Retail and restaurant establishments need a POS system that can accept payments anywhere, manage payroll, engage with customers, manage inventory, offer gift cards, and more.
Whether you own a food truck or a quick-service restaurant, this cloud-based point of sale software can offer your guests accurate orders. By using hardware like kiosk ordering or online orders, customers can skip the line and get their food faster.
HeartLand POS is an all-in-one solution for businesses looking to elevate their customer experience and overall performance. The United States-based processing company offers a wide range of solutions for businesses of all sizes and industries, including brick-and-mortar stores, restaurants, and hospitality services. The company's solutions are designed to be mobile-friendly and feature a variety of payment options, including e-commerce, mobile payments, and in-person payments.
Heartland POS is cloud based, which makes it easy to access data from anywhere with an internet connection. This gives restaurant owners the flexibility to monitor their business from any device, and it also allows them to provide customers with a more personalized dining experience.
The system is a complete point-of-sale (POS) solution, and it includes software that lets you run reports on sales, inventory, labor, and more. It also has features that help you promote specials and manage loyalty programs. In addition, the system comes with a mobile payment option that lets you accept credit and debit cards at the table.
While Heartland does offer a wide variety of features, it's important to note that it is one of the most expensive merchant service providers around. This is mostly due to the fact that it charges an additional monthly fee for its "monthly discount" feature, which gives you the option to have your processing fees deducted each month instead of daily.
This is a standard feature that most processors offer, but it's not always in your best interest. We've heard complaints from customers who have been charged as much as $40 per month for this feature.
After an extensive Heartland POS review, we found it that it truly brings front and back-of-house operations together, by offering tableside ordering and minimizing contact. What’s more, with preauthorization and two-tap ordering, Heartland’s software is among the fastest in the industry when it comes to processing transactions.
For food delivery, Heartland integrates with various delivery services, including Uber Eats, Grubhub, DoorDash, and Postmates. And, if you want to avoid third-party fees, you can manage your own deliveries with the software’s built-in features.
If you own a retail business, whether a clothing store or a gift shop, Heartland can automate various back-office and eCommerce orders. Manage the stock in your physical location on the fly. Track your best-selling items so you can restock with your suppliers and get alerts when inventory is low.
With more than 300 Heartland dealers nationwide, this POS solution fits the needs of various types of businesses and is widely supported. With more features than you can probably use, we found that Heartland offers faster setup than its competitors.
Finally, generate custom reports to see how your establishment is performing in real-time. Let’s examine Heartland’s key POS features, pricing plans, and how it can help you automate tasks around the business.
Who’s Heartland POS?
Born in Austin, Texas, HEARTLAND POS is one of the easiest and most cost-effective restaurant POS systems on the market.
Their focus is on crafting superior customer experiences in high-touch venues with little room for error. The system is exclusively built for a fast-paced environment with unique operating needs.
Key Features
Customizable reporting for examining consumer data and gaining deeper insight.- Adaptable menu management with on-the-fly functionality.
- Mobile payment system that empowers the consumer.
- A loyalty program that includes customer profiles with personalized promotions.
- Live 24/7 (365 days) phone and email customer service to support the busiest of times.
- Offline capability is uninterrupted by network outages.
Customizable reporting for examining consumer data and gaining deeper insight.Possible Drawbacks
One possible drawback (that may also be considered a benefit) is that HEARTLAND consistently updates their system. Regular implementations require a degree of relearning, which can be inconvenient if you’re running a busy office. Although the updates improve the overall efficiency, it takes some adjusting every time they do it.
HEARTLAND POS Pricing
The HEARTLAND POS pricing is subscription-based with a monthly cost of $49-$69. The contract period is a minimum of one year. Three terminals over a three-year period will cost a business $350/month. The company offers a free demo and full tech support throughout the entire customer lifecycle.
Processing Fees
HEARTLAND has partnered with Gravity Payments for all credit card processing. On average, high-volume bars and restaurants are paying anywhere from $4,500-$12,000 every year. No matter the monthly card sales volume, HEARTLAND customers get a transparent, cost-plus pricing model that ends up saving money.
Credit card base fee + 5 basis points + $0.05 per transaction.
New changes with industry standards mean some establishments could be facing costly security upgrades. That’s because SSL encryption is no longer a requirement. However, the HEARTLAND POS hardware, software, and payment technology are all 100% compliant with the new 2018 PCI rule. They stay ahead of the game with no additional cost to the customer.
HEARTLAND POS System Requirements and Capabilities
The HEARTLAND software platform is a cloud-based SaaS that runs on both iOS and Android mobile. It can also be installed on a Mac or with Windows.
Each HEARTLAND terminal and tablet has its own local database. To learn more about the hardware they offer, you must call for a free demo and quote. A POS expert will be available to assist you at any time of day.
HEARTLAND POS Key Features
The HEARTLAND POS mission is to not complicate your job with technology. They focus on aspects that support the busiest of nights and high-volume hospitality.
Here are some of the main features:
Manager Portal
To keep shifts running smooth, managers and owners must always have their fingers on the pulse of the business. The Manager Portal is a highly customizable and user-friendly feature that can be accessed from anywhere, at any time.
Supervisors can work faster and make more informed decisions with the right data in hand.
Here are some benefits to using the portal:
- Pricing Event Calendar – You can schedule specific event pricing, happy hour/s, or add any occasion to the mobile calendar.
- Menu Button Management – Create, delete, and adjust buttons quickly with the easily-customized platform.
- Hourly and Historical Data – Tab totals, sales, comps, voids, and discounts can all be accounted for in the Manager Portal.
The idea behind the portal is that it takes just seconds to personalize the system. In an environment where things move fast and change quickly, this type of functionality is essential.
HEARTLAND Tab
There’s no longer a need for staff to hold a customer’s credit card. It’s an outdated practice that runs the risk of theft and fraud. HEARTLAND Tab empowers the customer to track their own tab throughout the evening with a mobile device.
A tab is opened as usual when using a card. The HEARTLAND app can then be downloaded from the App Store to display a live tab on their phone. Customers can tip and close out the check all within the program.
Some key advantages to this feature include:
- Paperless receipts
- Quickly settled checks
- Live tabs
- Easy tipping guide
A recent study by HEARTLAND found venues that utilize the app saw a 22% average increase in tips. The system is beneficial to the entire business, including keeping staff happy.
Customer Insights
Running a lean operation and working smarter only happens with good information. The HEARTLAND POS system offers keen insights. They provide useful tools and data that can make for a valuable addition to your team.
Some key advantages to the analytics feature include:
- Customizable tools that are easy to adapt
- Create reports based on:
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- Labor
- Consumption
- Inventory
- Sales
- Auditing
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- Develop data filters for better segmenting
Additional Features
The HEARTLAND point of sale platform can also service your business with these:
- eCommerce Integration
- Commission Management
- KYC (Know Your Customer) profiles and notes
- Full EMV protection
- Multi-location management
Although the HEARTLAND POS program is designed to help any venue in the foodservice industry, it still addresses niche solutions. Each caters to the specific needs of certain establishments.
The system is separated into three offerings (in addition to the basic POS): Restaurant Management, Bar POS, and Restaurant POS.
Here are some features to expect from each program:
Bar Point of Sale
- Employee scheduling and performance reporting
- Separate and split checks
- Cash drawer and tip allotment
- Inventory control
- Loyalty program and gift card management
Restaurant Point of Sale
- Delivery management with mobile access
- Table service with facilitated transactions
- Customized reporting and analytics
- Online ordering system with a loyalty program
- Automated inventory and stock management
Restaurant Management
- Built-in accounting with billing and invoicing
- Kitchen management with inventory control
- Reservations and waitlist automation
- Menu management with instant customization
- Table-side management with reporting options
HEARTLAND Customer Service & Support
HEARTLAND POS is built by people who have experience working in the foodservice industry. Thus, they understand the need for a fully supportive team to address any issues that occur (at any time).
Restaurants and bars rarely close on holidays and many are open late hours. The Heartland customer service team is available 24/7/365.
Heartland has a great team on their support desk. They are well versed in the food service industry and offer a round the clock support. Their customer service agents are based in the US and answer calls in less than 30 seconds on average.
The company is also very active on social media and offers a free online training portal for new merchants that want to learn more about the process of setting up a Heartland account. Despite this, it's important to note that many negative reviews of Heartland are often a result of "negativity bias." This is the tendency for dissatisfied customers to be more vocal than those who are happy with their experiences. This is especially true with merchant services.
In addition to its customer support, Heartland provides a number of different tools for restaurant and retail businesses. It supports back-office functions like inventory management, accounting, and purchasing. It also offers tools for recurring charges, such as subscription billing and installment payments. The company also integrates with 550+ platforms and 80% of popular shopping carts. It even enables restaurants and bars to allow their customers to track their own tabs throughout the night with a mobile app.
However, it's worth noting that all accounts with Heartland come with an onerous three-year contract and a $295 early termination fee. In addition, a number of complaints have surfaced in recent years regarding excessively high rate increases. These changes were often more than double what the merchant was paying just a few months earlier.
They offer year-round email and phone support for the entire POS system. Whenever a business is in need of assistance, you can reach a live person.
The Last Dish
Although there are several restaurant POS systems, HEARTLAND is specifically designed for speed and efficiency. The QSR features it offers are similar to those of Zeus POS and Qu POS.
While it is mostly geared towards restaurants, Heartland can also be customized as a grocery POS system or Liquor Store POS
The product is streamlined to only offer what a business needs to succeed quickly while cutting out the rest of the noise.
There are no distractions with HEARTLAND. Customize it in seconds to adjust to last-minute changes. The equipment is simple, and the reporting is thorough.
Fees are transparent and some of the lowest in the industry. If you run a fast-paced restaurant or bar, this should be the first POS solution you consider.
It creates efficiency you can leverage for repeat customer satisfaction and a healthy ROI.
