The hospitality industry is experiencing a fundamental change in how guests interact with restaurants and hotels. Traditionally, Point of Sale (POS) meant a fixed terminal with an employee taking orders from guests across a counter. Today’s reality is radically different, with guests expecting to order and pay however they prefer, whether through their phones, at self-service kiosks, via apps, or through traditional staff interactions. As consumer expectations evolve, traditional POS systems are struggling to keep pace. Below are the top 10 reasons to consider replacing your POS system in 2025, along with actionable insights to help hospitality leaders prepare for the future.
Omnichannel Ordering Revolution
With 87% of hotels in the U.S. reporting staffing shortages and a 76% increase in UK hospitality vacancies in 2024, providing consistent service across all channels is crucial. Modern guests expect seamless experiences whether they’re ordering poolside through their phone or enjoying traditional table service. This flexibility is particularly vital in luxury resorts, where a family might have varied preferences: parents desiring an attentive waiter to discuss wine pairings while their teenagers prefer contactless tech-native ordering. By unifying all channels, you ensure every guest enjoys service on their terms – Any place, anywhere, on any terms.
Tip: Look for POS systems that maintain consistent service quality across all channels while giving guests choice in how they interact.
Unified Operations Platform
When your kitchen is overwhelmed with orders from multiple sources, guest experience suffers. Modern POS systems bring order to chaos by intelligently managing all channels through a single platform. When your kitchen approaches capacity, the system proactively manages guest expectations by adjusting wait times. This ensures every guest receives accurate timing and enjoys their meal exactly as intended.
Tip: Choose a system that helps your kitchen deliver consistency regardless of how guests place their orders.
Single Source of Configuration
When updating menus, prices, or promotions, changes should happen once and deploy everywhere. Modern systems eliminate the complexity of managing multiple platforms by providing a single point of control. With a browser-based solution, these configurations can be performed from anywhere, giving you the flexibility to manage your operation remotely. Whether you’re adding a daily special or updating your entire menu, every guest-facing service point stays automatically synchronized, whilst also allowing you to maintain an element of local differentiation.
Tip: Select a system that simplifies operations through centralized management of all customer touchpoints.
Ultimate Terminal Flexibility
Today’s hospitality environments demand flexible service solutions that adapt to different settings and staff preferences. Your servers might prefer tablets for poolside service while your counter staff need fixed terminals – modern POS solutions should support both. This flexibility extends to your choice of devices, from consumer-grade tablets for lighter service points to commercial-grade terminals for high-volume areas, or a combination of both within the same environment. You can mix and match based on your specific needs while ensuring your staff delivers the same seamless guest experience across all touchpoints. Whether taking orders tableside or managing transactions at a counter, every interaction maintains consistent quality and reliability.
Tip: Select a system that lets you choose the right device for each service scenario while ensuring consistent guest and staff experience across all points of service.
Ultimate Mobility
From poolside service to beachfront dining, your staff need to serve guests wherever they are. Modern POS solutions should enable seamless service across your entire property, with mobile ordering and payment capabilities that maintain full functionality no matter where your guests choose to dine. This mobility must be reliable regardless of WiFi infrastructure limitations – your POS system should be able to process orders and payments even in areas with poor connectivity or during network outages. This ensures every guest receives attentive service whether they’re in your main restaurant, relaxing in a cabana, or enjoying service in remote areas of your property where WiFi coverage might be spotty.
Tip: Look for systems that enable your staff to provide full-service experiences anywhere on your property.
Highly Scalable Architecture
Whether you operate a boutique resort or a global hotel chain, your POS system needs to scale with your business. The solution should be equally effective managing a single venue or hundreds of properties, while offering the flexibility to deploy in ways that best suit your local operation’s needs. This scalability ensures consistent service quality as your business grows.
Tip: Choose a system that can grow with your business while maintaining performance and reliability.
Centralized Enterprise Configuration
Global brands need to balance corporate consistency with local market needs. Your POS should allow central control of core menus and pricing while giving properties freedom to add local specialties and adjustments. This flexibility ensures guests enjoy consistent brand experiences while appreciating local flavours.
Tip: Look for systems that balance brand standards with the flexibility to meet unique local market requirements.
Open APIs
Your POS should work seamlessly with all your hospitality systems to create a complete guest experience. Modern solutions offer robust integration capabilities that let you build unique service experiences while maintaining operational simplicity. This approach ensures you can customize your guest experience without creating backend complexity.
Tip: Evaluate systems based on their ability to integrate smoothly with your existing guest service platforms.
Global Coverage
Different regions innovate in different ways, from facial recognition payments to mobile wallet dominance used in differing markets. Your POS system should support local preferences and global standards and cross pollinate innovation from different regions of the world to ensure you can cater to a global travel audience. With international travel expected to increase by 9.7% in 2025, reaching 85.2 million international arrivals, it’s crucial to have these systems in place to welcome guests from anywhere while maintaining operational efficiency.
Tip: Select a system that can adapt to both local and global guest preferences.
Platform of the Future
The hospitality industry evolves rapidly, and your POS should evolve with it. Choose a solution that continuously incorporates new technologies and service capabilities. This future-ready approach ensures you can quickly adapt to changing guest expectations and industry trends.
Tip: Partner with providers who demonstrate consistent innovation in guest service capabilities.
As the hospitality industry undergoes rapid digital transformation driven by evolving guest expectations and ongoing staff shortages, a future-ready POS system is critical to success. These insights will help hospitality leaders select POS systems that not only address current operational challenges but also position their properties for success in an increasingly digital landscape. By choosing a solution that embraces both technological innovation and operational flexibility, organizations can deliver exceptional guest experiences while optimizing their workforce efficiency.
About Agilysys
Agilysys exclusively delivers state-of-the-art software solutions and services that help organizations achieve High Return Hospitality™ by maximizing Return on Experience (ROE) through interactions that make “personal” profitable. Customers around the world use Agilysys Property Management Systems (PMS), Point-of-Sale (POS) solutions, Food & Beverage Inventory and Procurement (I&P) systems and accompanying hospitality ecosystem solutions to consistently delight guests, retain staff and grow margins. The Agilysys 100% hospitality customer base includes branded and independent hotels; multi-amenity resorts; casinos; property, hotel and resort management companies; cruise lines; corporate dining providers; higher education campus dining providers; food service management companies; hospitals; lifestyle communities; senior living facilities; stadiums; and theme parks. www.agilysys.com
