Check what your till shares
Collect the POS provider and version at each location, plus the device your staff use at checkout. Confirm who can approve access and whether the integration can identify a member, see the right purchase details and receive void or refund events. If reward eligibility depends on menu items, check that the available data identifies them reliably.
Ask for a test receipt and use a test member. Write down which fields are needed for the loyalty rules and who can see them. Confirm whether the connection needs vendor approval or extra licensing before signing a proposal.
Run four checkout tests
- Earn: Identify a member, complete an eligible order and confirm the expected points or stamp appears once.
- Redeem: Apply the reward to the right order, and confirm the guest can see that it was used.
- Refund: Run a full or partial refund. Check which points or stamps are reversed and who can resolve any exception.
- Recover: Try a disconnected device or delayed receipt. Check what staff tell the guest and how they verify the final balance when service returns.
Repeat the checks at each POS setup you plan to use. Record the expected and actual results on a simple sheet. Get someone who works a normal shift to run the same workflow.
Run loyalty without a POS link
Staff can scan the guest’s membership QR code and confirm an eligible purchase or redemption on an approved device. The sale stays in the restaurant’s usual till. Agree on a short verification step, which accounts can confirm activity, and how managers reverse mistakes.
Test how long the second step takes and whether it still fits a rush. Define the fallback if a guest forgot their phone or a staff device is offline. Start with a reward staff can explain quickly. A simple stamp offer is one way to pilot the flow.
Agree on launch criteria
Write down the locations, test results, staff roles, supported reward rules and who handles problems on the first week. If guests can earn in one location and redeem in another, test that explicitly. Also confirm how a change to your POS or menu is handled after launch.
Once the checkout flow is clear, compare the branded app and Wallet card against how guests actually join. See the Balance Brunch & Bakery app and POS example. A new integration or staff-assisted workflow is scoped for your setup.