Food trucks typically rely on social media technology for marketing, but mobile units present some technology challenges when it comes to operations. A new point-of-sale iPad app from Revel Systems tackles some of those challenges.
The app is a slimmed-down version of the company’s broader POS system that runs on the company’s Revel Router. It allows food trucks to continue operating on a 3G or 4G network regardless of the availability of an Internet connection.
The recently debuted software is designed to let trucks accept orders, process credit card transactions and track sales of menu items, all with little or no wiring.
Revel’s connectivity also allows food truck owners to respond to real-time conditions. If business is slow, for example, they can update their location or send out Tweets easily from the iPad.
“Being able to Tweet within the point-of-sale system on the iPad has generated a tremendously enthusiastic response from our food truck restaurant POS solution beta testers, who until now have had to put up with bulky connectivity hardware such as routers and cabling," says Revel c.e.o. Lisa Falzone. "It's a simple way for them to attract more customers."
The package—an iPad, cash drawer, printer, software and cabling—runs $2,000, plus $30 a month for each Internet-connected iPad. A more elaborate system costs $3,300 plus $100 a month for the iPad.
