McDonald’s has been a household name for decades but being the biggest name in burgers also comes with its own unique challenges.
They need to not just be able to handle the roughly 70 million orders they process on a given day but also report on and make use of the actionable data each of those customers provides.
So what POS system does McDonald’s use?
The McDonald’s POS has its origins in a platform created by MediaWorks: Neo.
First developed for McDonald’s Brazil in 1998, some variation has been used in McDonald’s locations from around the world ever since. But operations were brought in house by McDonald’s in 2008.
The newest version of their POS is titled NP6. NP6 is still built on the infrastructure of the MW:Neo system but has been customized to meet the unique needs – and the unique scale – of McDonald’s operations.
McDonald’s POS System: Interface & Features
McDonald’s has locations throughout the world, so it makes sense that their point of sale system is designed to be linguistically agnostic.
The interface is cleanly designed and relies primarily on pictures and photos so that team members can more quickly and easily record orders regardless of their education level or location.
What’s interesting about the McDonald’s POS is how relatively simple it is. While modern POS’ often incorporate customer relationship management features into their design, NP6 is almost entirely focused on customer orders.
In fact, you don’t need to have an insider connection to see what the POS system for McDonald’s looks like.
More and more stores offer the ability to place your order from a kiosk in the lobby, and the design of these screens is functionally identical to that used by the staff to record your order.
Who is McDonald’s Point of Sale System For?
NP6 was built in-house, so it makes sense that it’s specifically tailored to the needs of a high volume business.
That means that the use cases for it are fairly narrow. Most of the clients that original developer MediaWorks collaborates with operate on an international scale and are positioned within the quick-service restaurant sector.
NP6 is a variation on similar platforms that have been used by Burger King, Panera, and Wendy’s.
Unfortunately, the fact that this system is designed for such volume means that it’s not a particularly sensible choice for smaller restaurants and retailers.
NP6 can be a great example of how to make a POS platform work seamlessly with your business model, but smaller businesses will be better off going with a POS that’s scaled to their needs and their financial limitations.
Vend, Lightspeed, and Revel are all sensible choices. If you’re operating a larger business, NP6 can provide you with a good understanding of what sort of features you should look for, but this particular iteration of MW:Neo tech is exclusive to McDonald’s franchises.
Summary
NP6 is an example of how a POS platform can change over time without becoming unnecessarily overcomplicated. By taking a standard-bearer like the MW:Neo system and catering it to the specific needs of their locations, McDonald’s has come up with a unique and bespoke solution.
