THE RIGHT POS CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR CAFE
In the fast-paced, high-pressure world of running a café, you need more than just great coffee and good vibes to succeed. Behind every thriving café is a tightly run back-end operation, and the heart of that operation is your Point of Sale (POS) system.
In this blog, we break down how a POS system can help you thrive — and how to choose one that aligns with your café’s goals.
WHY YOUR POS MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK
For a busy café, time is money. Bottlenecks at the till, errors in orders, inventory discrepancies, or blind pricing decisions can quickly eat into profits. A good POS helps you:
- Deliver faster, more accurate service
- Ensure staff are rostered efficiently
- See when you’re busy and when you’re not
- Track which menu items are profitable (and which aren’t)
- Know your Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) live
- Streamline reordering and prevent stockouts
If your POS doesn’t help you do this — it’s holding your business back.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A POS SYSTEM
Here are the core features you should expect from a modern POS that supports growth and operational excellence:
FEATURE |
WHY IT MATTERS |
|
Live Sales Dashboard |
So you can track sales in real-time, by item, by staff, by time of day — on your phone or tablet |
|
Recipe & Menu Costing |
See live COGS and profitability for each menu item based on real supplier costs |
|
Inventory Management |
Track stock levels, automate reorder points, and link usage back to sales |
|
Wastage Tracking |
Log waste events to see where money is leaking — adjust portioning or prep accordingly |
|
Smart Rostering Tools |
Align staff hours with busy periods using historical sales data |
|
Mobile & Cloud-Based |
Access reports and controls from anywhere — not just from the café |
|
Customer Loyalty & CRM |
Build relationships with regulars and reward repeat visits |
|
Multi-Venue Visibility |
Essential if you run or plan to run more than one café |
TOP POS OPTIONS FOR AUSTRALIAN CAFÉS
Let’s compare four of the most commonly used POS systems in Australian cafés, with a focus on operational power and visibility:
📄 POS SYSTEM COMPARISON
|
FEATURE |
LIGHTSPEED |
SQUARE |
REVEL |
IMPOS |
|
Cloud-Based |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No (needs add-ons) |
|
Mobile App Access |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Good |
Limited |
|
Live COGS Tracking |
Yes |
Basic |
Yes |
With advanced config |
|
Recipe-Level Menu Costing |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Requires setup |
|
Inventory Management |
Advanced, real-time |
Basic |
Advanced |
Requires integration |
|
Wastage Tracking |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
With modules |
|
Smart Staff Rostering |
Yes, with integrations |
Limited |
Yes |
No |
|
Multi-Venue Support |
Seamless |
Clunky |
Strong |
Available, unintuitive |
|
Ease of Use |
Intuitive |
Very Easy |
Powerful but complex |
Dated UI |
|
CRM & Loyalty |
Built-in |
Built-in |
Built-in |
Requires setup |
|
Local Support |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
RECOMMENDATIONS BY CAFÉ TYPE
- Single-site startup: Square or Lightspeed for simplicity, speed, and low setup cost
- High-volume café with multiple zones (kitchen, brew bar, etc.): Lightspeed or Revel
- Multi-venue café group: Revel or Lightspeed for centralised control
- Café-retail hybrid (selling coffee beans, merch): Revel
- Venues with long-term Impos use: Consider upgrading to cloud-based POS for visibility and growth
THE BOTTOM LINE: YOUR POS SHOULD BE A BUSINESS TOOL, NOT JUST A CASH REGISTER
Don’t choose your POS based on price alone — choose it based on what it can unlock:
- Better staff efficiency = smoother service + fewer wage hours
- Live COGS visibility = pricing power + profitability
- Real-time data = confident decision-making
- Customer insights = stronger loyalty and repeat business
If you’re still using a POS that can’t show you live sales, recipe profitability, staff productivity, and real-time inventory — it’s time to upgrade.
Your POS should be helping your café thrive — not just survive.
NEED HELP CHOOSING OR SWITCHING YOUR POS?
At Zest, we work with hundreds of cafés and have seen firsthand how the right POS system can dramatically improve profitability and ease of operations. If you’re stuck with an old system or not sure where to start — we’re happy to help.
Reach out. Let’s make your POS a smart tool that helps your café thrive.