Choosing a POS system is a big decision for any pizzeria, impacting daily operations, customer experience, and ultimately, your profitability. While flashy features and enticing deals may draw you in, it’s the fine print of the contract that can make or break your experience. Many POS providers employ rigid terms, hidden fees, and mandatory requirements that lock you into costly commitments. To avoid these pitfalls, here’s what to watch out for to ensure your POS contract works for you, not against you.

1. Long-Term Contracts with Minimal Flexibility

One of the easiest traps to fall into is the long-term contract that offers little room for change. Some providers push mandatory multi-year contracts with automatic renewals, making it nearly impossible to exit without hefty penalties. This is particularly risky if your needs shift over time or you want to switch providers.

What to Watch For: Check if the contract includes flexible term options and if the renewal policy allows for ample notice before automatic extensions. Some POS providers offer flexible, short-term agreements that cater to small businesses, while others require long commitments designed to discourage switching.

How Adora Does It: Adora POS offers flexible contract terms designed to work with the restaurant’s growth, offering a renewal three months before the end of the contract. This gives pizzeria owners peace of mind and room to make adjustments without hidden clauses forcing them into prolonged commitments.

2. Rigid Hardware and Payment Processing Requirements

Certain POS systems force you to purchase proprietary hardware or use a single payment processor, limiting your ability to control setup costs or find cost-effective payment options. This “closed ecosystem” approach can make initial expenses skyrocket and can also add to ongoing costs if the system has high transaction fees.

What to Watch For: Look for contracts that require specific hardware or payment processors. Ideally, you want a POS that’s hardware-agnostic and compatible with multiple processors, giving you control over both equipment and payment fees.

How Adora Does It: Adora’s POS platform is fully cloud-based and hardware-agnostic, meaning it works on any device, reducing initial setup costs. Plus, Adora allows businesses to select their payment processor, often saving pizzerias significant money in transaction fees.

3. Hidden Fees in Marketing and Customer Engagement Tools

Many POS providers promote powerful marketing tools and customer engagement features but charge extra for essentials like text and email marketing. Some even rely on third-party integrations that add complexity and costs, impacting your ability to engage customers effectively.

What to Watch For: Ensure the contract specifies whether key marketing features are included or if they require additional purchases. Some providers include marketing functions natively within the POS, while others make these add-ons, leading to higher overall expenses.

How Adora Does It: Adora Cloud integrates tools like text and email marketing directly into the POS, including location-based offers and easy-to-use survey creation tools. These features come with straightforward pricing, giving pizzerias accessible options for driving customer engagement.

4. Complicated and Costly Exit Clauses

A sneaky POS contract may contain exit clauses that require you to pay projected fees, hardware costs, or even anticipated revenue for the remaining contract term if you decide to leave. These exit clauses are often buried in the fine print and make leaving prohibitively expensive.

What to Watch For: Look closely at the contract’s exit terms and ensure they’re reasonable. Be wary of providers that calculate penalties based on projected income or future fees, which can add thousands to the cost of leaving.

How Adora Does It: Adora believes in straightforward contract terms that benefit both sides. Their contracts don’t include inflated exit fees or surprise penalties, so you can feel confident that switching providers won’t come with punishing financial consequences.

5. Support and Maintenance Fees

Finally, customer support and system maintenance are critical to a POS system’s reliability. Some POS providers charge extra for essential support, creating an additional, often unexpected, expense. If a POS system is complex to operate or requires constant maintenance, these support costs can add up quickly.

What to Watch For: Review the contract’s support terms to understand if 24/7 assistance is included or if there are extra charges for basic support. A reliable POS partner will make support accessible without tacking on fees.

How Adora Does It: Adora provides dependable U.S. based support, included in the contract, with remote troubleshooting via the cloud. Pizzeria owners can rely on timely help without worrying about surprise fees or limited support availability.

Avoiding Sneaky POS Contracts with Transparent Solutions 

When evaluating POS contracts, remember that simplicity, flexibility, and transparency are key. A POS contract should empower your business, not restrict it. Adora POS embodies this approach by offering clear, fair contract terms that scale with your business and eliminate hidden costs. With Adora, what you see is truly what you get, so you can focus on running your pizzeria rather than deciphering complex, restrictive terms.