NCR Silver POS
The NCR Silver POS system has become a favored choice for restaurants over the past few years.
This NCR Corporation (formerly known as the National Cash Register Company), which makes this point of sale system, is one of the oldest manufacturers of cash registers, meaning the company has some experience under its belt.
But what you probably want to know is,
How well does this POS system stand up to the rest?
Come dive in with us as we answer all your questions!
Pricing
The NCR Silver POS system has two tiers users can pick from.
The Starter tier is free with a subscription to the company's terminal hardware. Beyond that, you will also pay for payment processing, which breaks down to:
This tier includes email marketing, basic loyalty programs, hardware setup, customer support, and basic POS capabilities. You will also get a number of hardware options with this tier, including:
Next, you have the Premium tier, which includes all of the above features, as well as lower payment processing fees, a mobile app, and online ordering. This tier is $165 per month and has different payment processing fees, including:
All of the same hardware pieces that come with the above tier also come with this tier, though if you want to add an additional silver console, you will have to pay $64 per month for each one.
If you're looking for accurate pricing information on point of sale solutions, make sure to click the button below. We offer free price quotes from several companies, so that you don't have to spend your time sifting the Internet and contacting providers for price estimates.
Features and Benefits
NCR Silver is a widely popular POS company for restaurants that need a user-friendly system and are willing to sign a multi-year contract. There are many quote-based bundles, meaning the company will work with your business to determine what type of software and hardware will work best for your needs.
The NCR Silver POS runs on either an iPad or Android tablet, allowing you to pair up the company's hardware, such as a receipt printer or a card reader. The POS software can process orders online and in-store.
Let's take a look at some of the specific features found in the NCR Silver Pro Restaurant POS system:
Many say that the NCR Silver Pro is very easy to use with an intuitive interface that allows employees to learn very quickly. Compared to some other similar POS systems on the market, the NCR Silver Pro isn't nearly as complex. Plus, the company's hardware setup is included in your contract!
The marketing and loyalty program options are also something to boast about, as the software comes with a number of quality templates. While they aren't as aesthetically pleasing as templates from some other direct email marketing services, including MailChimp, they are more than qualified to send out coupons and personalized details in an automated fashion.
Beyond the features that come standard with the NCR Silver system, you have the option of adding on the following three features:
As for the hardware that comes standard, you get a:
All of the NCR Silver hardware options come with an excellent warranty as well, which is great considering the kind of stress equipment is under in restaurant settings
Easy Setup
One of the unique things about NCR Silver Pro is how easy it is to set up. All you have to do to get started is download the company's point of sale app, which is available in the App store. Simply complete your NCR Silver registration and activate the app, then begin putting your back office operations together.
Of course, if you're someone who doesn't want to go through the process alone or would like to speed the process up altogether, the company launched a service called Silver Concierge, which helps with hardware support, monthly menu maintenance, and back office setup.
The service acts like a true concierge, providing total customer support. You can instant message, call, or email, and someone will get back to you, no matter what time of day. What's really amazing about Silver Concierge is that it is completely free. The service is included with your NCR Silver subscription.
There are not many point of sale systems out there that are this easy to set up. The NCR Silver App set up is an incredibly straightforward process, allowing you to dive straight in and get to work as soon as possible.
Complaints and Limitations
While NCR Silver offers a very notable list of features, there are some limitations with this particular system that are necessary to be aware of.
One of the biggest complaints about NCR Silver Pro is that the pricing is quote-based and subscription-based, making it difficult to determine how much you will have to pay for both the POS hardware and software.
The multi-year contract terms can be pretty restrictive, which is why it is best to proceed with caution when it comes to reviewing your contract.
It is also worth noting that the NCR Silver Pro is a bit limited when it comes to integrations. Unfortunately, NCR Silver Pro does not offer any form of integration to e-commerce sites, such as Shopify. This is why it is not a good choice for businesses looking to create more of an online presence or create an online store.
Competing Alternatives
If you're looking for some alternatives to NCR Silver Pro because it doesn't seem right for your needs, there are a couple of other high-quality POS systems that we would highly recommend.
Let's check out a few excellent point of sale systems.
Clover
Clover is one of the most popular restaurant POS systems on the market today, with several hardware bundles and options for the software.
The company has a 2.3% + $0.10 credit card processing fee, and the hardware starts out at $499.
If you go with Clover, we recommend checking out the Starter plan, which goes for $69.95 per month. The Starter plan includes hardware, as well as a number of helpful features, including promotions, inventory management, loyalty program options, employee management, and much more!
You can schedule shifts for your employees, automate your stock alerts, process payments without Wi-Fi, and manage tables, all from your register.
Overall, it's a great system for any small business that wants a good bundle of features without paying an insanely high price.
You can learn more at Clover POS Reviews.
Square for Restaurants
There are several industry-specific features that come with Square, though many people initially come to it for its straightforward and transparent pricing model.
You can start using Square without paying a dime, or choose to upgrade to its starter plan for $60 per month.
The in-person payment transaction fee for Square is currently 2.6% + $0.10. If you want to pair your system with some hardware, you'll need to pay around $1,339 for an entire kit.
However, this depends on the needs of your restaurant.
The beauty of Square, however, is that you can purchase your hardware outright, unlike the NCR Silver Pro.
With Square's Restaurant POS system, you can perform all necessary front-of-house operations, including tipping, tabs, table maps, menu setups, and more. The system even provides customer insights, software to help manage employees, and a reporting suite.
Want more specific details? Visit our Square Restaurant POS Reviews.
Final Verdict
The best POS systems provide enough flexibility to select a hardware bundle tailored to specific business needs, and NCR Silver Pro has just that.
If you run a small business in the sit-down or fast food service industry, the NCR Silver Pro iPad POS is a great system for keeping both front-of-house and back-office operations running as smoothly as possible.
Because NCR Payments include NFC and EMV, you can accept payments that are popular in the modern era. This isn't true with all POS companies.
On our final note, we strongly advise reading the fine print when you sign a merchant contract with NCR, as this provider requires multi-year commitments.
Want to compare hardware and software prices of the top POS companies on the market? Let us know what you're interested in by answering the questions below. You'll receive FREE quotes to compare and can find the solution that will work best for you.
Tyler Connaghan
Contributing Author
