In Jordan, an Arab nation on the east bank of the Jordan River, with roughly 11.55 million people, the restaurant industry has embraced various types of Point of Sale (POS) systems to streamline operations, manage inventory, and enhance customer experiences. These systems vary in complexity, pricing, and features, but many are designed to cater to the unique needs of Jordanian restaurants, which may include small independent eateries, large chain restaurants, or fast-food outlets.
In this article, we will explore the different types of Point of Sale (POS) systems used in restaurants in Jordan, exploring both global market trends that impact the region and the specific local scene.
1. Global POS System Types & Trends (Relevant to Jordan)
A. Cloud-Based POS Systems
These systems store data remotely and offer flexibility, remote oversight, and scalability. They’re highly popular across emerging markets including MENA, with adoption driven by ease of setup and lower upfront costs.
Features & pros include remote access, subscription-based pricing, and integration with e-commerce and delivery platforms.
Cons can include reliance on stable internet and rising subscription costs over time.
Common systems globally: Toast, Square, Lightspeed, iKon, etc.
B. Traditional / Legacy On-Premise POS Systems
Installed on local servers in the restaurant. Preferred by high-volume or complex operations.
Pros include reliability, no internet dependency, high customizability.
Cons include high setup costs, limited mobility, and difficulty scaling across multiple locations.
Popular examples worldwide: Micros by Oracle, Aloha POS.
C. Hybrid POS Systems
Combine local data storage with cloud backups—offering resilience during outages while enabling remote access.
Better suited for mid- to large-scale restaurants wanting continuity and flexibility.
Examples: Toast (offers offline mode), Revel Systems, Vend.
D. Tablet-Based (iPad/POS) Systems
These use tablets as the main interface, favored by fast-casual concepts and cafes.
Advantages: portability, cost-effectiveness, easy training.
Challenges: potential durability issues, limited power/resources for high-volume environments.
Systems include Lightspeed, TouchBistro, Square.
E. Mobile POS Systems
Run on smartphones or compact devices—perfect for food trucks, pop-up stands, or table-side ordering.
Pros: excellent mobility, low cost.
Cons: device dependency, limited advanced features.
Popular systems: Square POS, Shopify POS.
F. Industry-Specific / Enterprise-Level Systems
Designed specifically for chain restaurants, fine dining, or hospitality enterprises. These have features like loyalty programs, multi-location management, inventory, ERP integrations, etc.
Examples: Oracle Hospitality (Simphony), SAP Customer Checkout, Infor POS.
G. POS Systems with Loyalty, CRM & Multilingual Support
Used widely in diverse markets requiring customer engagement and language flexibility.
Systems like Slant POS, Square, Loyverse, FiveStars offer in-built loyalty, marketing tools, and support multiple languages—especially useful in multicultural regions.
H. Self-Service Kiosks, QR & AI-Powered Ordering
Modern trends include tablet kiosks, voice ordering, QR menu systems, and AI-enabled devices (e.g., Presto, Ziosk). These enhance customer experience, speed up service, and reduce staffing needs.
2. POS Landscape in Jordan
A. Foodics (Cloud-Based, Pan-MENA Leader)
Foodics is a major cloud-based POS platform headquartered in Saudi Arabia, serving the MENA region—including Jordan—with a full restaurant-tech ecosystem (orders, inventory, CRM, payments, capital services).
In 2022, Foodics acquired Jordan-based POSRocket (founded 2016) and integrated its client base and services, solidifying its dominant position in Jordan’s restaurant tech market.
This reflects a move toward comprehensive, cloud-native platforms tailored to regional needs.
Foodics supports Arabic, English, and French languages, aligning well with Jordan’s linguistic landscape.
B. POSRocket (Now Part of Foodics)
Was the second-largest player in MENA. Offers cloud POS software with real-time management—now integrated into the Foodics ecosystem with additional services like payments, supply, and capital support.
C. Slant POS (In MENA Region Including Jordan)
An easy-to-use and affordable cloud-based restaurant POS software that offers features like inventory management, menu management, Kitchen Display System (KDS), table management, QR code menu ordering, reporting, loyalty program and promotions.
D. Locally Available Systems (e.g., H2O from PC Stores)
PC Stores—based in Jordan—offers a Restaurant Management System for full-service and fast-food restaurants.
Key features:
- Bilingual interface (Arabic/English)
- Multi-branch support, centralized kitchen/warehouse management
- Detailed reporting, recipe and menu costing, and strong menu organization
This shows local demand for bilingual, deeply customizable systems adapted to Jordanian operations.
E. Oracle Simphony (Enterprise-Level)
Oracle’s Simphony platform, promoted via Oracle Jordan, delivers enterprise-grade cloud/on-premise POS with extensive restaurant management features: table management, KDS, self-service kiosks, loyalty, analytics, and integration capabilities.
Best suited for large chains, hotel restaurants, or high-end fine-dining.
3. Summary Table – POS Types in Jordan
| POS Type | Examples in Jordan | Key Features & Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud-Based / Standard | Foodics (POSRocket) | Remote access, Arabic/English support, flexible, SaaS ecosystem |
| Cloud-Based / MENA | Slant POS | QR ordering, KDS, loyalty program, promotions, inventory, multilingual interface |
| Local Bilingual / Cost-Customization | PC Stores H2O system | Bi-lingual, in-depth costing, multi-branch management |
| Enterprise-Level | Oracle Simphony | Full-service features, loyalty, analytics, large-scale enterprise use |
| Modern Self-Service / AI / Kiosk | QR, kiosk, AI systems (global)—limited Jordan adoption yet; QR support offered by HIOPOS | Enhances customer experience with minimal staff overhead |
4. What Restaurants in Jordan Should Consider
- Scale & Complexity of Operations
- Small cafés or food trucks: A mobile/tablet or standard cloud POS (Slant POS or Foodics) may suffice.
- Medium restaurants/chains: Benefit from hybrid or cloud platforms with branch and inventory management—HIOPOS or Foodics fit well.
- Large chains, fine dining: Enterprise-grade systems like Oracle Simphony offer robust capabilities for multi-location operations.
- Language & Regional Adaptation
Arabic and English support is essential—Foodics, Slant POS, PC Stores local solutions tick that requirement. - Budget & Infrastructure
- Upfront hardware/software vs. subscription: Foodics and Slant POS offer cloud models; PC Stores may require local infrastructure.
- Need for offline redundancy: Simphony offers hybrid or on-premise solution for high reliability.
- E-commerce & Delivery Integration
Foodics provides strong ecosystem capabilities for delivery apps and centralized menus. Slant POS offers QR and multi-channel ordering. Local solutions may need third-party integration. - Support & Local Service Access
- Foodics and Slant POS: Regional MENA presence.
- PC Stores: Local Jordan vendor—possibly better in-person service.
- Oracle: Enterprise-tier but potentially higher cost and complexity.
5. Contextual Insights from Other MENA Markets
- UAE: Systems like Slant POS, RestoPOS, Foodics, and Oracle widely used—many offer multilingual support and CRM/loyalty features.
- Qatar: Mobile POS systems (Zettle, SumUp), Micros, and Aloha remain common—especially in fine dining—and multilingual support matters.
- Egypt: Cloud POS (Slant POS, Toast, Lightspeed) are popular; legacy systems (Micros, Aloha) still present in high-volume venues; hybrids (Toasts, Clover) usable for continuity.
Jordan shows parallel trends: strong regional platforms like Foodics and Slant POS, localized adaptations, and a growing appetite for cloud and modern UX-driven systems.
6. Local Market Snapshot and Consumer Feedback
There’s limited public anecdotal feedback from Jordan specifically, but regional forums note:
- Foodics/Toast are considered robust and integration-rich, though cost can be high.
- Slant POS is considered more user-friendly and easy to start with, plus it is feature-rich and affordable.
- Legacy systems like ORACLE Micrós are praised for stability but seen as pricey.
These align with global restaurant owner experiences.
7. Final Recommendations
For Small to Medium Restaurants in Jordan:
- Consider Foodics: robust, regionally tailored, cloud-native, SaaS-based.
- Evaluate Slant POS: rich features like QR ordering, advanced inventory management, multilingual support.
- Explore PC Stores H2O: local vendor with bilingual custom features.
For Medium to Large Chains / Fine Dining:
- Oracle Simphony offers deep features and hybrid/cloud flexibility.
- Foodics could still serve if budget and ecosystem priority.
For Evolving Trends (Kiosks / QR Menus):
- Implement QR-enabled ordering and tent systems via Slant POS or external solutions.
- Monitor the rollout of AI/tablet-based systems (e.g., echoing Presto-style tech) as they expand into Jordan.
