Reference

Restaurant Tech Glossary

20+ essential terms for restaurant POS, QR ordering, KDS, payments, and operations — explained in plain language with related guides.

Technology

QR Code OrderingAlso: QR 點餐 · 掃碼點餐 · QR menu: A self-service ordering method where customers scan a table-side QR code with their phone to access the digital menu and place orders directly. Orders push instantly to the kitchen display system, eliminating handwritten errors and reducing floor-staff labor.
POS System (Point of Sale)Also: 銷售時點系統 · 收銀系統 · POS: Point of Sale system: software/hardware that records transactions, issues invoices, and manages inventory + membership. Traditional POS is purchased as a hardware unit; cloud SaaS POS uses monthly subscription with browser access.
KDS (Kitchen Display System)Also: 廚房螢幕 · Kitchen Display · 出單機: Kitchen Display System: shows incoming orders on a kitchen screen in real time, replacing paper tickets. Eliminates lost orders, illegible handwriting, and delivery delays. Displays wait times, priorities, and customization notes.
SaaS (Software as a Service)Also: 訂閱制軟體 · Cloud Software: Software as a Service: cloud software accessed via monthly/annual subscription, with no on-premise installation or large upfront investment. Pros: low barrier, automatic updates, cross-device. Con: long-term cumulative cost may exceed perpetual licenses.
Kitchen Printer (Thermal Receipt Printer)Also: 熱感印表機 · POS 印表機: Thermal printer used in kitchens to print orders for chefs. Common brands: EPSON TM-T series, Star, Bixolon. POS must support ESC/POS command set. Taiwan-standard spec: 80mm paper width, USB / network / Bluetooth connectivity.
ESC/POS Command Set: EPSON's thermal printer command set — the industry de facto standard. POS sends ESC/POS commands to print orders. OrderEase Android print bridge uses this standard to support multi-brand printers (EPSON, Star, Bixolon, etc.).

Business

TCO (Total Cost of Ownership)Also: Total Cost of Ownership · 總成本: Total Cost of Ownership: the full real cost of a system, including one-time hardware + monthly fees + maintenance + upgrades + hidden costs (data export, API surcharges, termination penalties). Compare POS systems by year-1 and year-3 TCO, not monthly fee alone.
ROI (Return on Investment)Also: Return on Investment · 回本: Return on Investment: annual net benefit divided by cost. Restaurant POS ROI typically includes labor savings, lost-order recovery, turnover gains, and subscription difference. Payback period = investment / monthly net benefit.

Payment

LINE Pay: One of Taiwan's most popular mobile payment methods, by LINE. Fee ~2.8-3%. Pros: large user base, high trust, member-points integration. Con: slightly higher fee than credit card terminals. POS needs LINE Pay merchant account to integrate.
JKO PayAlso: 街口 · JKOS: Taiwan-native mobile payment platform. Fees typically lower than LINE Pay (~1.5-2.5%), often runs zero-fee promotions for merchants. High adoption in Taiwan F&B, especially night markets and small eateries.
Taiwan Pay (TWQR)Also: 台灣行動支付 · TWQR: Bank-led mobile payment alliance promoted by Taiwan Ministry of Finance (incl. PX Mart, E.SUN, CTBC, etc.). Fee under 1% but user base smaller than LINE Pay / JKO. Auto-files e-invoice to user account.
ECPay (Green World Tech)Also: 綠界: One of Taiwan's largest third-party payment processors. Integrates credit cards, ATM transfer, convenience-store code, mobile payments (LINE Pay / JKO / Apple Pay). Commonly used by POS systems as payment middleware.
E-Invoice (Taiwan)Also: 電子發票載具: Electronic unified invoice promoted by Taiwan MOF, storable on phone carrier (common carrier), EasyCard, or membership card. POS must apply for invoice tracks from MOF and auto-upload each transaction. Violations punishable by NT$10K-100K fines.

Operations

Table Turnover RateAlso: 翻桌次數 · Turnover: Number of times a single table is used per day. Example: a 10-table restaurant serving 30 parties = turnover of 3. QR ordering + self-checkout typically boosts turnover by 10-15% (reduced wait at order/payment).
Average Order Value (Avg Ticket)Also: ATV · Average Ticket: Average spend per order. Calculation: monthly revenue ÷ monthly orders. Core metric for restaurant health and marketing effectiveness. QR ordering typically boosts ATV by 5-15% (related-item recommendations, one-page upsells).
Uber Eats IntegrationAlso: UberEats: Auto-sync Uber Eats orders to your POS / KDS via API, eliminating manual order re-entry. Key flows: menu sync, order webhook, status update. Significantly reduces lost/incorrect orders during peak hours.
foodpanda Integration: Taiwan's second-largest delivery platform. POS integration similar to Uber Eats (API menu + order sync). foodpanda commission ~30-35%, slightly lower than Uber Eats but smaller user base.
Cover CountAlso: 客數 · Covers: Total number of guests served in a given period (one cover = one guest). Core operational metric. Combined with turnover and ATV: revenue = covers × ATV.

Marketing

Membership / Loyalty SystemAlso: 會員系統 · Loyalty Program: System for customers to accumulate purchase points redeemable for discounts or freebies. Common Taiwan rules: NT$1 = 1 point, 100 points = NT$10 off, double points birthday month. With LINE push, repeat purchase typically +15-25%.
Spin Wheel Marketing: Post-checkout spin-the-wheel marketing feature offering customers prizes (discount codes, free drinks, extra dishes). Significantly boosts return visits and brand affinity. OrderEase ships with configurable prize probability and conditions (e.g., min spend NT$200).

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