OneHubPOS Comparison

You’ve already poured your money, time, and probably your life savings into making your restaurant real. The last thing you want is to watch it all get eaten up by fines, surprise audits, or penalties… just because you didn’t set up your restaurant sales tax correctly. 

Not to mention the trust you could lose if your customers spot mistakes on their checks.

In this blog, we’ll explore how to set up different sales taxes for your restaurants across the country—and manage them easily on a single cloud dashboard.

Restaurant Sales Tax Varies by State (and Why It Matters)

Restaurant sales tax is a small percentage your restaurant charges your customers on top of the cost of their meal when they order and pay. But you don’t keep this money. Every month or quarter, depending on where you are, you hand it over to the tax authorities.

But what if you go wrong with restaurant sales tax and don’t collect enough? Sadly, you’ll still owe the difference. Out of your pocket. Therefore, guessing isn’t an option if you want to stay compliant and keep your restaurant profitable. 

So, is there sales tax on restaurant food in the U.S.? Well… yes. In restaurants, you almost always have to charge sales tax on food and drinks. Some states have different rules for alcohol or catering. But in most cases, if you’re handing someone prepared food, you’re collecting tax.

Sounds simple, right? Well… sort of. However, the real difficulty is how wildly the rates can change depending on where you operate. Unlike other countries with a single VAT or GST, the U.S. has no federal sales tax. Instead, the sales tax rate varies with the place. So, this difficulty becomes a pain point when you're not using a reliable POS system.

Restaurant Sales Tax 

So when you open your café, diner, or burger joint, you can’t just Google “average sales tax” and put it on your receipts. You have to know your exact state rate, plus any local or special meal taxes that apply to you. 

Miss it, and you could undercharge and owe thousands later or overcharge and end up refunding frustrated customers! 

Here are some examples to understand how sales tax works in the U.S.:

States with No Statewide Sales Tax

Oregon, Montana, and New Hampshire don’t collect statewide sales tax at all. But local options can still pop up. For example, parts of Montana have local “resort” or “tourist” taxes up to 3%–5% on prepared food.

New Hampshire doesn’t have a general sales tax. But it does have a 9% Meals and Rentals Tax on restaurants, hotels, and catering.

States with Special Meals Taxes

In Virginia, the base state sales tax is about 4.3%. But cities can add a hefty meals tax, sometimes up to 7%. In Richmond, for example, the combined tax for restaurant meals can reach 11.5%.

In Rhode Island, the base sales tax is 7%. All restaurant meals and beverages carry an additional 1% local meals and beverage tax. That makes your total restaurant tax 8%.

States with High Local Surtaxes

The state tax in Illinois is 6.25% on general goods. But food and drinks for immediate consumption are taxed higher. Plus, cities like Chicago add on a local restaurant tax. The result? A Chicago restaurant often collects around 10.75%–11.75%.

New York City’s base sales tax is 4%. But it adds a local rate plus a Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD) surcharge. So, a NYC café or bistro usually collects around 8.875% total.

How to Set Up, Edit, or Remove Sales Tax in Your Restaurant POS

When your restaurant sales tax rates change, your restaurant POS has to be flexible. You should be able to add, edit, or remove tax rates in seconds. No spreadsheet hacks. No manual calculators. The clean, clear tax settings should match your city’s rules so that you don’t wake up to an audit letter down the road.

OneHubPOS makes this part easy: it lets you stack state and local taxes, label them clearly, and tweak them. The whole process is quick, clear, and designed for non-techy folks.

Here’s exactly what you do:

Step 1: Log In

Log in to OneHubPOS using your credentials: your username and password. Once you’re in, you’ll see your dashboard, with various types of quick reports and graphs. This is your command center for… well, everything from sales to staff. All in one spot.

Step 2: Choose Your Restaurant 

If you're managing multiple restaurants from a single dashboard of your QSR POS, go to the topmost drop-down icon slightly to the left and click it. You'll see a menu with the names of the places you're managing. Click on the restaurant for which you want to set up the sales tax. 

However, if you're not running many places or if your desired location is already chosen, no need to go through this step.

Step 3: Go to Settings

Click on the three-line icon to the left. You’ll see a menu with options like Dashboard, Reports, Employees, Menu, and Product Setup. Go all the way down. You’ll see Settings at the bottom. Click that. It’s where you manage restaurant tax rates, discounts, role-based access, and many more aspects of restaurant operations.

Step 4: Click Taxes

Inside your Settings, you'll see sections like Discount, Taxes, Modifiers, Tippings, Terminal, and so on. Click on Taxes to view your existing restaurant tax rates. If you’re just getting started, this list may be empty. 

Step 5: Add, Edit, or Remove

This is where you get to choose what you need to do:

Add a New Tax

1. Click Add Tax.
2. Give it a clear name, like “NYC Meals Tax” or “Illinois State Tax.”
3. Enter the exact percentage your city or state requires.
4. Click Save. Done!

Edit an Existing Tax

Always double-check your entered restaurant sales tax rate. So, in case you've entered incorrect rates or if tax laws change, update your POS immediately. It’s way cheaper than paying back taxes + penalties later.

1. Next to each tax in your list, you’ll see an Edit button.
2. Click it, update the name or percentage, then Save. 

Remove a Tax

Maybe your area drops a local meals tax or some other tax.

1. Find the tax in the list.
2. Click the bin icon, and confirm. Consequently, your POS stops applying that tax on future orders.

How It Works Once Sales Tax Is Set Up in Your POS

So what actually happens at the counter once you’ve set up your sales tax? Here’s how it flows:

1. Your guest places their order. Maybe a burger, fries, and a soda to go.
2. Your staff punch the order into your POS system.
3. Instantly, your POS calculates the correct sales tax for that transaction, based on your exact restaurant sales tax rates.
4. The customer’s POS receipt clearly shows the subtotal, the tax amount, and the final total. It’s all broken out so there’s no confusion.
5. The guest pays via cash, card, or contactless payment. Your POS automatically logs the sale, the tax, and updates your reports behind the scenes.
6. The tax portion is tracked separately in your daily sales reports. So when it’s time to file, you know exactly how much you’ve collected and exactly what you owe.

Handle Your Restaurant Sales Tax With OneHubPOS 

Ignoring tax paperwork is how a small mistake turns into a big, expensive problem. But now, you know:

• Your state’s rules aren’t the same as your neighbor’s. 
• Your city might have its own “bonus” tax just for restaurants. 
• Exactly how to set up, edit, or remove your restaurant sales tax in your all-in-one POS—no IT help needed.

So, restaurant sales tax isn’t scary when you’ve got the right system watching your back. OneHubPOS keeps it simple—with a clean dashboard, intuitive settings, and fast updates when your local tax rules change.

Ready to make restaurant sales tax one less thing to worry about? Book your OneHubPOS demo today and see how OneHubPOS helps restaurants like yours stay compliant, confident, and just focused on great service.

Is your convenience store really convenient if your checkout crashes every time the internet hiccups?

A frozen checkout line can ruin your day—and your customer’s. You run a store built on speed. A dead payment terminal is the last thing you need.

• No Wi-Fi? No card swipes.
• No network? No QR codes.
• No connection? Your POS is practically useless.

That’s why having an offline POS system isn’t optional—it’s essential. It keeps sales moving, customers happy, and your store running, no matter what’s happening with your internet.

This blog explores what an offline POS system does for your convenience store and what the benefits are. Let's get into it.

What Convenience Really Means in Convenience Stores

A gallon of milk before breakfast? Late-night snack run? Emergency batteries when the power goes out? You have it all. Convenience – it’s right there in the name. 

Your whole business revolves around making things easy and quick for the customer. You’re the pit stop where people know they can quickly grab what they need and keep moving.

That’s your edge. That’s what your customers love about you.

So, speed is much more than just your biggest selling point. It’s your reputation. It's your promise. But lose that speed, even for a few minutes, that promise of convenience goes out the window. Let it happen often enough, and you lose that reputation.

Even the slightest delay at checkout can have a ripple effect. 

1. Lines grow longer.
2. Tempers get shorter. 
3. That ‘quick stop’ feeling vanishes. 
4. Fierce competition. There’s probably another store, gas station, or small shop just down the road. One bad checkout experience = folks go elsewhere

So, when your retail POS system works smoothly, you’re fast, frictionless, and convenient every time.

Why C-Stores Can’t Rely on Connectivity Alone

You probably don’t think much about your internet, until it goes down at the worst moment. What if that moment is when you’ve got a line out the door?

Open All Hours? So Are Tech Glitches.

Is your c-store open 24/7 or at least well into late hours? If yes, suppose you're running a late-night shift. What would you do when your POS goes down and there’s no IT help at that hour? Your cashier would be stuck apologising while customers get annoyed. Manual workarounds? Nobody wants to write orders on paper at midnight.

Tricky Locations = Patchy Internet

Maybe you run a roadside store on the edge of town. A patchy signal is part of daily life. A lot of stores sit in places where getting a stable connection is tough:

• Gas stations on rural highways
• Roadside stops where signals are spotty
• Store basements below street level
• Busy urban corners like corner gas stations or older buildings with thick walls, or maybe overloaded networks

One hiccup and you’re stuck.

Multiple Counters, More Risk

Your store may have multiple registers, self-checkouts, tobacco counters, or lottery stations. Each checkout point needs to run independently. If one goes down because of an outage, that small bottleneck quickly turns into a line that tests everyone’s patience.

Why an Offline POS System Matters for Your Convenience Store 

You’ve probably put real effort and money into making your store run smoothly. You’ve got:

• Reliable barcode scanners for fast scans and hence quick checkouts 
• Well-trained cashiers who know how to handle rush hours
• Neatly organised counters to keep lines flowing
• Even smartly placed impulse buys and high-margin items around your checkout to boost last-minute sales

All of that is great. But it can’t save you when your internet connection drops dead.

Think about it: if your network fails, it doesn’t matter how fast your scanner is. Your staff can’t process payments, your line keeps growing, and the frustration spreads.

That's when an offline POS system makes sure your efforts don’t get knocked offline when your internet does. You can keep working without the internet:

• You can still ring up sales.
• You can weigh items with the POS scale.
• You can take payments.
• You can print physical receipts or create POS receipts for customers.

Furthermore, the POS stores your transaction data locally. All the sales data, customer info, or payment details are saved securely on the device (tablet, terminal, or server) instead of being sent immediately to the cloud.

When internet is restored, the cloud-based POS “syncs”:

• Once the internet returns, all locally stored data syncs seamlessly to your cloud dashboard.
• This updates your sales reports, inventory, and any other records.
• Any contactless payments that were stored securely get processed with your payment processor.

So, a good offline POS mode works quietly behind the scenes:

• Staff can take orders.
• Customers can still swipe or tap their cards.
• Items keep scanning like nothing happened.
• Transactions are recorded and safely stored.
• Once the connection comes back, everything syncs up automatically.

No lost sales. No angry customers. No staff struggling to figure out handwritten receipts. 

6 Key Benefits of Offline POS Mode for Convenience Stores

Here’s what an offline POS system really does for you:

Keeps Lines Moving During Peak Hours

Morning rush for breakfast and coffee? Afternoon snack runs? Friday nights when people stop in for drinks and last-minute party stuff?

These busy times are exactly when you cannot afford an outage. Offline mode makes sure that even if your connection cuts out, your lines don’t freeze up.

Customers won’t even notice something went wrong. They’re in, out, and on their way. Just how they like it!

Prevents Lost Sales

When your system’s down, customers might stick around for a few minutes. But most people don’t have that kind of patience. They’ll abandon their basket, walk out, and you lose that sale.

But an offline POS system keeps the money coming in, no matter what your internet is doing.

Protects Customer Trust

Convenience store loyalty is built on trust.

When customers know they can rely on you for a quick stop every time, they’ll keep coming back.

One bad experience at checkout? People remember. But an offline POS system helps you avoid being “that store” with constant “system down” excuses.

Staff Stays Calm and Productive

When the POS freezes, your staff feels the heat immediately. They have to break the bad news to customers. They scramble for manual workarounds. That kind of stress? Unnecessary and avoidable.

But with offline mode, your cashiers can keep working like normal. No panic, no long lines, no awkward apologies.

Happy staff = happy customers.

Secures Your Sales Data

Worried about losing all those offline transactions? The offline mode of the best retail POS system automatically saves everything locally.

When your internet’s back, the system updates your records without an issue. Consequently, your POS reports stay clean and accurate. So, you don’t have to spend hours fixing mistakes later.

Gives You a Real Competitive Edge

Here’s a detail you might not have thought about:

If your store keeps running smoothly during an outage, but the gas station down the road has folks stuck waiting and wasted their time, who do you think those customers will choose next time? 

Your store!

People notice who handles hiccups with no chaos. They’ll reward you with repeat visits. After all, you made their day just a little bit easier.

Some Key Questions to Ask a POS Provider About Offline Mode

Once you've decided to go for an offline mode POS, you must ask the following questions from potential POS providers so that you get a system that works as per your needs:

• Does your POS support true offline mode for both cash and card transactions?
  
• Can staff scan items, take payments, and print receipts in offline mode?
  
• Is transaction data stored locally on each terminal?
  
• Do individual registers work independently without a shared server?
  
• Will registers sync automatically once the connection is restored?
  
• Is offline functionality included in the standard plan or an upgrade?
  
• Does offline mode require any additional hardware or storage?
  
• Do you offer staff training for handling offline scenarios?

OneHubPOS: The “Always On” Checkout You Can Count On

At the end of the day, you know what makes a convenience store truly convenient:

• Speed: Customers want to get what they need, fast.
• Reliability: They trust that you’ll always be ready to serve them, day or night.
• Smooth checkouts: The last thing anyone wants is a checkout line frozen by a Wi-Fi issue.

Your POS keeps track of everything from daily sales to staff shifts and inventory. But none of that matters if your system comes to a halt the moment your Wi-Fi drops. OneHubPOS is built with the unique realities of convenience stores in mind: the odd hours, the patchy spots, the busy weekends.

Don’t let your POS system be your weakest link. Book a demo of OneHubPOS today to see how this offline POS system keeps your sales undisturbed and your customers smiling, even when your Wi-Fi has other plans.

Opening your first restaurant? That’s exciting. It can also feel overwhelming. Alongside perfecting your menu and designing the space, you’ve got restaurant compliance to deal with.

If you miss just one permit, inspection, or filing, you could face fines or delays — or worse, a forced closure. But don’t worry. We’re breaking restaurant compliance intricacies down for you. Let’s dive in.

Business License/Registration

Start by deciding your business structure:

• LLC
• partnership
• corporation
• sole proprietorship

Most restaurants don’t need to register federally to form a business. But if you’re starting a restaurant as a corporation, filing for tax-exempt status, or trademarking your restaurant name, register with the IRS or USPTO.

If you formed an LLC or corporation, you must report Beneficial Ownership Info (BOI) to FinCEN via fincen.gov/boi.

Then, register in the state where you conduct business through the Secretary of State. You'll need:

• Business name and address
• Ownership/management info
• Registered agent (required for LLCs, corps, partnerships)
• Type of structure
• Number/value of shares (for corporations)

Common documents:

• LLC: Articles of Organization + Operating Agreement
• Corporation: Articles of Incorporation + Bylaws
• Partnerships: Certificate + Partnership Agreement

Foreign qualification is needed if operating in multiple states. You’ll file a Certificate of Authority and may need a Certificate of Good Standing from your home state.

Some cities/counties require local licenses or DBA registration if using a trade name. Check with your local government.

Federal EIN (Employer Identification Number)

This is like a Social Security number for your restaurant. You can’t run payroll legally without it. You’ll need it to:

• Hire employees
• File business taxes
• Open a bank account

To get it, go to the IRS website, click “Apply for an EIN,” and follow the prompts. It’s free!

Sales Tax Permit/Seller’s Permit

Every state (except a few like Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon) requires you to collect sales tax on food and drinks. To do that legally, you need a Sales Tax Permit, also called a Seller’s Permit in some states. 

How to get it? Search “[Your State] Sales Tax Permit registration.” You’ll fill out a form online, list your products, and receive a certificate. Some states offer same-day digital approval.

Food Service/Health Permit

Before starting your QSR, you need approval from your County or City Health Department. That means passing inspections, submitting your menu and layout, and proving you're following all health and safety regulations in a restaurant. This includes checks on:

• Equipment setup
• Ventilation
• Food storage
• HACCP plan (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point)

To get it, visit your local Health Department site and look for “Food Establishment Permit.” You’ll likely need to:

• Submit floor plans
• Provide your menu
• Pass an inspection

Allow 2–4 weeks minimum.

Food Handler Certifications

All team members who handle food — from chefs to servers — must be certified. Uncertified staff can’t work with food. So, they’ll need food safety training. Failure to comply can result in fines.

• Common certification: ServSafe (offered nationwide)
• Deadline: Within 30 days of hire

Go to servsafe.com. Courses cost around $15–$25. Your staff can often complete these courses online in a couple hours.

Building Permits & Inspections

Doing any renovations? Installing new plumbing, HVAC, or a fire suppression system? You need a building permit.

Talk to your city’s Building Department before any work starts. Your contractor will likely pull the permit. But you’re responsible for making sure they do.

Zoning Approval

Some neighborhoods limit what kind of business you can operate or if you can serve alcohol outside.

You need zoning approval for food service, outdoor seating, and liquor sales. Otherwise, you could be barred from opening, fined, or forced to relocate.

Check your local zoning maps and contact your city’s Planning or Zoning Department. They’ll tell you if your site is restaurant-approved or if you need to apply for a zoning variance or hearing.

Fire Department Permit & Inspection

Before opening and often annually after, your local fire marshal will inspect your space for fire safety restaurant compliance.

What they’ll check:

• Fire extinguishers (up-to-date and correctly placed)
• Fire suppression system in hoods
• Sprinklers and alarms
• Occupancy signs and exit routes

What happens if you skip it? You may be shut down. In case of a fire, you could face criminal charges for negligence.

Contact your local Fire Department and schedule a pre-opening inspection. They’ll let you know what’s missing and when to fix it.

Sign Permit

Planning to hang a sign above your entrance? You’ll need to apply for a Sign Permit through your Planning or Zoning Department. Towns have strict rules about size, brightness, and placement.

How to get it? Submit design specs, dimensions, and possibly a rendering of the sign placement. You may also need landlord approval if you’re renting.

Sidewalk/Curb Café or Patio Permit

Want to serve lattes on the sidewalk or host a brunch on the patio? You need a permit for that too. It ensures pedestrian safety, accessibility, and proper use of public space.

Apply through your city’s Zoning or Public Works Department. You’ll usually need:

• A floor plan
• Proof of insurance
• ADA accessibility confirmation

Entertainment/Music License

Want to play music in your restaurant? Whether through speakers, TV, radio, or live performers, you need a public performance license from U.S. performing rights organizations like:

• ASCAP
• BMI
• SESAC
• GMR

Each PRO represents different songwriters. So, most restaurants need licenses from multiple organizations to cover a full playlist. 

Hosting live music or DJs? You’ll need a separate license for that too, even if the music is a cover. 

Note: Personal streaming services such as Spotify or Apple Music are not legally permitted for business use under copyright law.

State Liquor License

Selling alcohol, even just beer or wine, requires a State Liquor License, issued by your State Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board. The process is usually lengthy and detailed.

Here’s what you’ll need to submit:

• A detailed floor plan
• Zoning clearance
• Background checks
• Fingerprinting
• Application fees
• Community or public notice (some areas require public hearings)

What happens if you skip it? Serious legal consequences. You could face misdemeanor charges, fines over $1,000, or even jail time. Plus, you risk permanent revocation of any future alcohol rights.

Visit your state’s ABC Board website. Be patient; the process may take anywhere from 2 to 12 months depending on your location and license type. Fees also vary wildly: from $300 to over $250,000 in some cities.

Specialized Requirements

This part depends on how you operate, but don’t skip it just because it sounds “extra.”

FDA Food Facility Registration

Only required if you manufacture, process, pack, or store food for retail sale beyond your premises. So if you’re bottling your hot sauce or selling branded packaged cookies—this applies to you.

Go to the FDA’s Food Facility Registration page. The form is online and free. Renewal is required every two years.

Employment Compliance

Hiring staff? Of course you are. Then you need to be compliant with:

• Form I‑9 to verify employee identity & eligibility to work
• FLSA rules (Fair Labor Standards Act) for minimum wage, overtime, breaks and working hours, and workers’ Compensation Insurance (mandatory in most states)

How to get it:

1. Download Form I‑9 from uscis.gov
2. Contact your state labor department for wage law guidance
3. Purchase workers’ comp through a licensed insurance provider or state-administered fund

Ongoing Compliance & Renewals

Once you’re open, the restaurant compliance journey doesn’t stop.

Renewals & Inspections

Most licenses and permits like health, liquor, building, and signage need to be renewed annually or every few years. Some require scheduled or surprise inspections, especially health and fire.

Record-Keeping

You’re also expected to keep proper documentation on file, such as:

• Health inspection results
• Food temperature logs
• Staff training records
• Alcohol sales and incident logs
• Equipment safety checklists

Set up a secure digital filing system. You can use Google Drive, Dropbox, or an advanced restaurant POS system.

Business Insurance

Most insurers won’t give you coverage unless you’ve already received your:

• Health Permit
• Liquor License (if applicable)
• Certificate of Occupancy
• Fire Department Inspection clearance

Essential coverage includes:

• General Liability for slips, trips, burns, etc.
• Workers’ Compensation for staff injuries
• Liquor Liability if you’re serving alcohol
• Business Interruption for fire, flood, or forced closures

Talk to an insurance broker who specializes in food businesses. Ask about coverage bundles for restaurants and verify state minimums for workers’ comp.

The 2025 Restaurant Compliance Checklist

Business Setup

Tax & Legal IDs

Food & Health Compliance

Construction & Facility Approvals

Location Approvals

Fire Safety

Signage & Outdoor Space

Music & Entertainment

Alcohol Sales (if applicable)

Packaging & Distribution (if applicable)

Employment Compliance

Ongoing Restaurant Compliance

Recordkeeping

Insurance Coverage

OneHubPOS Makes Restaurant Compliance Easier

Running a restaurant is hard. Managing restaurant compliance? Even harder.

But OneHubPOS doesn't just help you take orders or process payments; this all-in-one POS solution also helps you stay compliant:

• Employee Management: Track food handler certifications and renewal deadlines
• Digital Filing: Upload permits, licenses, and inspection logs for easy access
• Daily Operations: Automate checklists for opening/closing duties and health safety
• Sales Reports: Organized for easy tax filing and audits

Let OneHubPOS manage the operational complexity so you can focus on your food, your team, and your guests. Book a demo today and see how simple restaurant compliance can really be with OneHubPOS by your side.