment processing is a breeze with GloriaFood POS. You can accept card and mobile payments, both at the counter or on the go. Additionally, you can enable customers to pay using digital wallets like Google Pay, Samsung Pay, or Apple Pay.

The problem: One of the most pressing restaurant problems you might come across is realizing that the POS you got doesn’t meet your every need after you’ve already purchased it. How can you prevent that?

The solution: Look for software that contains all the following restaurant POS features:

• Easy payment processing
• Simple menu editor
• Intuitive printer management
• Staff management software
• In-depth restaurant POS analytics
• Built-in online ordering & online ordering analytics

These features can help you cover the needs of a budding business, from order-taking to staff management and identifying growth opportunities.

The problem: If the communication between your front-of-house and back-of-house staff is lacking, this can lead to order inaccuracies, food waste, and dissatisfied customers. All in all, everyone loses.

The solution: Assign separate printers to different kitchen destinations.

If your kitchen is split into multiple sections like a grill, pizza oven, or salad bar, add a printer to every destination to ensure the orders don’t get misplaced or left to the side.

Sounds interesting? Learn more about how GloriaFood POS can optimize the restaurant kitchen flow, making printing a breeze.

The problem: Have you been making a steady profit, are your tables full every day, and do you have a high number of new and returning customers? You might be ready to expand and open a second location. But what if you realize your POS system doesn’t readily accommodate that?

The solution: Look for a restaurant POS system that can grow with your business.

When you open a new location as a GloriaFood customer you pay the same low $49 monthly fee for each location.

Those were the most common restaurant POS problems and solutions that can help you mitigate those risks. As you search for the right POS for your needs, keep these factors in mind:

• Cost
• Setup process
• Staff training
• Online ordering
• Offline capabilities
• Live Chat
• Dedicated customer success manager
• Payment methods
• Desired features
• Printer management
• Scalability