The Best Hospitality Equipment Checklist for 2026

POS Terminals

The terminal is where most transactions actually happen: the device staff hold, mount, or hand to a guest at the table. Modern venues need a mix. A fixed countertop terminal for the bar, handheld units for table service, and lightweight mobile readers for event nights and pop-up service. Look for terminals with payment hardware built in (chip and PIN, contactless, tap-to-pay on phone) so the POS and the card reader are the same device rather than two systems wired together.

Receipt Printers and Kitchen Tickets

Receipt printers still earn their keep, both for the paper receipt at point of sale and for the kitchen ticket that routes orders to the line. The 2026 standard is network-connected printers that can be assigned per sublocation and per order type, so a cocktail order routes to the bar printer and a food order routes to the kitchen. Cloud-based printer setups let any printer connected to the venue's network be available to any terminal, so the right ticket lands at the right station automatically.

Kitchen Display Systems

KDS screens are replacing paper tickets for high-volume kitchens. Orders show up on a digital display, the line marks them prepared, and front of house can see ready times without walking back. Look for systems where each product can be assigned to one or more KDS locations, so routing follows the menu structure rather than a separate config layer that has to be maintained.

Barcode and QR Scanners

For stock-heavy operations (cellars, wine programmes, retail products), scanning is faster than manual lookup and far less error-prone. Look for a desktop QR and barcode scanner that reads standard retail formats (UPC, EAN, ISBN) and 2D codes, integrates with the POS, and can be used across multiple workflows: adding products to orders, processing stock moves, and verifying member identity at access points.

Cloakroom Tags

Cloakroom tags identify which item belongs to which guest. The traditional paired-ticket system is notoriously easy to lose, easy to mix up, and leaves no record of who handed in what. A modern approach replaces the pair: each tag is unique and gets bound either to a customer record (via a scannable identifier like a wallet pass) or to a second tag for guests without an account, so the system always knows who owns which item. Tags should be customisable so they read as part of the venue rather than as generic hardware.

Branded Ordering QR Tags

For venues running Order to Table or Order & Pick Up, the QR tag is where the customer enters the ordering flow. A poorly produced or generic tag creates friction at the first interaction and signals the wrong thing about the venue. Look for tags that can be pre-etched with the table number or pickup spot, in materials and finishes that match the venue's brand.

Member Cards: Digital and Physical

Most members no longer want to carry a physical card, and most venues no longer want to print and ship them. Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes solve both problems and integrate naturally with permissions, loyalty, and member pricing. For venues that still want a physical card (members' clubs, premium tiers, corporate accounts), the option should remain for the use cases that need it.

Mounting Kits and Cable Management

The mounting and connection layer is what separates a sleek front-of-house from a cluttered one. Terminal mounting, charging, peripheral connection, and cable concealment all matter for keeping the hardware tidy and the front-of-house surface clean.

What Hardware Has Quietly Become Optional

A few items that used to be standard kit are now optional or replaced:

• Dedicated PDQ terminals (replaced by integrated POS payment hardware)
• Paper reservation books (replaced by booking and enquiry software)
• Standalone gift card printers (replaced by digital gift cards and wallet passes)
• Separate loyalty stamp cards (replaced by membership wallet passes)
• Static printed menus (often replaced by QR-led digital menus)
• Per-vendor specialised hardware (separate spa booking tablet, separate event check-in scanner, etc., replaced by one platform running on the existing terminal)

How Tiquo's Hardware Lineup Maps to This Checklist

Tiquo ships a hardware ecosystem designed to be selected piece by piece, with every item running through the same software:

• S700 and S710 terminals cover countertop and handheld POS on the same platform
• Cloud printing means any printer connected to the venue's network is available to any setup, with routing per sublocation and order type
• KDS locations are assigned per product, so kitchen routing follows the menu
• T100 desktop scanner handles QR and barcode reading for stock moves, orders, and member identity
• Cloakroom tags are designed in Tiquo and shipped to the venue, bound to customer profiles or to a second tag
• Custom QR ordering tags ship pre-etched with the table number or pickup spot, made to match the venue
• Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes integrate with permissions, loyalty, and member pricing natively, with physical card design rolling out as part of the Membership update
• iPad Dock and Cable Kit cover terminal mounting and cable management

Building Your Kit

The right kit depends on the venue's operations. A bar with high-volume table service needs more handheld terminals than a hotel front desk. A members' club running a large cellar needs scanners and cloakroom tags more than a coworking space does. Whatever the mix, the hardware should run through one software so the venue does not end up managing several vendors and several brands stuck together.

FAQs

Can the same product be sold from multiple sublocations with shared stock?

Yes. Inventory in Tiquo can be linked across sublocations, so the same product can be sold from the bar, restaurant, and private dining while drawing from one shared stock entry. Every sale registers against the same inventory.

Can Tiquo's hardware be customized with my branding?

Yes. Cloakroom tags and ordering QR tags are designed in Tiquo and shipped to the venue with custom shape, material, font, and one-colour logo etching. Wallet passes can also be branded to the venue.

Does Tiquo support Apple Wallet and Google Wallet for members?

Yes. Members can carry digital wallet passes for both, with native integration to permissions, loyalty, and member pricing. No separate sync to maintain.

Does Tiquo handle cloakroom hardware?

Yes. Tiquo's cloakroom system replaces the paired-ticket model with unique tags bound either to a customer profile (via wallet pass) or to a second tag for guests without one. Tags are designed in Tiquo and shipped to the venue.