A bar rings up differently from a restaurant. Orders are short and repeated, tabs stay open for hours, and most of the paying happens in a rush at the end of the night. A POS built for table service can handle it, but a bar needs three things done well: tabs, pre-authorization, and speed.
Tabs
The tab is the center of a bar POS. Look for:
- Opening a tab fast. By name, or by dipping or tapping a card.
- Finding it again. Open tabs laid out by name, so any bartender can add a round.
- Moving it. From the bar to a table, or from one bartender to another at shift change.
- Splitting it. By item or evenly, without re-ringing anything.
Pre-authorization
A pre-authorization is a temporary hold placed on a guest's card when the tab opens. It confirms the card is valid and has funds available. The guest keeps their card, and you aren't holding a stack of them behind the bar.
The hold is not the final charge. When the tab closes, the actual total, with the tip, is what settles. Guests sometimes see more than one pending item for a day or two. How long a hold shows depends on the guest's bank and card network, so it helps if your staff can explain that.
Questions to ask about any system:
- Can a tab be started with a chip card or a tap, not only a swipe?
- Can I set the amount of the hold?
- What happens to a tab that is left open at close?
- Can tips be adjusted after the card is run?
Speed
On a busy night, every extra tap on the screen is time a guest spends waiting. Look for:
- Few taps for a round. Your top drinks on the first screen, with drink sizes and common modifiers one touch away.
- Happy-hour pricing that switches by itself. Nobody should be changing prices by hand at 4 and 7.
- Handhelds. For the floor, the patio, and pay-at-the-table.
Closing out
The end of the night is where a weak system costs you time. Tip adjustments should be quick, and the system should show which tabs are still open before anyone leaves. You'll also want reports on what sold, by drink and by hour.
Bar POS systems we set up
- Union. Built for busy, high-volume bars. Guests can order and pay from their phones, and open tabs are laid out by name. Good for sports bars, nightclubs, and other busy bars.
- HotSauce POS. A full-service restaurant and bar POS with bar tabs started with a chip card, split checks and split items, and order and pay at the table on a handheld. Good for sit-down restaurants and bars that serve food.
- MicroSale. Pre-authorized, saved cards for bar tabs, happy-hour pricing, and one-touch drink sizing.
- Aloha. NCR's restaurant POS, with multiple bar tabs and split checks. See Aloha.
We recommend the solution that best fits your business and how you serve. See them on our restaurants and bars page.
Questions to ask on a demo
- Show me opening a tab, adding a round, and closing it with a tip. How many taps?
- How does the pre-authorization work, and can I set the amount?
- What does the guest see on their card statement?
- What happens if the internet goes down on a Saturday night?
- Is the software tied to one processor, and is there a contract?
How our side works
- We match the POS to how your bar runs and price the merchant account separately.
- The processing agreement we set up is month-to-month, with no cancellation fee.
- Qualifying merchants get terminals or POS at $0 upfront, with no equipment lease. We tell you what you qualify for before anything is ordered.
- You get next-day funding.
- Processor and POS support is available 24/7, except most federal holidays.
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. How card holds appear and how long they last depend on the guest's bank and card network.
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