On-Premise vs. SaaS: Which Restaurant POS System is Right for You?
Choosing a Point of Sale (POS) system is one of the most critical decisions a restaurant owner makes. It's the central nervous system for everything from order-taking and payment processing to inventory and reporting. The core of this decision often boils down to two deployment models: On-Premise POS and SaaS (Software as a Service) Cloud POS . Understanding the fundamental differences in how these systems are hosted, paid for, and maintained is key to selecting the right technology partner for your unique business needs. The Core Difference: Where Does Your Data Live? The most straightforward way to distinguish between the two systems is by looking at where the software and data reside. On-Premise POS: This is the traditional model. The software is installed directly on computers and servers that are physically located in your restaurant . You purchase a license to use the software, and all your business data is stored locally on your own hardware. SaaS Cloud POS: Often...