Cash Ditched for Digital

Over half UK adults now use mobile wallets, according to figures from UK Finance’s Payment Markets Report for 2024.  

Up 15% from the previous year, the sharp increase in mobile wallet usage is one example of the rapid and continuous evolution of payment trends.  

The impact of the 2020 pandemic saw the UK hastily digitise many of its services, leading to a decline in the use of cash. Almost six years on, the cashless trend continues to boom with cash payments now making up less than 10% of all payments for the first time ever. 

Though the pandemic accelerated the shift to cashless payments, it also quickly highlighted the convenience of paying digitally. This, along with the ability to track spending, payment security and increased hygiene, meant that most consumers happily adopted the trend. And it wasn’t just younger demographics; older consumers were also keen to digitise their spending. 

With digitalisation readily embraced by most consumers, the digital evolution continues... No longer just ‘card holders’ on a phone, mobile/digital wallets are fast becoming all-in-one financial hubs. 2025 has seen developments shifting digital wallets to ‘super apps’ with functionality now including: 

  • Integration of Loyalty and Rewards 
    Automatically tracking points, cashback, and offers. No need for separate loyalty cards.  

  • Digital Identity Verification 
    Digital wallets are now able to store digital identity information. With the government experimenting with digital identification, digital wallets will no longer just be essential for payments but for authentication too. 

  • Access to Financing and Savings Tools 
    In the US, Apple now offers its customers high interest savings options through Apple Wallet. Other providers have or are following suit, and this trend is likely to continue growing globally. 

  • Omnichannel Integration 
    Whether consumers are spending instore, online or even managing their subscription, digital wallets now offer a frictionless, omnichannel experience. 

So, what’s the forecast for payments according to UK Finance? 

  • Card payments will remain the most popular payment method.

  • Cash payments will continue to decline falling to just 4% by 2034. 

  • Digital wallets will become more ingrained as a payment method with further adoption from older age groups. 

  • New services such as ‘Pay by Bank’ will be introduced, allowing consumers to ditch their card and pay straight from their bank instead. 

We’re looking forward to evolving alongside the digital payment evolution and providing support for all our clients. If you’d like to speak to us about how we can assist with your business’ digitalisation then give us a call 0333 577 6001 or submit your email below.

Choosing the Best EPOS System – Quick Guide

Like most things, when it comes to the best EPOS system for your business, there’s no one size fits all!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with choosing the best point of sale solution, then we’re here to help.

What's most valuable to your business?

Start by deciding what is important to your business. Narrowing down exactly what your business needs will make it easier to align yourself with an EPOS provider that can fulfil those needs.

Does your business prioritise:

  • Finding the lowest priced deal

  • Reliable, readily available customer support

  • Easy-to-use software

  • The latest hardware options

  • The ability to scale your business

  • An online focus

  • Advanced features

And the list is not exhaustive! What’s important to your business?

The Best EPOS for your Business?

Many EPOS companies claim to be ‘the best’ but what’s the best for one business, may not be the best for another.

We’ve pulled together a quick 'at a glance’ guide to all things EPOS Systems to help you decide if we’re the right fit for your business.

EPOS Systems: Top-Line Overview

Established over 40 years ago, EPOS Systems is an electronic point of sale software and hardware specialist supplier, offering individualised EPOS solutions that assist clients in driving their business and managing it in the most effective way possible.

Feature Description
Set-Up Options to courier pre-programmed hardware for self-installation or for onsite installation by an EPOS technician
Pricing Competitive prices
Flexible pricing structure and rent-to-own options
Contracts One-off license, no recurring fees. Upfront costs and optional recurring, plus transaction fees
Flexibility around contracts
Hardware Offering the latest self-service, lightweight and portable hardware options
Primarily Windows based software
Accompanying waiter software compatible with Android devices
Integrations Currently integrates with almost 30 different popular apps, including Xero, Sage and Woo Commerce
Further integrations are a continued area of development
Support 7-day-a-week personalised and reliable, onsite or remote support, from UK-based EPOS Expert
Scalability Easily expand your business, adding multiple devices/multiple sites
Cloud-based, remote control of your business
Offline Functionality Continue smoothly with your day-to-day operation without Wi-Fi*. Sales data will be sent to the cloud when back online
* Some app integrations may have limited functionality whilst offline

EPOS Systems: Summary

Good for businesses who value reliable and personalised customer support and are looking for more flexibility with their payment options and contractual obligations.

If you think EPOS Systems might be the right fit for your business, then we’d love to talk to you! Speak to one of our EPOS Experts today on 0333 577 6001 or submit your email below for a quick quote.

The 5 Best EPOS Features You're Probably Not Using

You’ve heard of the benefits of an EPOS (electronic point of sale) system; increased operation efficiency, enhanced customer experience, provision of detailed business insights... But are you really making the most out of your EPOS software? 

Like many other small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs), you may not be. We got together our crack team of EPOS Experts to compile a list of epic yet underutilised EPOS features that most SMEs could really benefit from! 

We pride ourselves on offering the best, most pioneering point of sale products, all features mentioned are based on the products we sell. 

Stock Management

When utilised effectively, digitised stock management can save you time and money, along with minimising wastage. Let your system do the hard work for you, digitally monitoring stock levels and automatically reordering items when they are low. 
 
The stock management feature also allows you to drill down right into the core of your stock. Whether you’re an independent restaurant looking to monitor each ingredient in your dishes, or a retail business tracking individual items in your product line; your company can benefit from maximising your POS software’s stock features. 

Top Tip! 
Use stock management to calculate a product’s RRP (recommended retail price), helping you hit your business’ profit margin targets. 
 
When utilising the stock feature you can determine a product’s average cost, along with its standard selling price and gross profit actual percentage. You can then set a gross profit target, and the system will recommend a RRP to achieve this. This intuitive stock function gives you the data to make informed price decisions to increase profits and avoid the inaccuracy of ‘guestimating.’  

Kitchen Display System Integration 

Smoother, quicker, error-free... sound good? It is. That’s why every client who has installed a kitchen display system hasn’t looked back.  

Perfect for busy businesses, the kitchen display system eliminates the errors that can arise when relying on traditional paper ordering. Digitally communicating orders directly to the kitchen straight from the waiting staff’s order pad, your point of sale till, a self-order kiosk or even from your customer’s phone; prevents orders being lost or misinterpreted.  

Allow your kitchen team to manage how orders are viewed, set timers, review completed orders and notify waiting staff when orders are ready.  

Top Tip! 
Avoid confusion by setting the system to split food and beverage elements from each order and automatically send them to either the bar or kitchen. 

Staff Management 

Did you know your EPOS system can also help you with staff management? Monitor staff hours by utilising the ‘clock in and out’ functionality, assisting with payroll administration. 

Activate a number of unique sign in methods including iButton, magnetic, RFID and biometrics. 

Keep a track of any mishaps by recording all point of sale operations, allowing you to pinpoint errors, provide any additional training and help with error reduction. Your point of sale system can also be integrated with CCTV to add an additional layer of protection for your business, your staff and your customers. 

Utilise the point of sale’s staff reports to help you monitor staff performance and set staff incentives. 

Automate Promotions 

Use your point of sale to take the admin out of running promotions. Set multiple price levels for each product so you can switch between prices for certain periods. Perfect for a daily happy hour or other time sensitive promotions, the till will automatically revert back to standard pricing after the scheduled period has ended. 

Along with scheduled promotions, you can also utilise your till to mix and match offers, set menu package prices and produce vouchers and discount codes to further maximise revenue opportunities. 

Top Tip! 
Set up push notifications in your cloud back office to prompt staff to upsell or communicate promotions whilst serving customers. If you utilise the ordering app, push notifications can also be activated to alert customers to your latest offers. 

Revenue Boosting Reports 

Your point of sale software provides the perfect window into your business. Crammed full of data driven reports that can assist you in driving and improving both operations and sales. Most of our clients benefit from the top line reporting features of their EPOS system, but few really delve into the potential revenue boosting reports that it has to offer. 

Our EPOS Experts have pinpointed two particular reports that remain underutilised but have the potential to push profits. 

PLU Last Time Sold – This report highlights when products were last sold, giving you an understanding of that product’s performance. This provides you an opportunity to promote slow selling stock, avoiding wastage and repeat ordering. 

PLU Top Sellers by Quantity – This report assists with managing profit margins for your top selling products. Could you add a slight increase to one of your best sellers to boost profits? A small increase per item on your best selling products could equate to a large revenue boost overall. 

Interested to hear more about what our EPOS products have to offer? Our EPOS Experts are always happy to help. Contact them today on 0333 577 6001 or submit your email below for a quick quote.

UK Festivals 2025

Still hoping to book yourself a summer festival ticket but think you’ve missed the boat? Think again! Trends suggest that most people only start to book festival tickets around June each year. And with a 2025 line-up of over 592 music festivals across the UK, there’s plenty to choose from. From popular and large festivals, like Reading, Leeds and Glastonbury, to the unique and boutique, the UK festival scene celebrates a wealth of creativity, culture and diversity. 

With a myriad of festivals each year, it’s safe to say that the UK festival market is booming and this is estimated to continue, as 2026 is set to record more than £3.22 billion. And it’s not just the festivals themselves that benefit, festival-goers drive the economy of the festival’s local area. Glastonbury alone generates over £100 million for the South West of England area each year and offers nearly 2000 jobs (of which, the majority are temporary). Across the board the festival industry employs an estimated 35,120 people. 

But what’s all this got to do with point of sale? A lot actually... it takes a tough bit of tech to keep festival outlets operating smoothly. A festival point of sale system needs to be fast, portable and have the ability to work without WiFi. Luckily, EPOS Systems has a lightweight point of sale solution, perfect for festivals, pop-ups, small businesses and more... 

Introducing Our Powerful and Portable POS Solution 

TouchPoint lite offers all the functionality of a complete point of sale (POS) system, from one or multiple integrated, lightweight devices. With TouchPoint lite your business can benefit from: 

A Complete Point of Sale Solution 

Create a complete point of sale solution by integrating TouchPoint lite with a payment terminal; allowing you to take orders and payments all from the palm of your hand. 

Easy Reporting 

TouchPoint lite allows you to access past transactions, run reports, check journals and reprint receipts all on your lightweight device. 

Easy-to-use Interface  

Sales made simple! All the functionality you want and need from a point of sale solution, set out in an easy-to-use, user-friendly format. 

Multiple Hardware Integrations 

Not only can you utilise TouchPoint lite on both iOS and Android devices, it also integrates with a variety of payment terminals. Allowing you to take orders and payment from a single terminal; simplifying set-ups, speeding up service and improving your customer’s overall experience. 

Your Choice of Most Suitable Device 

Whether it be an all-in-one payment terminal, tablet with stand or a smartphone; you have the option of choosing the right device for your business. 

Receipt Printing 

Enable receipt printing for transactional or tax receipts, even print backdated receipts from past transactions. 


Multiple Payment Options 


Allow your customers to pay their way by integrating a cash drawer, enabling you to accept cash, card or contactless payment options. 

Operating on 4G Connectivity 

No WiFi? No problem! TouchPoint lite functions flawlessly on 4G connectivity. Allowing for minimal set-up; perfect for temporary traders or pop-ups.   

Enabled Security 

In the unfortunate event that your device is lost or stolen, TouchPoint lite gives you the option of remotely deauthenticating your device. 

Back Office Integration 

Utilise our cloud-based, back-office software, TouchOffice Web to remotely update stock, products and more... 

Integration with TouchOffice also allows you access to a complete overview of your business. Choose between over 200+ built-in reports for a fuller, more comprehensive understanding of your business operation. 

Search Functionality 

Speed up service by easily searching for specific products. 

Gift Vouchers and Loyalty Schemes 

The mighty TouchPoint lite even allows you to offer gift voucher, card and loyalty schemes. 

Scalability 

Perfect for larger events or festivals, TouchPoint lite can be scaled up to be utilised across hundreds of devices. 

Barcode Scanning Feature 

Reduce mistakes and speed up service by utilising TouchPoint lite’s built-in barcode scanning feature. 

Kitchen Printer Functionality 

From the palm of your hand, straight to the kitchen in the click of a button! Keep your ordering operation quick and efficient with TouchPoint lite’s kitchen printer functionality. 

Sound like the perfect point of sale solution for your business? Please get in touch! One of our EPOS Experts will be delighted to help you. Or for a quick quote, submit your email below.

Case Study: By Martinez

With an impressive portfolio of restaurants, bars and even a newly opened wine cellar, the Martinez family are a well-known and respected part of the Welsh hospitality industry.

They prioritise exceptional customer service, along with serving the finest, locally sourced produce across all their restaurants. Based across the South Wales area, these include, Le Monde, El Puerto, La Marina, El Prado and the Miskin Arms.

El Puerto and La Marina at The Old Custom House

Constructed in 1865, The Old Custom House is a beautiful and historical building, originally used to cater for Penarth’s flourishing shipping trade.

When the Martinez family bought The Old Custom House in 2000 it was in need of some major refurbishment. The family revived the building and added some European flare, turning The Old Custom House into the home of the hugely popular El Puerto and La Marina restaurants.

Le Monde

First opened in 1985, Le Monde spent several years being run by a different organisation before being passed back to the Martinez family in 2019.

After undergoing a big refurbishment, the restaurant is now a thriving dining location in the Welsh capital.

Matisse

Matisse, which was added to the Martinez portfolio in 2023, is an exclusive rooftop bar and lounge offering the finest champagne, wines and cocktails in a luxurious and relaxing environment.

El Prado

Located in Laleston, west of Bridgend town centre, El Prado, like its sister restaurants, has a brasserie concept. The venue was opened in the early 90s.

Miskin Arms

Under 30 minutes from Cardiff centre, the village of Miskin is the picturesque home to the Miskin Arms.

EPOS Systems are delighted to assist the Martinez family with their extensive EPOS requirements. Like them, EPOS Systems is family run, so understands the passion that drives their business.

EPOS Systems’ team installed point of sale systems and cloud back-office software across many of their sites. This allowed their management to gain access to business data for all of their venues remotely. Whether it be stock, sales or staff, the centralised information assists with the smooth running of the Martinez family operation.

Like all clients, the Martinez family have also benefitted from EPOS Systems’ knowledge and support, which has been commended by their Managing Director, Tanny Martinez.

“EPOS Systems and Tim have transformed our life in the Martinez group. The level of customer service received from the team is unparalleled and without their support we could have never grown the business to what it is today.”

Point of Sale Systems for Small Business

Choose a POint of Sale provider that aligns with your own business’ values 

If you’re a small business owner, you’ll know that putting together a strong business plan is essential when embarking upon a new venture. Having identified a demand for your product or service in the market, a good business plan can assist you in understanding your competitors and plotting a strategy for competitive advantage. 

After analysing your competitive market, where is your business positioned? 

  • Cost leadership 

Can you offer your customers the lowest cost option of your product/service, compared to your industry’s average? Businesses that have a cost leadership focus tend to be larger, operating on mass with the potential benefit of preferential supply costs and/or self-owned technology/supplies. 

The pros: 
With below industry pricing, cost leaders tend to dominate market share, reaching a wider audience and sometimes breaking into new markets. 

The cons: 
There is always the potential for a competitor to undercut your product/service, meaning you may be pressured into reducing your pricing further. To be profitable, the business is likely to rely on high sales volume. When positioning your business as ‘low-cost,’ it can also be perceived as low-quality. 

  • Differentiation 

Businesses that choose to pursue a differentiation strategy focus on one or more factors that their target customer deems important. Their product/service is then positioned to fulfil these customer’s needs. This normally means that a higher price point can be achieved. 

The pros: 
By offering a premium product/service, businesses focusing on a differentiation strategy can usually charge higher prices. By standing out from their competitors, they can gain increased brand loyalty and build stronger relationships with their customers. 

The cons: 
Customers who are price sensitive may instantly overlook your product/service. It can be hard to communicate brand differentiation. You may need to use paid resources to communicate this message to your target market, leading to higher customer attribution costs. Customers may not perceive what you have identified as a valuable difference as valuable to them or valuable enough to pay a higher price. 

  • Focus 

Can your market be further segmented to create a more niche customer target? Businesses may choose to narrow their market reach by focusing on a smaller target customer base. Like differentiation, a focus strategy can achieve a more premium price point, with products/services that are able to fulfil the unique needs of a niche customer base.  

The pros: 
With a focus strategy, businesses may also benefit from lower customer attribution costs, and a better understanding of their market’s needs, leading to stronger customer relationships.  

The cons: 
It is possible that competitors offering the same or similar niche product/service will enter the market limiting the opportunity to win or retain customers. Furthermore, if these competitors are able to offer lower prices or better fulfil customer needs then it makes competing hard. A small customer base can mean that there is little room for business growth, however, expanding out into alternative markets risks potentially forfeiting the uniqueness that first attracted your niche customers. 

But what does this have to do with point of sale? 

Like most industries, the point of sale market is filled with a multitude of companies competing for their share. As a small business it can be hard to decide what point of sale system is best for you. 

Most POS companies will showcase a list of key features on their website. As a small business, perhaps even newly established, it can be overwhelming and hard to distinguish what is right for you. 

Any decent point of sale supplier will be able to offer you a system that will allow you to operate your small business effectively. But choosing the right POS company is the hard bit!  

Choosing a point of sale company that aligns with, supports and complements your business is key. You need to think back to when you were considering the strategy you would take to compete in your chosen market. What is it that you value most? 

Do you have a niche business that requires unique features or support to assist you in running your operation? Perhaps you are a start-up company with limited funds and resources? Or do you prioritise quality over cost? 

At EPOS Systems we see the value of exceptional customer service. We know that running a small business is stressful and having a reliable support team on hand is invaluable. Understanding this is how we have continued to thrive and grow in a competitive point of sale market for over 40 years. 

Like you, we are a small business. Small in size, but big on support. Our team of seven share 112 years of combined EPOS experience. We are passionate about POS! 

If you are looking for the best point of sale system for your small business, why not give us a call? Our dedicated team of EPOS Experts will be delighted to provide you with a personalised point of sale solution. Or for a quick quote, enter your email below.

Why Your Local Garden Centre is Growing

The UK has an estimated 2300 garden centres, with Dobbies Garden Centres being the largest chain owning almost 80 sites.  

More than just nurseries, modern garden centres are a destination, offering a multitude of retail offerings and concessions, as well as having a focus on food and beverage. 

So, why is the garden centre scene changing? 

By diversifying their products and services, garden centres have seen a huge increase in footfall, dwell time and revenue. Garden centre cafés now contribute around 20% of turnover. 

With 68% of UK adults visiting a garden centre at least once last year, there’s a whole lot of opportunity. 

But what attracts people to visiting their local garden centre? 

  • Car Parking 

    Often on the outskirts of towns and cities, garden centre visitors normally benefit from large, free car parks.  

  • Space 

    Again, due to their location, garden centres usually have a large footprint allowing for ample leisurely browsing space. 

  • Facilities  

    On the hunt for a new house plant?  In need of a new scarf? Or just desperate for some smashed avocado on toast? Garden centres now offer flexible facilities that complement all kinds of lifestyles.  

  • Family Friendly 

    Garden centres are the perfect rainy day, family friendly destination. Many offering play areas, animal encounters and even aquariums. 

  • Social Experience and Events 

    From Halloween displays to Santa’s Grotto, garden centres are fast becoming the destination for seasonal events. Not only does theming encourage organic public social media sharing, it also creates social experiences for the local community. 

  • Botanical Trends 

    Botany is booming. Consumers are keen to create calm living environments by bringing the outdoors indoors.  

  • Grow Your Own 

    35% of UK adults ‘grow their own’ herbs, fruits and vegetables. And the trend is growing, with 43% of the next green fingered generation (those under 40) activate in vegetable cultivation. 

  • Environmental Movement  

    With a worldwide emphasis on sustainability, many garden centres have seized the opportunity to educate and influence their customers in how to implement sustainable practices. From organic gardening solutions, to creating compost and saving water, garden centres are providing the products and guidance needed to maintain a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. 

  • The Pandemic Effect 

    Whilst many businesses remained closed during the national lockdowns, garden centres were one of the first places to be allowed to reopen. The government deemed garden centres as a necessity, allowing Brits to purchase garden supplies, giving them an opportunity to connect with their outdoor spaces. 

    And let’s not forget all the pandemic provoked home improvements! Being confined to their own properties made the nation more appreciative of their own space, and saw many undertaking home enhancement projects both indoors and outdoors. In fact, over 7 million people began gardening during the pandemic, and data suggests garden centre trade shows no sign of slowing down. 

Are you a garden centre retailer? Whether you own a small, independent garden shop, or are a multi-site owner, we have the EPOS expertise to assist in the smooth operation of your business. Call us today or submit your email below to find out how we can help. 

Holiday and Caravan Park Point of Sale (POS)

Statistics show that 52% of Britons would choose a staycation over an international break. Which is great news for the many holiday, touring and caravan parks across the UK.

With clients including Morris Leisure and Barkers Leisure, EPOS Systems are well-versed with the point of sale needs of holiday parks.

Running a caravan or holiday park takes a lot of time, passion and hard work. As the demands of holiday-makers increases, parks now often consist of multiple food, beverage and retail facilities alongside their accommodation offering. But support from a well-established, individualised point of sale solution can help.

With EPOS Systems’ software your holiday, touring or caravan park can benefit from:

An Efficient Operation

  • Easy-to-use products that keep training and operations simple

  • Integration with other applications, such as accounting, removing manual processing hours

  • Cloud-based access so that you can manage the operation from wherever you like, whenever you like

Valuable Reporting

  • Real-time reporting that provides you with the data to evaluate your park’s food and beverage/retail performance and drive it forward

Measure staff performance

  • Track revenue, costs and transactions

  • More detailed reports allowing you to drill down into the business

Easy Stock Management

  • Keep a digital track of your stock

  • Use reporting to highlight best and worst selling products to avoid low or unused stock

  • Automate purchase orders to your suppliers when a product is running low in stock

Additional Revenue Opportunities

  • Use your point of sale system to advertise for you with a customer facing screen. Generate additional revenue from ad sales or promote your own events

  • Add merchandise or park event tickets to your point of sale

Manage Memberships

  • Issue membership cards for holiday home owners, allowing them to add credit or automatically apply discounts

If you’re thinking about a new point of sale for your holiday park then give us a call today on 0333 577 6001 or submit your email below.

UK Retail: 2024 Christmas Footfall

Christmas. The busiest time of year for many industries, especially retail. But will this year's festive footfall be naughty or nice? We reviewed data published by MRI Software to find out.

It's hard to consider this year's retail trends without first looking back to 2019, pre-pandemic. And the good news is that 2023 saw a return to 'normal' for Christmas retail trends with this year following suit.

As always, Black Friday kicks off the start of the silly season spending. Now with Black Friday and Cyber Monday behind us, how is the rest of the month faring?

Data from MRI Software predicts a rise in footfall for all shopping locations, including 1% increase in retail parks, 2% in shopping centres and 5% on the high street.

Jenni Matthews, MRI Software's Marketing and Insights Director, suggests high streets historically perform better during the festive season due to Christmas attractions (such as markets and lights) drawing crowds to town centres.

Matthews offered advice to retailers looking to attract footfall in to store rather than online, commenting that promotions, special shopping evenings or workshops could help drive traffic.

She also remarked that maximising convenience for customers was key, offering click and collect options and store opening times that make it easy for people to shop around their working hours. Ensuring that the atmosphere in store is welcoming, not too hot or cold.

Using data from your point of sale system to identify your business' own shopping trends and using that to manage your staffing and store operations.

Though Black Friday is considered the 'biggie' when it comes to the Christmas shopping calendar; it's worth noting that Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday this year. With some predicting that Saturday 21st December will be a 'super' Saturday with people rushing to finish their shopping.

And let's not forget the Boxing Day sales madness! According to MRI Software's data, Boxing Day shopping in recent years has only been a tad 'mad,' as families presumably prefering to continue their festivities at home. Whilst 2023 saw a peak in footfall on Thursday 28th December as people ventured out of their Christmas lull.

So, though the Christmas countdown is on, there's still plenty of December shopping days left to make 2024 a very bright and prosperous year in retail.

If you need assistance with retail reporting from your EPOS Systems' point of sale system, then one of our EPOS Experts will be happy to help. Contact our support team today. Or for a quick quote, submit your email below.

Find out if your POS system can work without Wi-Fi

Yes, any decent point of sale (POS) machine should allow you to continue to utilise the vast majority of features without Wi-Fi. Although there may be a small number of functions that you might need to wait to use until you have a connection.

EPOS Systems' pioneering POS systems allow you to continue smoothly with your day-to-day operation even without Wi-Fi. And when you're internet is back up and running, you can send all your sales data to your cloud back office, ready for reporting.

But what if you're running a market stall or a pop-up and don't have access to Wi-Fi?

No Wi-Fi, no problem! Our brand new portable and powerful POS solution, TouchPoint lite operates over 4G connectivity and requires minimal set-up. Making it perfect for festivals, pop-up food stalls, small businesses, beer gardens, plus many more...

Offering all the functionality of our complete POS system, from a lightweight, mobile device. Choose just one or multiple integrated devices depending on the size of your operation; and allow your whole team to take orders and payments all from the palm of their hand.

TouchPoint lite also integrates with Stripe, who are one of the world’s leading payment processing platforms.

If you're looking for a portable POS solution then give our EPOS Experts a call today or submit your email below.

Christmas Tech Tips (For Hospitality)

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring... expect those in hosp!

Christmas, well-known as the busiest time of year for the hospitality sector. In fact, this year is set to be busier than the last, with Britons due to spend £12.3bn at hospitality venues over the festive period. That's an increase of 2.3% from 2023.

So with everyone rushed off their festive feet, it's the perfect time to put your hospitality tech through its paces to ease some of the burden.

We've pulled together some top tips of how you can get EPOS Systems' hospitality tech working for you over the festive period:

Menu Pre-Orders

Avoid the kitchen bottleneck and manage waste more effectively by requesting menu pre-orders. Simply use the custom field on our hospitality ordering app to collect menu choices from each of your diners.

Pop-Up Payments

Perfect for pop-ups, Christmas markets, small businesses and more... TouchPoint lite is a powerful and portable point of sale solution. Operating over 4G connectivity with minimal set up, it allows you to take orders and payments all from one lightweight device.

Reservation Deposits

There's nothing worse than a no-show, particularly when you could have sold that table 10 times over! Our reservations package enables you to request a deposit payment at time of booking, allowing to manage your stock, staff and table plan more confidently.

Digital Orders

Let your team and your customers enjoy a smoother and swifter service with digital order pads. Giving staff menu information in the palm of their hand, allowing them to send orders straight from the table to the kitchen.

Manage Kitchen Orders

It may be cold outside, but it's definitely hot in the kitchen! Keep your orders in check with our kitchen order management system. Speed up service, turn tables over quicker and maintain exceptional customer experiences even at the busiest time of the year.

Christmas Ticketing

Running a Christmas event? Our ticketing solution provides an affordable way to manage and sell tickets for all kinds of events. Use the scanner app on entry to beat the queues!

Manage Christmas Stock

Whether you're selling mince pies or mulled wine, never run out of your best sellers with our stock management software. Providing all the data you need to drive sales revenue, manage inventories and even plan for next Christmas!

Maximise Christmas Revenue

Use our hospitality ordering app to maximise revenue by creating Christmas categories selling all your festive goods. From Christmas hams to Christmas hampers, let your customers make orders at the click of a button.

Contact us today for more information about how our hospitality tech can help you manage the Christmas chaos. Or for a quick quote, submit your email below.


Outdoor Smoking Ban - Another Knock for UK Hospitality?

With 80,000 deaths attributed to smoking in the UK each year, the Government are reviewing new steps in cracking down on the habit. Their hope is that banning smoking in certain outdoor spaces; such as beer gardens, outside sporting venues and even small parks; will help relieve the burden smoking puts on the NHS and also tax-payers.

The proposal has been met with scepticism by many of those in the hospitality industry. Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality commented, “A ban on smoking in outdoor spaces comes with the prospect of serious economic harm to hospitality venues. You only have to look back to the significant pub closures we saw after the indoor smoking ban to see the potential impact it could have.

“This ban would not only affect pubs and nightclubs, but hotels, cafes and restaurants that have all invested significantly in good faith in outdoor spaces and continue to face financial challenges.

“The government must embark on a full and detailed conversation with affected parties on the impact of such a ban before any legislation is laid. It must also assess whether such a ban would achieve its aims of meaningfully reducing smoking or simply relocate smoking elsewhere, such as in the home.”

With many hospitality businesses juggling with the huge economic pressures that have impacted the sector in recent years, one independent hospitality owner spoke to EPOS Systems about the concerns they have over the ban. "After a challenging few years with COVID, followed by increased costs and a cost of living crisis, as a small independent business we need to be supported through these challenging times. And whilst I understand and support improving public health in general, this policy is at the wrong time and will negatively impact the hospitality sector that’s already struggling."

If implemented, the ban would see smokers receiving a Fixed Penalty Fine of £150 if found smoking in a restricted area. Those refusing to pay would be liable for prosecution. Businesses could also be fined up to £2500 if they do not put reasonable measures in place to comply with the restrictions. The ban would follow the same procedures enforced after the indoor smoking ban was put in place in 2007.

According to Action on Smoking Health (ASH), the indoor smoking ban led to a 2.4% reduction in hospital admissions for heart attacks, and a 12.3 % reduction in admissions for childhood asthma.

Following the 2007 ban, until 2015, around 7000 pubs closed their doors, many citing that the smoking ban was largely to blame. Yet other factors such as a hike in tax imposed on alcoholic drinks and the 2008 recession are also likely to have had an impact. Equally, many pubs florished in the ban's aftermath, deciding to become more food or family-focused.

With compelling points from both side of the argument, perhaps the best way to move forward is to do so together. Reiterating the comments made by Nicholls, if there is enough evidence to suggest the proposal will achieve the Government's objectives, then conversations must be had with any affected parties. That way a mutual solution that not only contributes to the improvement of public health, but also encourages the hospitality sector to thrive will hopefully be achieved.