Most POS software packages offer similar functionality and you can safely assume that all major POS software handles standard customer transactions. POS software typically displays items and prices in a sale, handles taxes, returns, voids, payments (including credit card processing), layaways, and discounts, generates accounting reports, and tracks inventory. Restaurant POS software allows you to create checks by diner or table, place special orders, track orders per server, move diners from the bar to a table, generate waiting lists, and more. You may want to consider additional features depending on your business.

• Internet data boards: Some POS software packages offer an "Internet data board." Internet data boards provides a snapshot of the day's business that you can access from anywhere with a Web connection. For franchises or other businesses with multiple locations, this can provide significant peace of mind. Other systems can be set to download daily totals to a central server.

• Multimanagement: Businesses with branches in different regions may also find "multimanagement" useful. Multimanagement allows you to share some settings but vary others between sites. For example, you can offer the same menu with different prices in different locations.

• Frequent diner program support: Certain restaurant POS software packages support frequent diner programs. Frequent diner programs reward visitors with incentives or discounts. For example, you could use a point system that works like frequent flyer miles. Associate each menu item with a point value and allow diners to accumulate points that they can later exchange for a free dessert, half-price special, or meal discount. By assigning higher point values, you can give a boost to high-profit or low-performing items. You can also market to customers based on their typical purchase or time of visit.

As you add features, POS software becomes more complicated and costly. Most major POS software publishers provide a software demo on their websites. Many even provide a full working version of the POS software either as a download or on CD. Using the software on your own can help you evaluate ease of use and judge stability. Know what you need POS software to do before comparing long lists of features. Draw up a list of factors that make your business unique. What unusual purchasing programs do you have? Do you offer incentives that require very detailed or specific tracking? Other questions to ask include:

• Does the POS software interface with my accounting software? How extensive is that integration? Does it simply an export of journal entries for the day or is there a thorough integration of the two programs?
• How easy is it to make changes to the POS software programming? You will need to be able to change prices, items, and employees regularly.
• Does the POS software credit card processing feature work with my current merchant account?
• What type of reports can the POS software produce? Every piece of software will give you basic reports. Ask for samples so you can compare.
• Does the POS software support gift card transactions? How thoroughly? Can cardholders check their balances online?
• Can you make changes to the POS software programming in advance? For example, can you create a Christmas menu sometime in October and set it to automatically take effect December 1?
• Does the POS software interface with liquor control devices? (LCDs track each pour of a bottle.)
• Can the POS software support my special discounts and promotions? Some POS software may not easily accommodate unusual programs.