POS System
My wife and I debated about this subject when we were in the process of opening up our coffeehouse. On one hand, a simple register can be very effective and easy to learn. However, a full POS system can be a huge time saver with reporting capabilities, inventory control help, etc.. After much thought and analysis of different machines in both categories, we opted to go with a POS system (Coffee Shop Manager). We are very happy with it, and would recommend it for new shops or existing shops looking to modernize. One other thing to keep in mind with a POS system is the cost. We were looking at differences of 5 or 6 times more expensive with the POS versus the humble register. One has to calculate the amount of time you would spend hand-generating the reports that a typical POS system can spit out at any time. When factoring this in, we felt that it was worth it in the long run - and we intend to be around for a long time!
While not for everyone, we enjoy having a POS system. And, we use it as a selling point for our customers because we can go back into their history to see what they purchased before that they liked, or to help make sure that they don't get something that they didn't like. That's my 2 cents...