Micros vs Aloha vs Nanos Media
Inside Point Of Sale (POS) Information from a Restaurant Business Owner
As of March 2012
With this comparison I am concentrating on POS System Installations for a Medium Sized 300 Seat Single Full Table Service Restaurant. This also applies to smaller table service, fast casual and quick service cafes, bars, diners, etc and even retail stores.
This is by far the most important section I can offer my customers! I am familiar with Micros and Aloha POS through over 10 years of experiences as a day to day working owner of a larger restaurant The Mount Sinai Heritage Diner. I’ve had them at times, quote me their POS systems and “danced” with their sales people who barely knew what they were selling but yet neglected to tell me “everything involved” and sell me things I would have never have needed at double the price with hidden recurring fees and inferior software, hardware and support.
I started Nanos Media in 2000 to offer my experiences with the restaurant business, technology, a graduate degree and college professorship in business systems, to other restaurant and business owners I have become friendly with throughout the years. It was because of the higher priced national brands and lower quality local reseller that other restaurant owners would come to me asking for advice. I did my research and figured out that because of the technological knowledge gap with the average Restaurant/Business owner these POS installers where gauging prices and holding businesses hostage at extraordinary rates.
Here are my actual price quotes from back in 2004.
Aloha Quote – this was before the Aloha / Radient merger when Aloha POS Software could be packaged with cheaper hardware like the Posiflex Workstations. Just the 6 workstations / no software was 12,570.00. Today, 2012 Aloha will Only package with radiant hardware, limiting the customers choice of cheaper and advanced future hardware.
Micros Quote – 4 inferior, even for 2004, workstations, 1 server (no LCD) and full installation at $20,700. Does not include running cable, that is $1 per foot. Micros will only sell hardware with their POS software, like Aloha, limiting choices.
Clear up some Definitions
- POS – Point Of Sale where a business transaction occurs, see wiki.
- POS Software– is sold in 2 main categories
- Proprietary POS Software (non flexible) – can only be used with certain hardware components sold exclusively by Installation Company. Ex) Micros and Aloha
- Non Proprietary POS Software (flexible) – sold by the software company and does not or have interest in installations or hardware. Can be used on most Windows based machines. This POS software is sold at a lower fee to online resellers like Amazon or Local Installer Resellers.
- POS Hardware – is sold in 2 main categories
- Proprietary POS Hardware (non flexible)– – can only be used with certain POS Software. Micros and Aloha have exclusive all in one units
- Non Proprietary POS Hardware (flexible) – can be used with most POS software that is Windows based. Ex) Dell, HP, Touch Dynamics, Custom Built PC’s and the many other manufacturers.
About the 3 companies I am comparing.
- Nanos Media – it is a Full Service POS consulting and installation company, YES, this is MY business and YES, I am biased, but what I am offering here is knowledge that can be verified. I am trying to educate MY potential customer and hopefully show that Nanos Media is a better value. We are not locked into any particular POS software or hardware company, therefore being able to offer the customer an honest assessment of the products. We get paid for bringing the best products together and always updating, not trying to sell last year’s hardware or software. Technology is rapidly changing and the big bulky companies have huge amounts of products in the supply line that have to be sold.
- Micros – The oldest 1977, biggest worldwide and most experienced with larger enterprise businesses. Also, most expensive, locked in with many hidden fees while software and hardware is at best comparable to Non Proprietary and the small to medium business is lost within this worldwide company. They have local resellers but they can only sell Micros products.
- Aloha / Radiant – I would say the second biggest today for single restaurant owner (maybe beats Micros). Their software and hardware are tied together so the customer is locked into exclusive contracts like Micros. The software and hardware is actually very good. Local resellers once where able to install non proprietary POS software in the radiant units until the merger. They have local resellers but they can only sell Aloha products.
Side note on the comparison and my research.
This is not a PhD research paper. This is based on my personal experience in the food industry, the technology industry, studying and teaching business systems and new technology, working with former Aloha and Micros sales people, techs and servers that have used the software, research from various POS forums, These Price Quotes from Micros and Aloha and the following links.
- Aloha/Radiant Hardware Brochures & Specs
- Aloha/Radiant Software Brochures & Specs
- Micros Maintenance Terms – They are long with fine print but reveal a lot
- Micros RES – there “complete restaurant POS software solution”
When it comes down to it, I never bought a Micros or Aloha system because I found better value with a local technician to sell me NextPOS software, now Aldelo, with like 7 all in one units, a Dell server and a bunch of Epson printers. I learned the software and fixed my own system and had telephone support when need. Micros quoted like 20k for 4 units. I got everything bought, installed and programed for 10k. No additional fees and $400 per year for support but after the first year I never needed to renew. 10 years later we are still running NextPOS/Aldelo with upgraded units that I estimate the entire cost from day 1 until the new upgrades has been no more than 16k. If I had Micros or Aloha 10 years ago, with their upgrades and contracts I would be at easy 50k and many more problems.
I don’t have access to current Micros and Aloha quotes, if someone does and sends me them I will update my list. Either way, I’m almost certain their prices have not drastically dropped. The Micros and Aloha resellers have to pay a certain minimum to sell that brand, obviously. According to the Micros website their Micros RES complete solution ships with the 3700 unit. The same unit I was quoted in 2004. That is 8 years old technology! Need I say more?
Thanks
Peter Nanos
(c) 2012 All Rights Reserved
do not reproduce unless you email for permission
The Side by Side Comparison
I am comparing “pound for pound” the Nanos System Packages with the Micros and Aloha System Packages in my 2 quotes for a full Service 300 seat restaurant in Long Island, NY in an upscale professional and family neighborhood.
These are all Full Installation Comparisons for 6 units, Accessories and services.
- Aloha 2004 Quote is for 6 units = $32,608.75 (based on Posiflex quoted units, low end p1515 probably compares, there are NO advertised prices or specs)
- Micros 2004 Quote is for 4 units = $20,700.00 so 6 units are estimated at $29,100
- Nanos 2012 Quote for 6 units (fuse 156) all in one = $11,500.00
- Nanos 2012 Quote for 6 units (Ignite Dell 156) 2pcs = $13,500.00
*These are all mid-tier systems, obviously an upgrade or downgrade would adjust the price, but these are all good quality systems that the average restaurant can conduct high volume daily sales.
| Comparison |  |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
Micros 3700 TSR |
Aloha/ Radiant p1515 |
Nanos Fuse 156 |
Aloha/Radiant p1760 (upgrade) |
Nanos Ignite Dell 256 (upgrade) |
|
|
Entire system price |
$29,100 |
$32,608 |
$11,500 |
$36,000 |
$13,500 |
|
Genuine Intel® Chipset |
AMD geode processor |
Atom 1.6 |
Atom dual core 1.8 fanless |
Core 2 duo 2.2 |
Intel pent dual core 2.7 |
|
Ram Memory |
1gb |
1gb |
1gb |
4gb |
2gb |
|
Hard drive |
? |
? |
160 hd |
? |
250 hd |
|
OS |
Windows CE 6.0 |
Pos ready 2009 |
Pos ready 2009 |
Win xp pro |
Win xp pro |
|
MSR |
Yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Yes |
|
Touch Screen |
12” Resistive |
15” Resistive |
15” Resistive elo |
15” Resistive |
15” Resistive elo |
|
Warranty |
1 years parts and labor – extend for $1500 per year |
1 years parts and labor – extend for $1500 per year |
3 years parts and labor |
1 years parts and labor – extend for $1500 per year |
3 yr next business day Onsite repair |
|
Thermal printer |
Yes – 6 (2 yr warranty) |
Yes – 6 (2 yr warranty) |
Yes – 6 (2 yr warranty) |
Yes – 6 (2 yr warranty) |
Yes – 6 (2 yr warranty) |
|
Kitchen printer |
1 – (2 yr warranty) |
1 – (2 yr warranty) |
1 – (2 yr warranty) |
1 – (2 yr warranty) |
1 – (2 yr warranty) |
|
Extra pc or Server for database |
Yes – 1 included micros 3700. No monitor included |
Yes – p4 with LCD |
No – not needed |
Yes – p4 with LCD |
No – not needed |
|
Barcode reader |
1 – Yes |
1 – Yes |
1 – Yes |
1 – Yes |
1 – Yes |
|
Cash drawer |
1 – Yes |
1 – Yes |
1 – Yes |
1 – Yes |
1 – Yes |
|
Networking accessories |
Yes |
Yes |
yes |
yes |
Yes |
|
Running cable |
Customer or his contractor is responsible for running cable – this could cost over $1000 in labor. |
Included no extra cost |
Included no extra cost |
Included no extra cost |
Included no extra cost |
|
Cable cost |
No included – $1 per foot |
Included in average run |
Included in average run |
Included in average run |
Included in average run |
|
Tech support on network & POS |
30 days |
60 days |
30 days |
60 days |
30 days |
|
Ongoing tech support |
Micros has yearly contracts anywhere from $2000 to $6000 per year and charges $175 per hour. |
Aloha has yearly contracts anywhere from $1000 to $3000 per year and charges $125 per hour. |
$50 phone/remote |
Aloha has yearly contracts anywhere from $1000 to $3000 per year and charges $125 per hour. |
$50 phone/remote |
|
Experienced technicians |
Minimum job requirements for their technicians are usually a drivers license, High School diploma, with A+ certification and 3 years experience |
Minimum job requirements for their technicians are usually a drivers license, High School diploma, with A+ certification and 3 years experience |
See Peter’s above |
Minimum job requirements for their technicians are usually a drivers license, High School diploma, with A+ certification and 3 years experience |
See Peter’s above |
|
Delivery charges |
$100 to $300 |
$100 to $300 |
$0 |
$100 to $300 |
$0 |
nanosmedia 