Term	Definition
Scatter System	A type of team service with no front or back servers. Servers are responsible for taking orders of guests seated in their station, but when in the kitchen, they must deliver the next order ready, regardless of whose station it is to be delivered.
Screen Look-up (SLU)	This is the successor to the NLU’s used in older products. Unlike an NLU, which displays a numbered list to choose from, an SLU displays a group of keys to choose from. Also see – Numeric Look-up
Seat/Position	This refers to the guest position at a table. This is used so the back server or runner knows where to place the food.
Self-Banking	This refers to the environment where there is no cashier position. Each server is his or her own cashier
Serial Interface Port	See - COM1 / COM2.
Server	An employee of a food and beverage establishment who is responsible for delivering food and/or drink to guests. Usually also responsible for order taking and check tendering. The computer in a client/server atmosphere on whose hard disk the database files reside. Clients in the network will send data to and query data from the servers database files in order to process their transactions. Usually the (back) office PC.
Server-Banking	See - Self-Banking.
Service a Check	Servicing a check is to sub-total it. Servicing a check will also post all items in that round to the check's total and fire any orders to the appropriate remote order printer.
Service Assistant	A person who assists the server. Could be a busser or a hostess.
Service Bar	The service bar is the area of the restaurant dedicated to making drinks ordered by the wait staff for their guests only. This bar does not make drinks for the customer directly, it is generally concealed from view of guests, and it does not cash out any guests.
Service Charge	A service charge is an amount that is added to a check in exchange for services rendered. It can be either a fixed dollar amount or a percentage and is usually subject to sales tax. Example: Auto-gratuities, Room Service Charges, and Entertainment and Cover Charges.
Service Labor	The dollar amount spent to pay the salaries of the service staff (waiters, bussers, hosts, bartenders, all but kitchen related). Service Labor percentage is the percentage of gross sales that must be allotted to pay these salaries. This percentage is usually calculated from all sales (food, liquor, beverage, and retail combined) because these employees have contributed to the generation of all types of sales for the restaurant. Example: A restaurant does a total of $10,000.00 in total sales for a particular day. On this day, they had 10 waiters, 2 bussers, and 2 hosts work a total of 8 hours each, at $2.13 an hour each. The service labor for that day would then be $238.56. The service labor percentage for that day would be $238.56 (total labor dollars spent that day) divided by $10,000.00 (gross sales for that day) which equals 3%. So 3% of this restaurants total sales for that day, will need to be used to pay for the service staff they had working that day.
Service Round	On a new check, all the items rung before subtotaling for the first time. On an already open check, all the items rung between the last subtotal and when you will subtotal again.
Service Total	A transaction that ends the current service round, and triggers output to order devices. The check information remains in the system’s memory for later recall.
Settlement	Refers to the payment or tendering of a check.
Shared Check	A check that has been split into two or more equal parts. A separate chit is printed showing each guest’s share.
Shift Change	This is when one set of employees getting off work, is replaced by the next set (or shift) of employees coming to work.
Shot	This term refers to a small glass filled with a predetermined amount of straight liquor, meant to be drunk all in one gulp.
Sign-In	Allows employees to uniquely identify themselves to the system so that they may begin transactions, perform manager procedures, or perform other operations. Requiring each employee to enter a unique ID before gaining access to the system allows financial activities to be tracked by employee, and is useful in restricting employee privileges to only those functions required to perform their specific job. Opposite of “Sign-Out”.
Sign-Out	By pushing a button, a user ends his transaction round and clears the screen so that the terminal is available for the next user. Opposite of “Sign-In”.
SIM	System Interface Module (SIM) - Software that a POS uses to interface with a variety of other data systems, including sophisticated PMS, automatic delivery systems, and other electronic database systems.
Single Window	A drive-thru configuration that uses one window for both payment and pick up.
Site Survey	A site survey is a walkthrough of the customer’s establishment done prior to any work or installing. The purpose of the site survey is to determine what will be needed before trying to install and map a plan of action for things to run smoothly.
Slip Printer	A type of printer that requires the user to insert a “card” into the slot before pressing a service totaling button. The printer will “grab” the card and move it upward as it prints on it. Once printing has been completed, the printer will “release” the card and the user can remove it. A special device in the printer allows it to “read” a card, when inserted, and find the next line after already printed information to begin printing on. Opposite of “Roll Printer”.
Special By-Round	A printing option that combines features of the On-Demand and By-Round printing options. A guest check is initially not printed until the operator requests (Feature of On-Demand), but once the operator has printed the check, it will be automatically printed again each time it is service totaled, whether the operator requests it or not (feature of By-Round).
Special Instructions	This refers to any type of cooking or preparation instructions pertaining to a guest’s order that are out of the ordinary and are, therefore, not one of the predetermined Modifiers available for selection. There is generally no extra charge associated with these types of additions, as opposed to “Open” items where there would be a charge.
Split Check	A function that allows an operator to move menu items from one guest check to another. Example: Mary neglected to ask the two gentlemen at her table if they would like to be rung on separate checks. They have now requested their bill, and informed Mary that they would like to pay separately. Mary uses the split check function to move individual menu items from her original check onto a new check, thus creating two checks to be presented to the guests.
Split Tender	Allows a check to be tendered to two or more combinations of media (cash, various credit cards, traveler’s checks, etc.). Example: Mary presents a check with a balance due of $40.00 to a table of two ladies. The ladies intend to pay for their bill separately, so one puts down $20.00, and the other asks that the remaining balance be charged to her credit card.
Station	A section of the restaurant that a server is responsible for. A customer seated in that section may only be waited on by that server.
Stay-Down Screen	A screen that must be closed by the user. Rather than automatically being replaced by another screen once a selection has been made, with this type of screen, the user may make as many selections from it as desired, and then must chose a “close” or “done” command to move to the next screen. Opposite of Pop-Up Screen. Also see – Pop-Up Screen.
Straight-Up	This drink served in a regular rocks glass, but is served without ice. This is not a shot, as it is served in a much bigger glass and is a sipping drink.
Suspend & Resume	Allows an employee to store the current transaction in the system’s memory without service totaling the check, so that another employee can use the workstation. When the employee who suspended the check signs in again, the suspended check is automatically resumed. This function is similar to the Hold / Fire function, but it does not send output to remote devices.
System Configurator	The graphical user interface that allows the employee to modify the system database. A.k.a. “POS Configurator”.
System Interface Module (SIM)	Software that a POS uses to interface with a variety of other data systems, including sophisticated PMS, automatic delivery systems, and other electronic database systems.