Role: managerRole: waiter

POS Terminal (Counter & Takeaway Ordering)

How managers or staff enter walk-in counter, takeaway, or phone orders and route them accurately.

📍 Where to find it on screen:
Dashboard -> POS (or Manager -> POS Terminal, Staff -> /staff/pos) → Click "Send to Kitchen / Send to Waiter"
Touch-optimized order screen featuring category tabs, dish tiles, custom note inputs, and cart action bars.

How It Works

POS as an Order-Entry Tool: The POS terminal is designed for rapid ticket creation, not as a standalone cashier bottleneck. Floor waitstaff and managers can both access POS interfaces.

Seating vs Takeaway Destination: Operators select an active table/room code (1–2 characters) or select "Takeaway" mode, which flags the order with is_takeaway = true for packaging.

Critical Dispatch Routing Semantics: (1) "Send to Kitchen" (source = pos) assigns the initial status as CONFIRMED. The ticket bypasses floor staff and appears immediately on the KDS for cooking. (2) "Send to Waiter" (source = pos_waiter) assigns the initial status as PENDING. The ticket routes to floor servers to review, confirm, and deliver.

When to Choose Which Route: Use "Send to Kitchen" for bar drinks, takeaway bags, and fast-casual counter service. Use "Send to Waiter" for dine-in tables that require floor server attention.

What You Need to Do (Step-by-Step)

  1. 1. Open POS Terminal

    Navigate to Dashboard -> POS (or /staff/pos on a staff tablet). The catalog loads instantly.

  2. 2. Select Seating or Takeaway Mode

    Choose the destination table code (e.g. Table 4) or toggle "Takeaway" mode for pickup orders.

  3. 3. Select Dishes & Customizations

    Tap dish tiles to add them to the ticket. Select mandatory variants (sizes) and optional extras (toppings).

  4. 4. Add Special Cooking Notes

    Type customer culinary instructions or allergy notes into the ticket notes field.

  5. 5. Choose Target Dispatch Route

    Click "Send to Kitchen" for direct cooking, or "Send to Waiter" if a floor server must accept and deliver the meal.

Key Screen Controls & Options

Destination Dropdown / Takeaway ToggleBefore selecting food items.

Action: Associates the order with an active table code or sets takeaway packaging flags.

→ Result: Routes the ticket to the correct table card or takeaway queue.
Dish Grid TilesPunching in customer food and drink choices.

Action: Tapping an item adds it to the current ticket; opens variant modal if portion sizes exist.

→ Result: Calculates line subtotals and displays running ticket counts.
Send to Kitchen ButtonTakeaway orders, bar orders, or quick-service counter walk-ups.

Action: Sets order status to Confirmed; fires ticket directly to KDS without waiter review.

→ Result: KDS rings and cook preparation timer begins immediately.
Send to Waiter ButtonDine-in table orders where a floor waiter must be assigned to deliver the meal.

Action: Sets order status to Pending; sends ticket to the floor waiter queue for verification.

→ Result: Waiter portal receives a flashing alert to verify and accept the order.
What Happens Next
The ticket appears in real time on the target kitchen KDS display or the waiter floor portal. The order register updates immediately.
  • If Send to Kitchen: Ticket appears as Confirmed on KDS line displays.
  • If Send to Waiter: Ticket appears as Pending on waiter mobile devices.
  • UniBill creates an active order record with accurate itemized pricing.
⚠ī¸ Operational Rules & Restrictions
  • Never use "Send to Kitchen" for dine-in tables if floor waitstaff are required to verify the table seating.
  • Submitted POS line items cannot be deleted without a formal manager void in OMS.
  • POS prices automatically include or exclude tax according to your Restaurant Profile settings.

⚡ Common Floor Scenarios & Edge Cases

Situation: Operator accidentally clicks "Send to Kitchen" on an order that needed waiter review.

What to do: Open the order in OMS Operations tab and tap "↩ī¸ Back to Pending". The ticket moves to the waiter acceptance queue.

Situation: Customer changes mind from Takeaway to Dine-in after ticket is fired.

What to do: Open the ticket in OMS Operations tab, click "Transfer Table", and assign the physical dining table number.

📋 Real-World Shift Walkthrough

Phone Takeaway Order Entry

Cashier Nina answers a phone call for a takeout order. On the POS terminal, Nina toggles "Takeaway", selects 1x Butter Chicken [Large] and 2x Garlic Naan, and types "Extra crispy naan". She clicks "Send to Kitchen". The kitchen KDS rings with a Takeaway ticket, and the line cooks pack the meal into takeaway containers.

🔧 Troubleshooting & Rapid Fixes

Problem: Kitchen staff began cooking before the waiter could verify guest allergies.
Why this happens: The POS cashier clicked "Send to Kitchen" instead of "Send to Waiter".
How to fix: Always click "Send to Waiter" for dine-in tables where floor staff must confirm seating and dietary needs.
Problem: Item does not appear in the POS dish grid.
Why this happens: The item was marked "Hidden" or its category was deactivated in Menu Manager.
How to fix: Open Menu Manager, verify the item is marked Available or Out of Stock, and refresh the POS screen.

đŸ’Ŧ Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can waitstaff use the POS terminal from their phones?
Yes! Staff can open /staff/pos on their phones or use the Tableside Quick Order drawer inside the Waiter Portal.
Q: Can I collect payment immediately upon creating a POS order?
Yes! After firing the order, click "Settle Bill" in the POS register to record cash or card and print a receipt.
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