Top 5 POS Hardware for Boosting Retail and Restaurant Success in 2024

What is POS hardware? POS hardware is all the physical equipment required to complete a sale. Take a bubble tea shop, for instance, where the staff places orders using a dual-screen integrated touchscreen POS terminal. You pay with your smartphone, a desktop barcode scanner reads the QR code for electronic payment, and a receipt printer churns out a detailed list of your bubble tea order.

All POS equipment and peripherals help process customer payments swiftly and efficiently. It's vital to grasp the function of each piece of POS hardware. This article will introduce the various types of POS system hardware and detail and the function of each piece in both retail and restaurant settings.

Common POS Hardware and Equipment

1. POS Terminal

POS terminal hardware is the backbone of any commercial setup. Think of it as the command center, where every transaction gets processed. 

In large supermarkets, pharmacies, or bookstores, stationary POS terminal machines are extensively used. These terminals are often all-in-one devices, typically feature a robust design to withstand high-volume transactions, with integrated screens, keyboards, and often, built-in receipt printers.

Advancements in mobile printing technology have led to the widespread adoption of mobile POS terminals, particularly in the restaurant and catering industry. 

For instance, in busy restaurants, customers can place orders directly through iPad POS terminals on their tables, or waiters use Android handheld POS terminals for immediate order-taking and order receipt printing, thereby enhancing both service speed and efficiency.

2. Cash Register

The cash register is a vital POS accessory designed for secure cash management during transactions. It typically integrates seamlessly with traditional stationary terminals, and is commonly used in grocery stores, supermarkets, and other retail stores.

When a sale is made, the POS software sends a signal to the cash drawer to pop open, allowing for the secure handling of cash from customers. In practice, this POS equipment is often linked with a receipt printer. 

Take the HPRT TP80N cash register printer for instance, just connect it to cash register by cash drawer interface, and simply make some settings to open the cash drawer before printing receipts.

For more details, please visit How to Set Up a Printer for cash register.

3. Card Reader

Customers opt for debit or credit cards for their transactions due to the convenience and efficiency of cashless payments. Card reader is an important tool for non-cash transactions. It can support a variety of card types, such as debit and credit cards with magnetic stripes, EMV chip cards for added security, and NFC-enabled cards, catering to a wide range of customer payment methods.

4. Barcode Scanner

In POS terminal setups, barcode scanners primarily serve two key functions: scanning product barcodes for item identification and price retrieval, and scanning QR codes or barcodes for mobile payments. 

Many businesses have embraced stationary barcode scanners, allowing customers to scan QR codes on their smartphones for self-service checkout, thereby expediting the payment process.

And large supermarkets and retail stores often use handheld barcode scanners. These POS system hardware, which connect to the POS terminal via USB or Bluetooth, streamline inventory management and enable quick checkouts, delivering a smooth transaction of goods and payments.

5. Receipt Printer

In every business transaction, receipts are essential, showcasing transaction details and serving as crucial evidence for both parties. Thus, the POS receipt printer becomes an essential part of POS hardware. 

Depending on the selected POS system, the type of receipt printer can vary significantly. There are built-in receipt printers for integrated touchscreen systems, self-service checkout kiosks in supermarkets, desktop POS receipt printers for traditional sales points, and mobile receipt printers for flexible, on-the-move transactions. 

HPRT is a reliable China supplier for windows, iOS and android POS hardware and peripherals, especially high-performance receipt printers. Our POS printers are widely used in retail and catering industries, such as grocery, supermarkets, clothing stores, boutiques, fast food restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores.

● Our TP808 is a versatile thermal receipt printer for many applications, such as in the self-service checkout kiosks of large supermarkets, and as a desktop POS printer in retail stores.

● Our TP809, as a high-end POS receipt printer, boasts an elegant and stylish design, offering excellent durability and stability. It is commonly used in boutique retail stores and upscale restaurants.

● We also offer the kitchen printer KP806 PLUS, specifically designed for the high-oil and noisy environments of back kitchens and restaurants. It features multiple protections and warning functions to assist kitchen staff in preventing missed orders and ensuring synchronization with front-of-house information.

As the original manufacturer, HPRT offers a wide range of POS hardware bundles, including receipt printers and barcode scanners. We also provide bulk OEM and ODM customization services to meet your unique POS system requirements. Feel free to contact us for more details.