Staff operations guide
How to Use a Till in a Restaurant, Café or Leisure Venue
Learning how to use a till means following a clear sequence: check your opening float, enter the correct items, confirm the total, take and record payment, then offer a receipt. Finish by leaving an accurate record for the next member of staff.
In this article
This guide covers everyday service. Button names and permissions vary between systems. Configuration-dependent means a step depends on your venue’s equipment, software or settings: ask your supervisor to demonstrate it before working alone.
Check the till and opening float
Sign in using your assigned access details, where individual accounts are provided. Ask which till or drawer you are responsible for and who can authorise corrections.
Count the opening float: the notes and coins provided for giving change. Compare it with the expected amount and record it using the venue’s procedure. Report a difference before serving; do not quietly change the figure to make it match.
Check that the screen and payment equipment are ready. Check receipt paper if a printer is used. Know how to contact a supervisor.
Configuration-dependent: opening a trading session, entering the float and opening the cash drawer may involve different procedures. Follow the method demonstrated for your EPOS cash drawer.
Enter the order accurately
Start a new sale or retrieve the correct existing order. Select each product, check the quantity and add the relevant options, such as drink size or an extra ingredient. Read back the order before payment.
Use the correct listed item rather than a similar-priced substitute. That keeps the order description and sales record meaningful. If an item or price is missing, ask a supervisor rather than inventing an entry.
Configuration-dependent: your POS system may use product categories, search, table accounts or order modifiers. Follow the venue’s process for saving orders and sending them to the kitchen.
At a café counter, confirm eat-in or takeaway, sizes and additions before stating the total. At a restaurant, check the table or account before adding items, then review the whole bill when guests request payment.
Check a timed booking
At leisure reception, establish whether the customer has an existing booking or needs a new one. For an existing booking, check the reference, date, start time, activity and participant numbers.
Review payments already recorded and the remaining balance. A prepaid booking should not become a second full-price sale. If the customer’s confirmation differs from your record, pause and ask a supervisor to reconcile it.
For a walk-in, confirm availability and the correct session before taking payment. Check any extras separately.
Configuration-dependent: bookings and till sales may be connected or managed separately. Follow the agreed procedure for linking payment to the booking and recording arrival. Taking payment and checking someone in are separate tasks unless your training confirms otherwise.
Take the correct payment
State the total and ask how the customer wants to pay. Select the payment method that matches what you actually receive.
For cash:
- Confirm the amount handed over.
- Enter that amount using the venue’s cash-payment procedure.
- Check the change due against the sale total.
- Count the change back and secure the drawer.
Do not enter the bill total as cash received when the customer gives you a larger note.
For card payments, check the amount on the payment device before the customer pays. Wait for confirmed success through the venue’s agreed process before treating the bill as settled.
Configuration-dependent: the amount may transfer to the terminal or require manual entry. Recording card payment on the till does not, by itself, prove that a separate terminal has taken the money. See payment terminals for equipment context.
Use vouchers, deposits or split payments only through the approved procedure. For split payments, track each amount and method against the remaining balance.
Worked example: café cash sale
A customer orders two coffees at £3.20 each and a cake at £2.80. Select two coffees and one cake, check the order and confirm the £9.20 total.
They hand over £20. Select cash and record £20 received. The change is £10.80. Count it back, offer a receipt and check the sale is complete before starting the next order.
Complete the sale and receipt
Check that the sale is recorded as complete and that any expected balance is cleared. Offer the customer a receipt.
Configuration-dependent: receipts may be printed or digital. Use the approved process and confirm the destination if sending one electronically.
For leisure customers, confirm their session details and where to go next. For café customers, explain where to collect their order.
If a receipt fails to print, check the transaction record before doing anything else. A printer problem is not a reason to charge the customer again.
Correct errors and refunds
Before payment, correct the item, quantity or option and recheck the total. Get authorisation for discounts or cancellations where the venue requires it.
After payment, use the approved correction or refund procedure. Find the original transaction, confirm what needs refunding and record the reason. Check both the till record and the actual return of money; they may require separate actions.
Configuration-dependent: refund permissions, payment routes and booking cancellations vary. Do not assume cancelling a booking also refunds its payment.
Common mistakes and fallbacks:
- Wrong payment method: tell a supervisor and correct the record through the authorised process.
- Uncertain card result: check transaction status before retrying.
- Drawer will not open: follow the trained access procedure; do not force it.
- System unavailable: use the venue’s approved fallback and keep records for later reconciliation. Do not improvise card processing.
Hand over clearly
Tell the incoming colleague about open bills, unresolved payments, refunds awaiting action and equipment faults. Follow the venue’s procedure for cash responsibility and sign out of your account.
For closing counts and reconciliation, use our separate guide on how to cash up a till.
FAQ
Is learning how to work a till difficult?
The routine becomes easier with supervised practice. Ask to rehearse a cash sale, card sale and correction before serving alone.
Is using a till different at every venue?
The sequence is similar, but screens, permissions and service procedures differ. Learn your venue’s setup before using its tills.
How do I learn how to use an EPOS till?
Follow a demonstration, practise the full sale sequence and learn when to stop and ask for help.