Why you should choose a cloud POS system with an open API architecture

More restaurants are taking a digital-first approach in their journey to become more customer-centric. Technology such as cloud POS systems and open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are enabling many restaurants to achieve their goals. This digital transformation empowers restaurants to increase cash flow through online ordering for home delivery and curbside pickup, meeting customers on their channels of choice. Further, this technology can give restaurants access to near real-time transactional data to help with managing rising labor and food costs.

Simply put: a cloud POS system has the responsiveness, scalability, and security that can take your business to the next level. Restaurants can update online and in-house operations in near real-time from any device.

With a cloud POS system, you can update menu items and take orders from your website or branded mobile app and send them directly to your restaurant or cloud kitchen. You can define how orders get prioritized in the kitchen and adjust pricing or service fees depending on where the order comes from. These changes are made from a single application and can be made across all locations or a selectively based on order type. For example, you may want to limit curbside and delivery during the lunch rush. Built-in restaurant analytics ensure everyone from the servers to managers has access to near real-time data to make informed decisions.

What happens when the Internet goes down? Simphony is loaded locally on your devices which means you can continue to take orders, send them to the kitchen, print receipts, and— if your payment processor allows— take payments with no interruptions. When the Internet comes back up, your sales are seamlessly synced.

APIs are software tools that allow different systems and applications to talk to each other, perform specific functions, and share data. An open API, or public API, allows developers to create a connection between two pieces of software, typically with few restrictions. This is different from private API that are only open to internal developers.

Simphony is built on an open API architecture so that customers can connect with their preferred third-party partners. Once through a validation process, partners can integrate within the cloud POS system. It’s a simplified way to get data in a clean, fast way that enables restaurants to make timesaving and revenue boosting decisions.

Open API benefits the partners, too. They feel confident in the product they are integrating with which brings a heightened sense of security, scalability, and opportunity. The restaurant, partner, and POS system all benefit from this “open for business” strategy.

Oracle takes it a step further. Our team is currently validating solutions that leverage Simphony’s newest enterprise cloud APIs – the Business Intelligence (BI) API and the Simphony Transaction Services Gen2 (STSG2) API.

Solutions that leverage the STSG2 API can benefit from a responsive and scalable architecture that offers consistent transaction processing. As a result, Simphony customers can deploy integrated solutions quickly across multiple locations that support complex combo meal operations and provide access to enhanced menu item CMS data (allergens, nutritional, and images).

The BI API is a highly scalable and secure RESTful API that allows near real-time access to Simphony transactional, operational, and kitchen data in the cloud. Restaurants can leverage Simphony’s (BI) API to make better decisions on food and labor costing—saving precious time and resources.

In the case of your restaurant, an open API restaurant POS system delivers a personalized, seamless experience for your customers and allows you to deploy new channels easily.

The open and flexible APIs of Oracle Simphony Point-of-Sale (POS) can help restaurants, bars, and cafes adapt to changing business needs and new customer trends. It provides an opportunity to run your business more efficiently by optimizing your online and in-house operations in real time from any device.

With an open API restaurant POS system, you can close the gap between your front of house and back of house. This connectivity ensures the front and back of house management work cohesively as opposed to slowing or impacting the quality of service due to lack of communication. APIs are also key to sharing data, meaning you can see your sales data in real-time, and promote menu changes to optimize efficiency.

Simphony and GloriaFood: Integrate online ordering in just a few clicks

Restaurant technology is becoming more ingrained with operations. When your restaurant POS system uses a cloud API interface to communicate with another business, it’s referred to as third-party integration. This allows you to easily connect your favorite online ordering platforms, delivery services, mobile payment processing, and more.

Restaurants can choose from a catalog of validated partner applications in the Simphony Cloud Marketplace to plug in everything from online ordering to contactless payment apps and more. By bringing key solutions and data together with Simphony's in-depth analytics and insights, restaurant owners can make better decisions and act in real-time to deliver a more customer-centric experience.

Restaurant owners and managers need a flexible solution that enables them to manage an incredibly diverse business. Whether it’s making a small adjustment to menu items or prices, enabling mobile reservations, allowing customers to settle their bill with their preferred contactless payment method, or being able to connect quickly and easily to an online ordering solution, it’s important your technology is as adaptable as you are. Having an open API architecture is the foundation for providing a restaurant POS system enhance the success of your business.

Does your restaurant POS system have an open API so you can innovate and quickly adapt to new dining trends? Discover the key features your POS needs to increase sales, enhance guest experience and reduce costs in our Top 7 POS Features Guide.

Oracle can help you maximize your move to the cloud identifying new opportunities across the Oracle ecosystem to open new sales channels, protect your revenue streams, and sustainably introduce innovation. Get in touch to see how Oracle can help or contact us directly by phone: US: +1 866-287-4736; UK: +44 207 5626 827; AU: 1300 366 386; LAD: 52 559 178 3146