Aloha POS Reviews
The Aloha POS system is one of the most user-friendly POS systems for restaurant owners on the market today. This unique software product, which was developed by NCR, one of the most well-known professional services companies in the industry, has made quite a name for itself over the past decade.
As one of the oldest POS systems around, people often ask,
Can it still keep up with POS systems from modern competitors, including Toast or Square?
Today, we're going to dive into the pros and cons of Aloha POS to help you make a decision that works for your business needs.
Contents
Pricing
Aloha POS runs on a quote-based monthly subscription, which usually goes for around $99 per month for each subscription.
However, you'll also have to pay more for the hardware, which is around $895 in total. Many people say they have luck with finding secondhand systems online, so it might be worth looking into.
Lastly, it's worth noting that the payment processing system is also quote-based. Based on the size and income of your business, you may be able to get an inexpensive payment processing rate.
To get quotes from point of sale system manufacturers without paying a dime, make sure to click the button below!
Features and Benefits
If you're looking for a user-friendly system, the Aloha POS system is one of the best on the market.
The display is clear and simple, making it easy for employees to go through complex operations, even when your establishment is busy.
The system has the ability to handle more complex operations better than other software, such as combo ordering, tab payments, and more.
Many people will also tell you that the NCR Aloha POS is the industry standard and is more widely used across the industry than other POS systems.
Restaurants, cafes, and bars have been using it for decades, so you can most likely be certain that any employees coming from other restaurant establishments will be familiar with its functions.
Let's look at a few of the features found on the Aloha POS system so you can better determine if it's a fit for your business.
Payment Processing
Aloha point of sale can process payments in several forms, including cash, credit card, debit card, and mobile wallet. Beyond that, Aloha's payment processing system offers tokenization and point-to-point encryption.
Aloha users receive multi-level integration with major credit card companies and end-to-end transaction support. Your business can also get the deposits it needs quickly, thanks to next-day funding, which is very helpful in several situations, especially for new businesses that are still getting their footing.
Order Fulfillment
With a combination of Aloha POS software and hardware, you can process customer orders in several ways, including fast-casual, table service, quick-service, and more. The system also allows for menu management. You can make prompt sales suggestions or make modifications to orders in a pinch.
Restaurants that need it can also offer contactless ordering, takeout, and delivery with this system.
Some of the other notable features for order fulfillment include:
These features work across multiple locations too, and can be set up in multiple languages.
Employee Management
You can manage your team with the handy employee management features, including task management, overtime, responsibilities, etc.
One of the really neat things about the Aloha POS system is that it allows for the sharing and distribution of tips. Employees can divvy up their checks with ease, which means less work for you and your management teams.
Mobile POS
Having the ability to manage and check in with your restaurant, even when you're not there, can be extremely helpful. With the Aloha mobile POS app, you can stay up to date with your operations using any kind of mobile device.
With the mobile app, you can check inventory levels, employee working hours, hourly net sales, and plenty of other metrics and performance statistics for your business.
The app works in real-time, so you can even take a look at the details of recently processed checks, the number of guests that are currently at your establishment, who is clocked in or out, and how many free tables there are.
You can even connect your mobile devices to your NCR Aloha hardware, which is the perfect workaround for having more hardware devices in your establishment without having to spend tons of money.
Cloud-Based Tech
The Aloha POS system is a cloud-based application, giving you access to any of your restaurant operations no matter where in the world you are. All you need is an Internet connection and you're good to go!
You can make price changes, menu changes, run promotions, and monitor your system from outside the store.
Reporting and Analytics
The Aloha POS dashboard provides employee reporting information, product information, access to sales, and much more. If you have multiple locations, you can check all of these different data points across your different stores at different time periods.
Whether you need to calculate your monthly labor cost, get a closer look at product changes or trends, or get a side-by-side look at your actual vs. target revenue, Aloha POS software makes it easy.
Hardware Terminals
You can run Aloha POS software on a few different terminals, including the NCR CX and PX terminals.
You can get the CX Series Terminal with a seven or ten-inch screen, or the upgraded CX5 with a 15 or 18-inch screen.
The CX hardware is far more versatile and upscale than the PX series. Plus, unlike the PX Series, you can pair this hardware with any kind of POS software, not just NCR Aloha POS.
On the other hand, you can get the PX Series Terminal with a 10 or 15-inch screen.
This LED-backlit terminal can be paired with a seven-inch customer-facing display, allowing you to visually track orders as they are entered.
Mobile
If you need a bit more flexibility with your restaurant, you can get one of the user-friendly mobile hardware options.
The NCR 7779 Tablet operates with an eight or ten-inch screen. It works with non-payment cards and contactless tags and has near-field communication.
The other option is the M70, which works on a seven-inch Android tablet. This mobile hardware option also supports contactless payments.
Complaints and Limitations
One of the main complaints we see about NCR Aloha POS is that there aren't many details regarding pricing online. The parent company, NCR, makes it very difficult for potential users to estimate the costs of purchasing this POS system. It's also very difficult to compare the NCR Aloha software with other software.
This lack of transparency is a major turn-off for many new users, which is likely why several people are moving to more modern and transparent POS systems, such as those from Clover and Square.
The lack of customer support is another complaint we often see. There are several NCR Aloha users who note they aren't satisfied with the type of support they get from this POS provider.
There are reviewers that also note the response times can vary greatly. In some cases, reviewers said that it took days or weeks to get the help they needed for their Aloha system.
If you're a restaurant owner that runs a busy establishment, having subpar customer support is a scary thought. There might be times when your POS system stops working during a rush, leaving you without transactional capabilities. If you're unable to get help desk support from the NCR command center, you might be out of luck for the time being.
Competing Alternatives
Clover POS
If you work in the restaurant industry, you've probably heard of Clover POS. This system is one of the most popular systems in the restaurant industry, with plenty of quality options for hardware and software.
You'll find several features that are similar to those found in the Aloha POS database, including inventory management, loyalty programs, and employee management.
Beyond those features, you'll also find features that are specifically tailored to the restaurant and retail industry.
For example, you can schedule employee shifts, set up low-stock alerts, make transactions without Wi-Fi, or manage your tables on the go.
Square has become somewhat of a household name.
The company offers great software with several industry-specific features, perfect for bars, quick-service restaurants, and ghost kitchens.
The beauty of Square is that the company offers straightforward and transparent pricing.
You can start off with a free software plan or upgrade to the subscription plan, which costs $60 per month.
You'll find all of the features you'd expect from newer POS systems, including gratuity, menu management, table maps, tab-splitting, and more.
You'll also find several quality back-office operations, including customer insights, employee management, and reporting and analytics.
Aloha POS offers all-in-one systems and so does Square. If you need terminal access, cloud-based software, payment processing, and other additional features, this company can provide them.
Final Verdict
There are a lot of things that Aloha does better than other POS providers. This system is powerful and reliable, coming with all of the features that a restaurant could possibly need, including online ordering, secure access from out-of-store locations, and more.
However, it is also worth noting that Aloha does not provide very good local support or customer support. The company also lacks a transparent pricing model, which isn't helpful as a restaurant owner, considering you're probably spending so much money elsewhere.
Is there better cloud-based tech?
Absolutely.
Does that take away from the fact that Aloha is one of the most popular and easily-integrated systems in the restaurant business?
Definitely not.
If you're sick of scouring the Internet for point of sale system quotes, make sure to click the button below to get free price quotes from several POS providers based on your needs.
Tyler Connaghan
Contributing Author
