Revised: May 28th, 2013
This is a No-Nonsense Website
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Affordable POS Software de Luxe. 


Restaurant POS Software for all types of Food-Service Operators.


If you have a Restaurant with Table-Service and occasional Take-Out then
you need to check out Server-Station POS Software. Easy-to-Learn, Easy to use, fast,
efficient software which you can install yourself. Click on the banner
below to learn all about it.

Our Home-Delivery POS Software system does LOTS more than delivery. It can be used
for Fast-Food, Drive-thru, Cafeterias, Take-Out, General Retail, QSR,
etc.  The system also recognizes UPC codes for fast check-out.
Click on the banner below to learn more.

If you can find a better Food-Service POS system than Foodman, we'll buy it for you!

Our Software can be changed to use ANY language!





Click on these links to learn everything you need to know about Restaurant POS systems.

Click on the Flag for the Australian version of Foodman.
Foodman Users: Click here for Free Update.
















Foodman Server-Station
Point-of-Sale Software for Table-Service Restaurants.

Single-User $295.00 Multi-user (no limit) $495.00
Free Support - Free Updates

Any Foreign Language can be used on the Server Screens.

Foodman is so simple, servers can learn how to use it in
just a few minutes. See the actual screen-shots below:

Servers use one finger on either the keyboard or touchscreen
to tell Foodman what they want to do.
They can either touch the individual buttons, or, they can type
the letter on the button.






The server selects the category and the items in the category
are displayed. The server touches the screen to enter the items.

Note that there can be up to 54 menu items on a single touchscreen.
There are no other POS software systems of which we know which have as many.

Please note the following important considerations:

1. We do not use icons to represent food items. Icons are just a
sales gimmick which provide no genuine value to the POS system.

2. Other POS software systems devote some space to the current order.
We think that is a waste of valuable screen-space. If the server
wishes to see the order, they just touch the 'SEE ORDER' button

3. With Foodman EVERYTHING to make an individual item is on the SAME
SCREEN - no jumping from screen-to-screen and back again.

And, you can touch the buttons and still be able to read the description.



The 'SPECIAL' button is for special items not on the menu
The 'S.I.' button is used for special instructions.
The 'KILL' button is used to kill an item, if required.
The 'CATEGORY' button is used to select another Menu Category.
The 'WHO' button is used to identify individual patrons - used for separate checks.
The 'QTY' button is used to enter the quantity when greater than 1.
The 'HELP' button shows the HELP screen.

The 'END' button is touched after all the items have been entered. The Server
can see them before ENDing by touching SEE.


Servers have access to a HELP screen by touching the HELP button. This makes it very
convenient when training new servers.




The PAYMENT screen appears below: It lets the server specify the method of
payment, the tip and, for cash orders, a tendered amount.

Note that it accomodates SPLIT PAYMENTS, HOUSE CHARGES and
a DECLINING BALANCE (debit card).




A happy cook makes for happy customers. Make life easy for them with one or more monitors
in the kitchen. Easy-to-read and easy-to-use!




With Foodman, you don't need a full-time cashier. When the
server's shift ends, you just cash them out, like this:




The Guest Check is designed for industry-standard 40-column
POS printers.




Whenever you feel like it, you can print a Listing of all
the checks on the standard POS printer. You can also list the checks for a
single server




You can print a brief Sales Summary at any time. This too,
is designed for the standard POS printer.



Navigation is simple via the "System Menu". Access to components
can be restricted via Passwords.





When you install a POS system in your restaurant, several things happen:

Overall efficiency is improved.

Errors caused by poor handwriting, etc. are completely eliminated.

Pricing errors and arithmetic errors are completely eliminated.

Walking orders to kitchen is eliminated.

Fraud and Theft are reduced.

You get control over everything.

Your overall costs are reduced.


Just do it! Call Now 800-971-3663

- Use Touchscreen, Touchpad or Keyboard
- House Charges
- Discounts
- Gift Certificates
- Taxed and no-tax items
- Unlimited Menus
- Multiple kitchen/bar printers
- Separate checks by individual
- No-Tax checks
- Split checks
- Gratuities
- Server Banking
- Cashier not needed
- Cash-Out Servers
- Daily Specials
- Time-Clock
- Hours-Worked Report
- Scheduling
- Daily Sales Summary
- Sales/Cost Analysis
- Accounts Receivable
- Accounts Payable
- Multiple Payment Methods
- Fast Take-Out
- and much more.
Some screen shots are abbreviated to reduce download time.

FREE TELEPHONE ASSISTANCE.
FREE UPDATES.






Foodman Home-Delivery POS Software
for Residential Delivery, Fast Food, Take-Out,
Drive-Thru, Cafeterias, General Retail.
Single-User $295.00 Multi-user (no limit) $495.00
Free Support - Free Updates

Best viewed at 1024x768 Resolution to simulate actual screens.



Here is a shot of the main Order-Entry Screen. Unlike most other POS systems,
Foodman uses a single screen to enter any given item. Most other POS systems
use multiple screens (which you have to set up) to enter an item. Because there are
54 individual buttons on the Foodman screen, you can get everything you need
on the one screen. Order-Entry is simple, fast and efficient.








In addition to being really easy-to-use, it is also really easy-to-learn.
The operator just touches the HELP button to see the following:









Foodman handles fast Take-out, too. It is ideal for high-volume establishments
where rapid response is required. Works with Drive-Thru, too. The ability to
scan barcoded products makes Foodman ideal for a convenience or general retail store.
Foodman is not just for Food.

The following screen-shot shows the
screen after items have been entered. When the operator enters the Tendered
amount, the change is calculated, a receipt is printed and the Cash Drawer opens.



When a NEW customer calls for the first time, you have to be
able to capture their name and address as efficiently as possible.

Foodman lets you create a Street-Index for your Delivery Area.
This eliminates the need for the operator to have to TYPE the
Street, City, State and ZIP for each new customer. That saves TIME.
It also ensures that you don't take orders outside your Delivery Area.
Additionally, the Street-Index can contain driving instructions.

Using the keyboard, your operator only enters the house number,
the first letter of the street name, and the customer's name.
Foodman inserts the rest.



When a customer calls, the operator enters the phone number
and the customer's name and address and their last order
is displayed. The operator can then repeat the customer's
last order or a take a new one.



As you can see, everything you need to know about the customer
and their order is on ONE screen - not only the order,
but the operator who took the order, the time it was taken,
the driver it was assigned to, etc. - this is important information.


Navigation is simple as can be via the System Menu. Access to components
is controlled by passwords.

Note that our phone number is on the screen. We'll bet you won't find a phone number
on our competitor's screens.




Designed for Industry-Standard 40-column POS printers
Customer Receipts contain everything about the order
in complete detail. Note the ROUTE INSTRUCTIONS for the driver.





At the end of the day, you don't want to spend time on paperwork.
Foodman gives you the basic information you need to operate
your business on the standard POS printer, like this:




Daily Sales Summary designed for the
POS printer looks like this:




Naturally, you can assign delivery orders to the drivers.
At the end of their shift, you can cash them out to be sure
you collect the correct amount - as follows:






FREE TELEPHONE ASSISTANCE.
FREE UPDATES.

Home-Delivery System
Your POS Dreams Can Come True!

Free Updates - Free Telephone Support
Single-User Version: $295.00 - Multi-User Version: $495.00
Buy Securely via PayPal - Just Click on the Logo



You can DOUBLE your business with Foodman!

Order-Takers can take TWICE as many orders with Foodman! than by hand.

Manual errors in price, addition, etc. are completely eliminated.

Errors and delays caused by poor handwriting are completely eliminated.

Foodman! not only improves the order-taking part of the business, but kitchen operations and the management of deliveries become more efficient, too.

Your ENTIRE operation becomes more efficient, and, therefore, costs less to operate.

When you consider how inexpensive Foodman! and personal computers, printers, etc. are it is a poor business decision NOT to install Foodman!

Just Do It! Call NOW 800-971-3663




- For Delivery, Take-Out, Eat-In, etc.
- Use TouchScreen or Keyboard
- Capture Customer Info on 1st call
- Reads UPC codes (with scanner)
- Repeat Customer's last order
- Take orders for Future days
- Automatic Street Look-up via Index
- Birthday Club
- $100 Club
- Lucky Numbers on Receipt
- Specials
- Special Instructions
- Route Instructions on Receipt
- Price and No-Price modifiers
- On-Screen Menu Lookup
- Unlimited Menus
- Unlimited Coupons
- Unlimited Discounts
- Delivery Charges
- Sales Reporting
- Sales Analysis and Costing
- Inventory
- Mailing Labels
- Delivery/Pickup/Take-Out/Eat-In
- Consolidate multiple locations
- Personnel Manager
- Delivery Manager - Track deliveries
- Password Protection
- Time Clock - Hours-Worked
- Accounts Payable
- Sales by Customer
- No Manual to Read
- Declining balance (debit card)
- Self-Explanatory Design
- and much more!


Foodman Office-Delivery System.

Single-User $595.00 Multi-user (no limit) $995.00

You know what they say: "If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere".  
Well, Foodman Office-Delivery was born and bred (in 1986) in Manhattan and 
a wide variety of New York corporate caterers, restaurants, delivery 
specialists, etc. use Office-Delivery.

Here's a few of them:
Mangia, Fisher & Levy, Piatti Pronti, McDonald's, Mom's Bagels, The Famous Wolf's, Savories, Pizzeria Figaro,
Taste Bud, Continental Chef, Lyn's Cafe,  etc. Large corporations like
Viacom, Bear Stearns, Chase, Ameritech, etc. also use Office-Delivery for their internal catering.
Use 1024x768 to Duplicate the Appearance of Foodman Screens.


With Foodman you can use EITHER the keyboard or the touchscreen to enter orders.

Here is a simple Sandwich category, which everyone can relate to,
to give you an idea of what the touchscreen looks like.
The operator selects the category and the items in the category
are displayed. The operator touches the screen to enter the items.
You can also use the mouse on the touchscreens.
This is what the touchscreen looks like.

>






If the operator wants to use the keyboard, they press F12
and the Menu Categories are displayed, like this:










The operator selects the Category by typing the letter next to it.

Then, the items in the selected Category are displayed. Items are
entered by typing the two-character codes, see the screen-shot below.



You decide whether you want to use the keyboard or touchscreen.


When a NEW customer calls for the first time, you have to be
able to capture their name and address as efficiently as possible.

The following screen-shot shows the capture of a new customer.
The next time this customer calls, he just gives his Account (5683).




As the operator ends taking the order, the Invoice is printed. Invoices can 
be 5x8 or 8x11. On a Laserjet printer, two invoices can be printed side-by-side 
in Landscape mode. Thus, you get two invoices on one piece of perforated 
8x11 paper. You can use custom forms too, if you want.

Invoices can also be printed on any dot-matrix printer using multi-part
continuous forms.









At the same time that the Invoice is printed, 'Make-Up slips' can be 
printed in the different preparation areas to tell your employees what to make.

You can also print separate Invoices for multiple individuals on the same 
order. This facilitates preparing a separate bag or box for each individual.



With Foodman, you can take both cash and House-Charge orders.
At the end of the day, House-Charges are posted to Receivables
automatically. Your accountant will like the Invoice Listing
(see below) very much.


You can run statements for your House-Charge customers
once or twice a month. They will print on a Laserjet
or a dot-matrix printer with continuous forms.

Foodman also has the ability to send current charges to customers via email.



You can print a Daily Sales Summary whenever
you need to for any day.




There is a lot of information about each order which your operators
really NEED to know. Information about delivery charges, minimum orders,
discounts, credit card information, special instructions, delivery time,
customer name, address and telephone, the name of the person placing
the order, who took the order, when it was taken, when the order has
to be delivered, etc. as well as the items on the order itself, all
must be readily available to your operator. Foodman puts EVERYTHING
on one screen for the ultimate in convenience.

>


You can DOUBLE your business with Foodman!

Order-Takers can take TWICE as many orders with Foodman! than by hand.

Manual errors in price, addition, etc. are completely eliminated.

Errors and delays caused by poor handwriting are completely eliminated.

Foodman! not only improves the order-taking part of the business, but kitchen operations and the management of deliveries become more efficient, too.

Your ENTIRE operation becomes more efficient, and, therefore, costs less to operate.

When you consider how inexpensive Foodman! and personal computers, printers, etc. are it is a poor business decision NOT to install Foodman!

Just Do It! Call NOW 800-971-3663


- Use TouchScreen or Keyboard
- Cash and Charge Accounts
- Repeat Orders
- Separate bags for individuals
- Multiple Kitchen Printers
- Minimum Orders
- Delivery Charges
- No-Tax Charge Accounts
- Automatic Service Charge
- Accounts Receivable
- Bill-To and Deliver-To addresses
- Custom Forms
- Daily Specials
- Special Items
- Special Instructions
- Multiple Departments in Accounts
- Production Reports
- Sales and Inventory Reports
- Delivery Manager - Track Orders
- Take Future Orders
- Side-by-Side Invoices on Laserjet
- Eight modifiers per Item
- Cash-Out Runners
- Capture Cash Customers
- Mailing Labels
- Sales/Cost Analysis
- Consolidate Multiple Locations
- Automatic Post to Receivables
- Interface to Quickbooks, etc.
- Credit Cards for Cash Customers
- eMail Features
- Bill customers via eMail.
- Special-Billing Information.
- Accounts Payable
- and too much more to list

Standard Commercial Systems
Englewood, New Jersey, 07631
Established 1986
800-971-3663












          


         Whatever you do, DO NOT BUY a POS system until you have
         had a 'walk-through' or 'guided tour' of the software.
         If a vendor does not have a downloadable demo, DO NOT
         even consider them.
         
         You have to be careful when you buy a POS system. Some are hard
         to learn, hard to use, some are restricted in their features,
         most are buggy.  And, the majority do NOT provide Free Support
         so, the actual cost may be substantially greater than the initial 
         purchase price.
         
         Basically, all POS systems do the same essential things. The
         manner in which they do all those things can, however,
         be dramatically different in terms of efficiency and speed. 
         
         You don't want to make a hasty or ill-advised decision when
         you are buying a system to run your business.
         
         Again, whatever you do, INSIST on receiving a demo version
         of the software (NOT a Slide Show or PDF file) so that you
         can evaluate it properly. Ideally, get the vendor to walk
         you through the software over the phone so that you can
         see exactly how it works.  This is VERY important.
         
         
         This brings up the problem of exactly HOW you evaluate
         a POS system for your business.
         
         One thing for sure, DO NOT select a POS system based solely
         on price. And, do not buy one because you like the general appearance.

                         Click here to see how a $299.00 system can add up.

         In order to help you in your evaluation, we have prepared
         two routines which you should follow to evaluate a system
         for Table-Service or Delivery/Take-Out/Fast Food.
         
         When evaluating the software, keep a count of the number of
         steps involved in each operation, i.e., how many keystrokes
         or screen-touches does each step require. 
         
         Also, think about how you would find training your staff
         in the use of the software. How long might it take?
         
         Remember that you should be able to use your Mouse on
         the screens as though you had a touchscreen.


         Click here for Table-Service Evaluation Routine.
         Click here for Delivery/Take-Out Evaluation Routine.



         The majority of POS systems are designed to be pretty. Whatever
         you do, don't choose a system because you like the colors or the
         way that it looks. You can read more about POS system design 
         and usability by Clicking here. 

       
         Here is an example of a pizza POS screen from SpeedLine. It is
         obvious that appearance figured high in the designer's priorities.
         
         See how much wasted space there is on the screen which could
         be used, for example, for additional and more usable buttons
         for the menu or, larger, more readable fonts.

       
           




         Apparently designed to work with a mouse (the buttons are too
         small and no one could use a finger on the toppings), it is a 
         good example of a poorly designed POS system where a slick-appearing 
         interface was their first priority in the design.
         
         The other bad thing about SpeedLine is that it appears to
         be designed ONLY for pizza. - what happens if you also sell
         burgers, sandwiches, desserts, etc.? In reality, a well-designed 
         POS for Food-Service should be able to be used by any type
         of Food-Service business - Like Foodman.
         
         It is not that we are opposed to 'prettiness' but NEVER at
         the expense of efficiency. Accordingly, the Foodman screens are
         not 'pretty', but they sure are efficient, easy-to-read and
         easy-to-use and learn.  Function before Form.
         
         The following Foodman  screen shot shows a sandwich category, 
         but it could just as easily be pizza or anything else, including 
         non-food items.  
         
         We didn't waste time or screen space with fluff - this is 
         Industrial-Strength, No-Nonsense software.
         
         Look how big and easy to read the screen is. 
         
         Most importantly, see how the big Foodman screen can accomodate
         up to 54 menu items at a time, with simple, uncomplicated buttons 
         which are very easy to setup.
         
         So, what do you want, something which is nice and pretty or
         something which is supremely efficient, totally dependable,
         fast, easy to learn and use and comes with Free Support?

















Yes, YOU can DO-IT-YOURSELF, here's how:

(It doesn't matter which Foodman! system you are interested in,
the following applies to all of our systems.)

Assume that you want a 3-station touchscreen system;
two PCs in the dining room, one PC at the bar. It is
not necessary to have a dedicated File-Server PC in the back-office.
Each station would have a Receipt Printer and would
share 'Make-Up' printers in the kitchen and bar areas.

You can shop around for inexpensive PCs and Receipt Printers,
cash drawers, Touchscreen monitors on the Internet. There
are lots of people selling industry-standard (Windows) hardware.
Find one you feel comfortable with and save, save, save.
Also, see the links to hardware vendors on foodman123.com.

Bear in mind that ALL POS hardware is designed for the
PC and works with all versions of Microsoft Windows.
NOTE: Recent developments have resulted in All-In-One touchScreen
computers becoming available for less than $400.00. (January, 2011)
see image at top of home page.

This is what you need:

1. 3 Inexpensive PCs. These should be the least expensive new PCs
you can find. The price should be no more than $300.00 each.
Total = $900.00. It is perfectly OK to use PCs which use
AMD or Cyrix processors rather than Intel to save some
more money. (No Monitor on these.) These PCs should have
1gb RAM, Hard Drive, CD drive, 1 parallel and
2 serial ports. One of the three would be designated as
the 'File-Server' and it should have at least 2mg RAM.
(More RAM is better).

All three PCs would use the same version of Microsoft
Windows and the Foodman software would be installed on
the File-Server ONLY. All the PCs will need Network
Interface Cards (NICs) to talk to each other.


2. 3 Touchscreen monitors. These start at approximately $350.00
each - Total = $1050.00. You can use the keyboard or
the Touchscreen with Foodman. Depending on the size of
your food Menu, you might be better off using the
keyboard and save the money on the touchscreen monitors
and just use regular monitors instead (1024x768 required).


3. 3 40-column receipt printers. You can buy Star, Citizen
Epson or any other brand of printer - these start at about
$200.00 each - Total = $600.00. We strongly recommend
that you use Parallel rather than Serial printers since
Windows has a tendency to not like Serial printers. You
can get extra Parallel ports on the PCs, if required.
Add another $200.00 for each additional kitchen or bar
printer you might need.


4. Microsoft Windows - $189.00 (approx).


5. Foodman Software (Network version) $495.00. Single-user is $295.00.


All hardware prices are approximate. If you want to get a Laser
printer, cash drawers (about $150.00) or other stuff, go ahead.


This adds up to $3234.00 for a 3-station POS system. Compare that to
the megabucks quotes from your Aloha, Micros, Squirrel, RestEz dealers, etc.



The printers and monitors just attach to the PCs. You
install Windows, install Foodman, set-up Windows for
networking and you are in business. You may have to have
special cables made depending on the distance things are from each other.


If you feel a bit uncomfortable doing the installation yourself,
just buy the hardware first (call us to check that you are doing
it correctly) and then pay a local computer store to install
everything, make cables, and get Windows working. Microsoft
will provide support for networking problems.


It shouldn't take more than a day to get everything set up and
working to your satisfaction.

Try it - you'll like it!

















       Modern computers are really ridiculously fast. Even the slowest
       computer made today is much more powerful than a simple point-
       of-sale system requires. This is good, it means you can buy
       the cheapest computers you can find. If you have old computers 
       sitting in the closet dig them out. If they will run 
       Windows (any version from 3.1 thru Windows 7 (32-bit only)
       they will run Foodman. 

       Try them out to see if they work out OK. You need a minimum of
       512mg of RAM to run dependably.  Foodman will not run on 64-bit
       versions of Windows without using XP compatibility mode which
       is provided in the more expensive versions.

       Search the Internet for your best hardware buys. You can buy
       all the hardware you need at low-cost and just hire someone
       to install it and set it up for you. 

       When you do it yourself, you don't have to pay anyone for 
       hardware support. If something breaks, just throw it away
       and buy a new one - the hardware is inexpensive. 

       Refurbished equipment usually comes with a six-month warranty.
       The odds are that if it survives the warranty period, it will
       have a normal life-span. So, give refurbished stuff serious
       consideration.
       
       Just about all you need to know about hardware basics follows, if
       you have questions, just call 800-971-3663.



       Just Click on the following Links to go to a particular Topic.


 
               Input Methods (Keyboard/Touchscreen).
               Computers .
               Monitors and Touchscreens.
               Printers.
               Cash Drawers.
               Cables.
               Black on Blue?
               Networking.
               Preparing to Install.
               Microsoft Windows.
               Typical Problems.
               MSCONFIG
               Windows Command (DOS) Prompt
               Testing Parallel Printers





       -INPUT METHODS-

       Foodman gives you the choice of using either the keyboard 
       or a touchscreen monitor to enter orders. Before 
       deciding on which method to use, it is best to buy the 
       software first. Then, complete your Menu and decide which
       to use.

       You should also be aware that you can use the Mouse on the
       Foodman touchscreens.  Using the Mouse is a viable alternative
       to using a touchscreen.  The Mouse will work on a regular
       (non-touchscreen) monitor. 

       Using the touchscreen is easier to learn and use, but the keyboard
       can be faster. 
        


       -COMPUTERS- 

       Your minimum requirements for a PC running Foodman, either
       single-user or network are:

       1. Any Windows PC with any 32-bit version of Windows, including Windows 7).
       2. One hard-drive. (Even a 10gb drive is MORE than adequate.)
       3. One CD drive to load Windows.
       4. At least 1GB of RAM. 
          A machine with insufficient memory will run slowly and may crash.
       5. A mouse.
       6. A keyboard.
       7. We strongly recommend having a "Memory Stick" flash drive to
          make backups on.

       Even the most basic computer sold today will typically meet these
       requirements for less than $250.00.

       See our home-page for sources of hardware.



       -MONITORS-  

       Foodman requires your monitors to be set to 1024x768 resolution. 

       Touchscreen monitors start at about $360.00 retail. Shop
       around on the Internet to look for the best deals. Be sure
       you get the right cables and drivers for the one you choose.

       IMPORTANT: If you have specified Large Fonts or changed the 
       colors of the desktop, you may have readability problems (Like
       black letters on a dark-blue background!).

       To fix this just change your settings back to the default settings. 
       You may also get improperly displayed screens if you are not using
       True-Color 32bit colors. 

       To change your monitor settings, right-click on the Desktop, 
       click on Properties, click on Settings.

       Touchscreen monitors can attach to either a serial port or
       a special port provided by the manufacturer. The serial port
       model is easier to install. 

       Touchscreen monitors pretend to be a mouse. You can use
       your mouse on the Foodman touchscreens to see how a touchscreen
       works - just click instead of touching.


       -PRINTERS- 


       Please Note:  Firewalls on your computer can cause printers not to work.
       Google "firewall printer problems" to see numerous example of Firewalls
       stopping printers from working. Anti-Virus software and screensavers
       can also cause weird problems.  Get rid of all that stuff which you
       should not need anyway, since your POS computer(s) should NOT be on the 
       Internet.

       There are dozens of printers. Epson, Star, Citizen are the big-
       three.

       There are three types of printer: Serial, USB and Parallel. Older
       computers may have parallel or serial ports but the newer ones
       will only have USB ports so your choice of printers is restricted
       depending on the available ports.

       When installing printers in Windows, install them all as 
       'Generic/Text-Only' which will eliminate the need to install
       specific printer drivers.

       Foodman will work with any type of printer but you may require
       additional software depending on the exact configuration.
       Feel free to call us to discuss your printer requirements.
        
       See our Hardware link for printer dealers.

       On networks, printers should be installed on the physically-
       closest computer. Any computer can print to any printer on
       a network.                        

       Buying printers depends entirely on how much you want to spend
       and what you need. They are all basically the same. They are
       all dot-matrix and use either ribbons or thermal paper. The
       cost of ribbons and paper may influence your decision - ask
       about those items before you buy.

       You can also easily acquire converters, for example, say you
       had an old parallel printer but your new computer only has
       USB ports. Cables are available which will connect your USB
       port to the parallel printer.

       IF you only have USB printers, you will need to acquire drivers
       for them. If you have a single-user version of Foodman, you
       need to download the driver from WWW.DOS2USB.COM. The following
       screen shot shows you which items should be checked.

        

       
       If you have USB printers or some combination of Parallel, Serial
       and USB printers and the multi-user version of Foodman, you
       need to download the driver software from WWW.PRINTFIL.COM.
       
        Click here for detailed instructions for Printfil.


       
     



       -CASH DRAWERS- 

       Cash drawers must be physically attached to the PRINTER, not the
       computer.  For this reason, be sure to specify which printer you
       are using before ordering a cash drawer.


       -CABLES- 

       The odds are that you will have to run cables, the cables may
       have to be custom-made, so you might want to consider hiring
       someone to do the installation for you, especially if you
       require long cables.


       -BLACK ON BLUE- 


       If you have changed your colors in Windows, you might get unreadable 
       combinations.  Just change your colors back to the Windows default
       to fix this problem.






       -NETWORKS- 

       We do not recommend the use of a wireless network. Based on our
       tests, a wireless network can be too slow. Furthermore, having
       a wireless network can leave your network open to hacking.

       On a network, the Foodman software is installed on the 
       computer designated as the FILE-SERVER, the other 
       computers are called WORK-STATIONS.

       Foodman does NOT require a dedicated FILE-SERVER. 
 
       The Foodman software is EXECUTED on each WORK-STATION, but takes
       the software and the data from the FILE-SERVER. In other words,
       it does not use its own hard-drive, but the one on the FILE-SERVER
       via the NETWORK.

       On a network, Foodman is installed on drive C: on the FILE-SERVER.
       That drive must be designated as a SHARED DRIVE. When the drive
       is so designated, it will have another letter assigned to it. 

       When the software is run for the first time on a network, it will
       prompt you to enter an unique User Number.  Be sure to make the
       numbers unique to each PC.  If you need to change a User Number
       for any reason, delete the file C:\FFM93A.DAT.

       To assign a drive-letter to drive C: on the server, click on
       start, click on my computer, then right click drive c:, then click 
       Properties. The following shows drive C: being given the shared
       drive-letter of K.  (you don't have to use K, you can use any
       unused letter.)

        


        (This image is from XP, Vista differs for no imaginable reason.)       

       ON THE SERVER, the SHORTCUT to run Foodman will specify 
       drive C: as the TARGET. E.g., C:\XSS\SS.EXE would run
       Server-Station. Be sure the START-IN directory is either
       C:\XOD, C:\XSS or C:\XHD appropriately.

       The SHORTCUTs ON THE WORK-STATIONS would specify drive K:
       appropriately.  For example, K:\XSS\SS.EXE. DO NOT USE the 
       computer-name in the SHORTCUT TARGET on the WORK-STATION.

       DO NOT INSTALL FOODMAN ON ANY WORK-STATIONS.

       Foodman is installed in one of the following directories 
       (Folders):  C:\XOD, C:\XSS or C:\XHD appropriately.          

       The NET USE command can be used to assign a drive-letter
       on workstations, e.g. NET USE K: \\SERVERNAME\K
       This command has to be given at the command prompt.

       NOTE: If running Windows Vista, Foodman must be 
       "Run as Administrator" since it writes data to drive C:
       To eliminate this annoyance, you need to turn off "User Account
       Control".  Turn it off in the Control Panel under "User Accounts".

    



       -PREPARING FOR INSTALLATION.      
 
       The versions of Windows which come with computers from
       the big companies like Dell, HP, etc. have customized
       versions of Windows which may not be compatible with other
       hardware. Also, when in need of support you have to call
       the appropriate manufacturer. For this reason, we recommend
       buying computers which do not have Windows installed and
       buying your own version of Microsoft Windows. Those computers
       also come pre-loaded with lots of software which you
       will probably never use (or even know about) and which
       may well cause problems. And, you can get support directly
       from Microsoft rather than the manufacturer.

       You can tell if there is other software running on
       your computer by running MSCONFIG (See below).
       You need to get rid of that extraneous software which
       will free up resources on the computer and make it run 
       faster. Most computers come with all sorts of stuff 
       installed which you will never use and which are 
       hogging resources. 

       That other software can also interfere with Foodman. So,
       before you install the system in your business, it may
       be a good idea to REFORMAT the hard drive to get rid of
       software you neither need nor want, and install the SAME 
       VERSION of Windows on all computers.

       You should also take care to prevent installation of other
       software on your computers by your employees either with 
       or without your consent. You might wish to remove the CD
       drive from the computers since you will rarely use it.

       It is not a good idea to have your POS computers on-line to
       the Internet. To do so exposes your computers to risk of
       viruses, and other types of nasty software. In addition, you
       do not want your employees surfing the Internet on your POS
       system.
  
       When short of space, be aware that you can hang computers on
       the wall or stand them on their side.


       -MICROSOFT WINDOWS- 


       When you buy a computer, buy one that does not come with
       Windows already installed. Just buy a legitimate copy of 
       Windows (any version) on eBay or elsewhere and install it 
       yourself.  This will entitle you to support directly from
       Microsoft in case you need it.

       After installing Windows on the re-formatted (see above) drive, 
       be sure to run MSCONFIG (See below).




       -TYPICAL PROBLEMS- 
        1. "COMPUTER FREEZES".

        This will only happen in live versions.  If you attempt to print
        ANYTHING with Foodman, and there is no printer attached, or it is
        not on, or it is on the wrong port, or whatever,  Foodman will 
        'Freeze' and await the correction of the problem, e.g. install 
        more paper, turn it on, etc.

        2. GENERAL PROTECTION FAULTS.

        These are always caused by conflicts with OTHER software running
        on the PC.  To make the problem go away, do the following.

        Run MSCONFIG (See below) to rid your PC of this problem.

        3. LOAD FAILURE (on xxxxxxx).

        This should only happen on networks and indicates that there
        is something wrong with the shortcut to the software on the
        server. See: Networking.


        4. FONTS

                       
        Foodman uses the standard Windows Fonts which SHOULD be on every
        Windows PC.  Unfortunately, because of bugs in Windows, the fonts
        on the Foodman screens may not display correctly.
           
        If you have changed the colors in Windows, you may get unreadable
        screens with black text on a blue background.

        See: Fonts and Colors.

        5. NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY.

        On some Vista machines, there can be an occasional machine which
        gives a message to the effect that the software did not install
        properly.  When you run Foodman after this message, Foodman gives
        an appropriate message. If this happens, right click on the Foodman icon
        on the desktop, then click properties, then click "Run as Administrator".


        MSCONFIG.

        MSCONFIG is a utility provided with Windows (except Windows 2000). 

        Virtually every PC which one could buy these days comes loaded
        with free software and other stuff of dubious value.
        That software is set to automatically run when you turn the
        PC on.  Needless to say, having all that stuff running at
        the same time with Foodman can cause problems.

        Basically, you don't want any of the free stuff to run automatically
        since all it does is slow things down and mess things up.

        So,  turn it all off, as follows:

                Click on Start
                Click on Run
                Enter 'MSCONFIG'
                Click on Startup Tab
                Click on Disable All
                Click on apply
                Click on OK

        then, reboot your PC.  You should do this about once a month,
        because, as you will learn, things turned-off turn themselves
        back on again which is very annoying.

        Here is a screenshot of MSCONFIG:

        




    - TESTING PARALLEL PRINTERS -

        You can test to see if a parallel printer is working by using
        the command 'DIR>LPT1' at the command prompt.  If nothing prints,
        then the printer or something is not working.

        Do the same test for printers on the other parallel ports:
        'DIR>LPT2' and 'DIR>LPT3'.

        Sometimes, for unkown reasons, even though you may have only
        one parallel port and logically assumed that it woudl be LPT1,
        it might have installed itself as LPT2 or LPT3.



    - WINDOWS COMMAND PROMPT -


        There will be times when it is either necessary or desirable to
        use the Command prompt. To get there, do the following:

                Click on Start
                Click on Run
                Enter 'CMD' or use 'COMMAND'

                or, for Vista:

                Click on Start
                Enter 'CMD'

        A black command prompt window will then appear. To get into the appropriate
        Foodman folder, enter one of the following:

        CD\XSS          for Server-Station
        CD\XHD          for Home-Delivery
        CD\XOD          for Office-Delivery

        The prompt will then become either: C:\XSS>,  C:\XHD> OR C:\XOD>

        You can then type the following commands:

        DIR/P  -  will list the contents of the folder.

        Assuming that you have a memory stick, you can backup the entire
        Foodman folder to the stick by using the COPY command. Assume that
        the drive-letter of your memory stick is 'E:'.

        COPY *.*  E:    this will copy the entire folder to the stick.

        COPY FFM*.*  E: this will copy all the data files to the stick.

        In normal practice, use the Foodman File Manager to make backups
        of your data files.

        If you suffer a power outage there is a possibility that you will
        damage the day's data file (Invoice File). In that case you have
        to rebuild the file and that is done at the Command prompt.
        
        If a file becomes damaged, the following screen will appear. This
        screen explicitly states how to rebuild the damaged file. Just
        follow the instructions.
        
               

                































 
 
Click here to see the MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS for a Foodman computer. 




 

We sell the software by itself so that you can go out and buy your 

own hardware and save thousands of dollars. To help you find the right stuff, here     

are some links selling what you need.                                



When you buy any hardware, be sure you get a warranty 

and check their return policy before you buy.

(These links are provided for your convenience, we do not endorse them

nor do we receive commission if you buy from them.)








  
  

    
       

               
       
        

    
       
        

           Tiger has lots of really inexpensive computers and LCD touchscreens.



Click here to go to TigerDirect.
        











  
  

    
       

               
       
        

    
       
        

           DGA is a Point-of-Sale Specialist. Buy your printers and cables here.  Star DP8340 is our recommended printer.

       

Click here to go to DGAHOUSTON for hardware.










  
  

    
       

               
       
        

    
       
        

                Protect your TouchScreens with these shields.


Click here to go to POSR.US
        











  
  

    
       

               
       
        

    
       
        

           You can find great computer bargains to build your own
           system and save lots of money doing it on ebay. 


Click here to go to the ebay site.
        










  
  

    
      
 
               
       
        

    
       
        

           Here is a site which specializes in surplus and refurbished computers.

       

Click here to go to Surplus Computers.






  
  

    
       
                             
       
       
    
    
       
        
Assistance with your Credit Processing needs.
       

       

Click here to go to FirstData.
Some POS vendors are remarkably candid about their software,
System3 POS says the following on their website (www.system3pos.com)

"It might be a bit much for a first timer without some
type of aid. You can't fly this baby solo."

We tried running their demo and have to agree with the
above statement!

Creating your menu with System3 POS could be somewhat
daunting. Try reading their manual about menu creation at:
System 3 POS Menu Manual.

We printed the System3 POS Menu manual (14 pages), and, to be sure,
learning how to create the menu is definitely not easy. See for
yourself by clicking the above link.

System3 POS provides a total of SEVENTEEN PDF manuals to learn
how to use their software. SEVENTEEN!!! Like to read manuals?
Get System3.

(Incidentally, System3 also has a 5-page manual dealing with
getting ready to do your menu.)

Remarkably, Foodman does not have ANY printed manuals! They
are not necessary since Foodman is SELF-EXPLANATORY.



Point of Success is another example of difficult menu setup.
On their website, www.pointofsuccess.com they offer a $49.00 Training CD - this
is what they have to say:


"Menu Builder Training CD

This CD plays on your computer, showing Point of Success'
menu builder screens with instructor narration. Almost
an hour of instruction will explain all aspects of
menu design in Point of Success. A sample of the
Menu Builder Training CD is available on the Download page."
(May 30th, 2004)


Quite frankly, Foodman would be embarrassed if it was
necessary to charge an extra $49.00 for an HOUR-LONG(!)
CD explaining how to create and maintain your menu.

If Point of Success is so wonderful, why do they find it
necessary to sell a separate CD to teach you how to use
just one part of it? Must be complicated, if you ask us!

Without belaboring the point, let it suffice to say that
most people can learn how to create their menu using Foodman
in about ten minutes, without resorting to an hour-long
training course which costs extra or reading a 14-page manual!

The primary reason for this is that Foodman is completely
SELF-EXPLANATORY and, therefore, does not require extra
training CDs or 14-page manuals.



















      A lot of people ask if our systems have 'Inventory' and
      all Foodman systems DO include Inventory. However, we
      usually recommend that people don't bother using it since
      there is a lot of work involved and the benefits are usually
      not worth the effort! If you are operating multiple restaurants
      and serving them via a central commissary, it might be worth it
      but if you just have a single restaurant, pizzeria, etc., it isn't
      worth the trouble.

      On the other hand, if you have a retail store (like a 7-11)
      or something, then the Inventory feature can be very useful.

      The following comments, therefore, apply to a Food-Service operation.
  
      Even a small restaurant may have a couple of hundred items
      to inventory. If you decide to use inventory, then you would
      need to count all those items and enter them into Foodman.
      
      Although Foodman will reduce the inventory automatically, you
      must be sure to make provisions for waste, items prepared but
      rejected by the customer and discarded, pilferage, etc. otherwise
      your inventory will not be accurate.
      
      EVERY TIME you replenish your inventory, you must tell Foodman
      how much of each item you just received. Again, if you have
      a couple of hundred items you care about, it can be a time-consuming
      daily procedure to keep the inventory up-to-date and accurate.
      
      Another problem is with bulk supplies - like flour. If you have
      a pizzeria you would have to estimate the number of portions
      you can yield from a bag of flour - depending on the size of
      the pizza.  
      
      So, let's assume you set up your inventory and diligently
      keep the inventory accurate for everything.  With Foodman,
      you can print an inventory report at any time. What is the
      report going to do for you?  It is going to tell you exactly
      what it thinks you have in stock based on your input and sales.
      To determine if this is accurate, you then have to go and
      count each item to see if it is right. Another time-consuming
      task - as if you didn't have enough to do already!
      
      You could use the report to order things, but you probably
      don't need the system to tell you when to order since your
      suppliers are going to be on your case anyway.
      
      You could use the report to tell you if pilferage has taken
      place, but try proving it. And, an inventory system is NOT
      going to prevent pilferage.
      
      Foodman provides Sales reports for everything that you sell.
      You can use these reports to spot-check your inventory. For
      example, let's assume that you need to have 35 expensive steaks
      available for sale every day. You know you bought 'x' steaks,
      the sales report will tell you that you sold 'y' steaks.
      You count them and see that you have 'z' steaks in stock.
      Therefore, 'x' minus 'y' should equal 'z'. So, you can
      monitor your inventory using the sales reports and this
      will give you what you need to manage your supplies.
      
      You can also, with Foodman, produce a sales report for JUST
      those items which you want to watch carefully, like steaks
      and expensive bottles of wine.  With this report, you can
      spot-check those items to see if your sales correspond
      to your actual stock.
      

      Anyway, the choice is yours, Foodman does have inventory and
      you can use it if you wish, but, we predict that you will
      get tired of all the extra work and arrive at the conclusion
      that it is just not worth the extra work.
               
       

       














 








           A lot of POS systems include Credit Card processing capabilities
           which are built-in. One of the reasons for this is that the
           hardware vendors can sell you more hardware and make more money.
           When you buy and use their stuff, they also make a percentage
           on each credit card transaction.
           
           We do not have built-in credit card processing and think that
           they best way is to use the hardware provided by your local bank
           for credit card processing.
           
           The advantage to this is that you do not have to tie up your
           POS computer to check a credit card. If someone is using the
           POS computer and you want to check a card, you have to wait 
           your turn to use the computer.
           
           When you use the separate equipment, one person can be checking
           a card and the other using the POS computer at the same time.
           That has to be an advantage.
           
           Furthermore, using the POS computer for card processing adds
           complexity which you just don't need.
           
           So, get the equipment from the bank and use that.
           
           If you really want to use the computer, there are numerous
           software packages which will run on your POS computer for
           card processing. Be aware that other software may interfere
           with Foodman.

           One final comment: if you use the computer to validate
           credit cards via the Internet, you run the risk of your
           computer receiving viruses and worms over the Internet
           which can adversely affect your PC.  Additionally, having
           the PC connected to the Internet offers the temptation
           to your employees to 'surf' the Internet when time
           allows.  This is NOT a good idea on the PCs you run
           your business with.

                                                                  
           We tested a few of the available systems and our observations
           can be found at: Credit Card Validation Software
           




























        Note that this comparison is between the Foodman Server-Station
        system and Aldelo Dine-in.  Aldelo is typical of the POS systems
        on the market.  Our comments would apply equally to most of the
        other systems.

        The following image is of the Foodman TouchScreen. Note that
        there are 54 buttons on the screen. The buttons are easy
        to set-up, easy-to-read, easy-to-learn, easy-to-use, fast and efficient.



   The following is the Aldelo Server Screen. 



   Before we continue, we want to make a point about the use of icons
   on POS touchscreens.  Having a picture on the button for a chicken dish
   is cute, but what do I do when I have four chicken dishes? Aldelo
   uses the same icon for several different dishes.  Because the icons 
   are so generic, it is essential to have the name of the item on the button. 
   So, to a degree, the icon is useless.   So if the icons are useless, why 
   bother with them?  The answer, of course, is to make the software 
   more 'attractive' to the prospective buyer and, therefore, easier to sell.

   Additionally, you will have extra work when setting up your menu
   if you use icons. So, why bother with them?

   Before you buy, you should find out what it is like to do your
   menu.  Or, does Aldelo do it for you, and if so at what cost?
   You can call Aldelo at 877-639-8767 to ask them about creating
   your menu.  Be aware that Aldelo says the following on their website:

   "Creating a restaurant menu database is easy but could be time 
   consuming.  If you don't have the time to spend on menu programming 
   or not sure if you can design the menu efficiently, then let our 
   experienced programmers help you." 
           
   We spent some considerable time reading their 359-page PDF manual and trying
   to figure out how to add new items to the menu, etc. There are 21 pages 
   devoted to Menu creation in the PDF manual.
   
   We spent some time trying to work with the Menu. There are a total
   of nine different screens (plus, several subordinate screens) pertaining 
   to the Menu in Aldelo, they are:
   
   Menu Categories, Pizza Builder Setup, Modifier Builder Setup,
   Menu Groups, Menu Items, Menu Items Auto Prices, Menu Modifiers,
   Forced Modifiers, Pizza Builder.                      

   By Contrast, Foodman uses one screen. Different Actions let you
   make changes, add new items, etc. with just a few keystrokes.
   
   With Foodman it takes a total of 6 keystrokes to change a price
   including the entry of the new price on one screen. Mouse not required.
                              
   With Foodman, you just tell the Menu Manager what you want to do
   by picking one the options shown below. Foodman then guides you
   through doing whatever you want to do.  It is self-explanatory.




   When it comes to setting-up the touchscreen, Foodman wins again
   letting you Create and Map the touchscreen with just one
   screen. No mouse required, it is lightning fast and ridiculously
   easy to to use. Here it is:




 

   Foodman does not use icons. Instead, we have lots of big
   buttons with clear descriptions. Easy to read, easy to setup, and no aggravation.

   Visually, there is a big difference between the Foodman and Aldelo screens,
   but, judging a business application by its appearance is like buying a book because you like the cover.

   Fortunately for us, it is possible to judge applications by 
   making direct comparisons between the various features of each.              

       1. Number of Menu-Items per screen.

          Aldelo seems to have 32. Foodman has 54, 22 more than Aldelo.
          This is an IMPORTANT issue. The efficient representation
          of the menu is the hardest part of a POS system.
          If you are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 
          and sell liquor, the odds are that you have a
          menu with as many as 1,000 items on it. Having
          as many as 54 at a time is obviously better 
          than having 32.

       2. Number of Category choices per screen.

          Aldelo seems to have 18. Foodman has 54. The Foodman system
          has either categories or menu-items for the 
          chosen category on the screen at one time. To
          see categories, the Foodman server merely 
          touches the "CAT" button to see up-to 54 at a time.

          Would you rather have 18 or 54? 

       3. Order on screen at all times.

          On the Aldelo screen, the portion on the right is 
          devoted to the current order. It is not really
          necessary for the server to be able to see
          a small portion of the order at all times. Further-
          more, it takes away from the usable area of the 
          screen which could have several more menu item 
          buttons on the screen were the order not there. 
          On the Foodman screen there is a "SEE" button which 
          lets the user see the entire order whenever they need or want to.

       4. Help.

          There doesn't seem to be a Help button on the Aldelo 
          Screen. With Foodman, the server just touches 
          the "HELP" button on the top of the screen and 
          a full-screen explanation of the various buttons 
          is displayed. 

       5. Separate Checks.

          It is important that a restaurant POS have the ability to
          print separate checks for each of the people in a party.
          In Foodman, the operator merely touches the 'Who' button
          to identify the person ordering that item.  We don't see any
          comparable feature on the Aldelo screen - how do you do it?

       6. Easy-to-Learn?

        Aldelo comes with a 359 page manual (see the PDF file in their demo).
        21 pages are devoted to doing your menu. Twenty-One!
        
        Unlike Aldelo, Foodman does not come with any manual at all. That
        is because Foodman, unlike every other POS on the market is self-explanatory.
        
        If you get Aldelo, you had better be prepared to spend a lot of time
        studying or paying for assistance.

       7. Entering Items.
                        
        Entering the items on a customer's order is the most time-consuming
        aspect of any POS system. The number of touches and the number
        of screens can affect the speed and efficiency of entry.
        
        We entered a hamburger, medium rare, french fries. To do this,
        the first step is to click on the hamburger, on the following screen:

                 
                       

        As soon as you click on the hamburger, the following screen appears
        which lets you specify the cooking instructions:

                  
          

        As soon as you click on Medium Rare, or whatever, the following
        screen appears:

                  


        After selecting the side dish, the program redisplays the main screen
        with the ordered item(s) thereon:

                  


        Aldelo provides a separate 'Modifier' screen, (Note the multiple use
        of icons), here it is:

           

           
        So, you end up using as many as four different screens to
        enter one item. Remember, that you have to setup those 
        different screens to reflect your menu. Or, you pay Aldelo to do it for you.
        
        In contrast, Foodman accomplishes everything with only ONE screen!

        Because there are 54 big buttons on the Foodman screen, it is
        easy to setup each of your categories so that the screen not
        only contains the main menu items, but all of the modifiers
        which apply to the menu items.
        
        Each item you enter can have up to eight modifiers.






        8. Foodman lets Servers be their own bankers.

           This lets you eliminate
           the cashier. At the end of their shift, Servers are Cashed-Out
           on one simple screen.  See if you can find anything comparable in Aldelo. We couldn't.










           







                With the onset of iPhones, iPads, Tablet PCs and
                the myriad of small devices coming on to the market
                we are starting to receive occasional questions about 
                hand-held devices for POS, so here is what we think
                about the traditional Guest-Check versus Hand-Held.

                When preparing this page, we came across the following
                comments about the iPad and POS. We couldn't say it
                better so we include their entire article below.

                "Over the past few weeks there has been some talk of companies 
                building restaurant point of sale software to run on the iPad. 
                This sounds fun, but I'm not sure anyone who has worked in an 
                actual restaurant environment would consider it a good idea. 
                The iPad was not designed for a restaurant environment and would 
                probably drive waitstaff and managers alike crazy. Here's why:

                1.It's a brick. Servers are already carrying around trays, plates, 
                  and glasses all the time. To ask them to carry around another device, 
                  it needs to be lightweight and not get in the way of their regular tasks.
                  They need to be able to pull it out, enter an order, and then put it 
                  away without any hassle. The iPad's user interface is spectacular, 
                  but when it's weighing your apron down so much that you look 
                  like a bad Charlie Chaplin skit then it's probably more trouble than it's worth.
                
                2.It's unwieldy. Servers often need to have both hands free. They 
                  need to be able to slip the iPad into an apron pocket when they're not 
                  using it. Unfortunately, the iPad is a little too big to comfortably 
                  fit inside an apron pocket, and even if it could, its excess weight 
                  would  cause it to drag the apron down (see Charlie Chaplin reference, 
                  above). An iPhone is a much better fit, but it is probably too small 
                  to use as a touchscreen terminal. The ideal size might be something 
                  more akin to a Kindle or Nook.
                
                3.It's too fragile. The iPad is a consumer retail device, not something 
                  particularly well suited to the madcap frenzy of a restaurant environment. 
                  It will get dropped, people will spill drinks on it, and it will be exposed 
                  to all sorts of other random hazards (do you prefer your iPads deep-
                  fried, or grilled?). Suffice to say, it will get destroyed after 
                  a few months of use. Realistically, a tablet needs to be retail-hardened 
                  before it can be used in a restaurant.
                
                4.It's too expensive. At $500 a pop, these devices are going to be too 
                  expensive to replace when they break, and they will break. There's a 
                  reason most point of sale terminals use retail-hardened hardware, 
                  and not commercial off-the-shelf computers. Here's a little math 
                  for you: if you pay your waitstaff the standard, criminally-
                  insane-but-government-sanctioned wage of $2.13 an hour, for 
                  each approximately $700 iPad you purchase, you're paying 329 
                  man-hours. Not to mention the $15-30/month/device data plan. 
                  At that price, it might actually be cheaper to hire someone 
                  to run around after each member of your waitstaff and be used 
                  as a multitouch device. "Just swipe Kenneth to activate!"
                
                5.It'll get stolen. Again, because of its high retail price and 
                  its value as a consumer electronic device, the iPad is a prime 
                  target for theft. Who knows how long an iPad will last in the 
                  store before it magically `disappears'?
                
                6.Wireless is unreliable. Most restaurants have industrial-strength 
                  microwave ovens that wreak havoc on wireless signals because 
                  they operate around the same frequency range. Dropped connectivity 
                  is unacceptable when you're trying to enter in orders or process 
                  credit cards. Currently, the only way around this is performing 
                  a professional installation, measuring the wireless signal throughout 
                  the restaurant, and making sure to install repeaters in the 
                  right place. This is fairly expensive.
                
                Basically, the iPad is not well suited for restaurants because it is 
                a consumer electronic device, with a higher than normal price point 
                and no retail hardening. A much more realistic solution would be a 
                retail hardened mobile POS tablet, perhaps based on cheaper hardware 
                running on Android. Less expensive, Android-based tablets are in 
                production now and will start shipping in the second half of the 
                year, so we'll see what happens." 


                Here's another article arriving at the same conclusions: HERE

                ____________________________________________________________________



                The term 'dupe' comes from the carbon copy of
                the Check which would be given to the kitchen
                when no POS was in use.

                When POS is in use, the carbon copy is no longer
                required, thus simplifying the use of the pad.

                One thing about the Check-Pads is that they don't
                mind getting wet, torn, dropped, stood on or anything
                else which is NOT true about a hand-held electronic device.

                Check-Pads are CHEAP which is definitely NOT
                the case for the hand-held.

                There is no training required to use a Check-Pad!

                Since the Check is only used by the Server creating
                it, (no dupe to the kitchen) the server can write
                the Check in their own language, use shorthand or whatever
                they find easiest and fastest to record the order. 
                A separate page can be used for each guest at the table.
                They can also make notes to themselves about each guest.

                After taking the order, the server goes to the POS
                system and enters the order. Admittedly, this step
                is not required when using a hand-held but the time
                required with an efficient system is probably less
                than the extra time required using the hand-held.

                So, we think the Guest-Check pad is going to be around 
                for ever...

                ________________________________________________________


                Shown below is a screenshot for an iPad-based POS
                system. Note that the dimensions of an iPad are
                9.5 x 7.31 and it weighs 1.33lbs.

                Our primary objection to the use of iPads
                is that they are too small. Referring to the shot
                below, you can see that they have only 16 buttons
                for menu items. A typical restaurant open for at
                least lunch and dinner and which sells liquor can
                easily have more than 300 items on the menu
                when you include all of the necessary modifiers, etc.
                If you did have about 300 items on the menu you
                would need at least 18 different screens.

                So, only having 16 items on the screen at a time means
                that you have to do a lot of navigating to get to
                all the various screens which you require. This adds
                to the complexity of order-entry and adds to the time
                required to enter an order. 

                We took the screenshot from a rather bewildering video
                which can be seen at:Revel Demo

                Note that the cost of a single-station Revel system including
                iPad, cash drawer and receipt printer is $3,499.00!
                Remember that you can get a Foodman POS system including
                hardware and software for less than $1,000 so paying
                $3,499.00 for an iPad system just does not make any sense.

                
                

                By comparison, Foodman allows 54 menu items on the
                order-entry screen. Typically, because of the 54
                buttons, the majority of items ordered are made
                from one screen which contains all of the items
                in a category, like this:

                

                The image above is approximately what it would be like
                on a standard 15" touchscreen monitor. Bear in mind
                that you can easily acquire a single-station
                POS system using Foodman for less than $1000.00
                software included.

                ______________________________________________________________________

                Shown below is the hand-held unit from Digital Dining.  As you can
                see, only 16 buttons for menu items which are, of course, smaller
                than on the iPad.
                
                Basically, iPhone type devices are JUST TOO SMALL and have all
                the drawbacks applicable to the iPad. 

                


















                                




 





                             Point of Success has two systems, one for $299.00 and one for
                             $599.00. The following was taken from the Point of Success website on
                             3/31/06.


                             "Support Charges

                             First 30 Days after purchase - Telephone technical support 
                             is provided at no charge 
                  
                             Per Incident - $39 per incident 
                  
                             Six month Software Maintenance Plan with unlimited support, 
                             automatic shipment of software updates and substantial 
                             discounts on future version upgrade purchases - $199 
                  
                             Support for installation and configuration of POS 
                             printers is available for $129 per hour 
                  
                             Support for network configuration or troubleshooting is available 
                             for $129 per hour. This service is limited to configuring 
                             computers to recognize each other on the network and 
                             communicate for Point of Success database access. 
                   
                             What Services are Offered with Telephone Technical Support?
                  
                             Assistance with troubleshooting software problems 
                             Information on the use of software features "

                      
                  The next sentence is a bit disturbing! 

                             "Telephone technical support services do not include training 
                             on set up or use of Point of Success software. 
                  
                             Computer hardware, operating system and network questions 
                             should be referred to the support services of the providers 
                             of these components.""
 

                             So, assume you bought the $299.00 version. You would be ill-advised
                             to NOT take the $199.00 service contract - for a year. 
                             So, your actual cost is not $299.00 but $697.00.  There is
                             a good chance that you would need to spend $129.00 an hour
                             getting your printers and/or network to run properly.
                             So, let's add another $258.00 for more than one hour of
                             such support to give us a total of $955.00.
                  
                             You would probably want to get their Time Clock package
                             which will cost you another $99.00. Now, we are up to 
                             a total of $1054.00.
                  
                             As they say above, "Telephone technical support services 
                             do not include training on set up or use of Point of 
                             Success software". So, I guess we'll have to add another 
                             $49.00 to buy their CD which teaches you how to do your menu.
                             
                  
                             Grand total is now $1103.00 for your $299.00 system.


           Click here for more about that training CD. 


















                        *It's good to print this page so that you can have it handy
                         when getting a walk-through.

                         Try to do the following, or request that the person showing
                         you the software over the phone tell you what to do.
                  
                         Try and remember how many keystrokes or screen-touches or
                         clicks you use for each step.
                  
                         You should be able to emulate the use of a touchscreen
                         by using your mouse.
                  
                         When entering items, be SURE to see if you could put in
                         an item such as: Hamburger/Well Done/Tomato/Onion/French Fries.
                         With Foodman you can have up to eight modifiers per item
                         in addition to Special Instructions.  Some POS systems are
                         restricted in the number of modifiers per item. 
                         
                  
                         a. Start a NEW GUEST CHECK and put a couple of items on it.
                  
                         b. Start a second Guest Check on another table.
                  
                         c. Add-on some items to the first check you created.
                  
                         d. Print the Guest Check.
                  
                         e. Apply payment to Guest Check.
                  
                         f. Print or display the totals for all checks for a single server (Cash-Out Server).
                  
                         g. Print or display a Sales Summary for the day.
                  
                         h. Add a new employee to the Server File.
                  
                         i. Define Tables.
                  
                         j. Print a Menu Reference Listing with prices, etc.
                  
                         k. Change the price of a Menu item.
       

                         These steps represent the basic day-to-day operation
                         of the POS system. 
                  
                         If you can successfully go through the preceding steps with   
                         little or no trouble then you can add the system to your
                         list of serious prospects.
                  
                         If you don't, or find it too laborious, you've just eliminated
                         one candidate.


























 
       It's good to print this page so that you can have it handy
       when getting a walk-through.

       Any system which does Delivery for pizzerias, etc., MUST
       also do Take-Out, Fast-Food, Drive-Thru and so on. 
       Coincidentally, it should also work very well in cafeterias
       or General Retail stores.

       When evaluating a system for Taking telephone orders for
       delivery, be sure you can go through the following steps.

       You should be able to emulate the use of a touchscreen
       by using your mouse.

       When entering items, be SURE to see if you could put in
       an item such as: Hamburger/Well Done/Tomato/Onion/French Fries.
       With Foodman you can have up to eight modifiers per item
       in addition to Special Instructions.  Some POS systems are
       restricted in the number of modifiers per item. 
 
       1. Take an order for a NEW CUSTOMER. This must include
            capturing the essential customer information keyed
            to their phone number. In addition, it should ensure
            that the customer is within the store's delivery area.
            It should not require that the street, city, state
            and zip be entered by the operator.

       2. Take another order for another new customer.

       3. Take a second order for the first customer you created.
            (This lets you see that the information was correctly
            captured when you took the first order.)

       4. Do a Take-out order.

       5. Print a report which gives you a listing of all checks
            for the day. This would show your total income for the day
            plus other useful totals.

       6. Create a new Category in the menu, e.g. Sushi.

       7. Add some new items to the menu in the Sushi category.

       8. Change the price of an item in the menu.

       9. Do another Take-Out order using items in the Sushi category.

       If you can do all of the above simply and quickly, add the
       software to your short-list.

       Otherwise. . .