What should I check about a food truck’s point-of-sale and online ordering setup?

Ask the owner to show the system in use during a busy service. Watch how orders are taken, how fast they move, and how often the system fails or needs a workaround. Look at the hardware: a tablet, card reader, printer, and a reliable data connection. Ask what is owned and what is rented.

Then look at the accounts. Whose name or email are the point-of-sale, online ordering and payment accounts under? What are the monthly charges, per-sale fees and contract terms? Can the vendor transfer the account to a new owner? Ask for reports, and compare their totals with the bank deposits and the records your accountant would use. Gaps need an explanation.

Finally, plan the handover. Gather logins, menu setups, customer lists and any linked social or delivery accounts. Change the passwords at closing and remove old users. Consider the pressures of the truck itself: limited power, poor signal and rush-hour lines. Ask whether the system works offline, and whether the food safety records the business keeps are stored there too. Ask how customers find the online menu, who updates it, and whether prices and sold-out items change quickly. Check that any payment processor holds settlement in the business’s own bank account, not a personal one, and note any chargebacks or disputes from the past.

Key takeaways

• Watch the system during a rush and note failures and workarounds.
• Confirm account ownership, fees and transfer rules for each tool.
• Compare sales reports with bank deposits and change every password at closing.