26-09-05 Zonal kit out new Saltire outlet - The Standard in Howe Street, Edinburgh

When Saltire Taverns opened its £2 million venue, The Standard, in Edinburgh, it installed Zonal's EPoS (electronic point of sale) terminals to ensure the smooth running of the outlet.

The Howe Street bar, in the centre of the capital's New Town, is a late bar/brasserie with an extensive food menu, as well as an excellent range of wines, beers and cocktails. The bar extends over two levels and attracts a broad cross-section of the Edinburgh community as well as a healthy mix of tourists. Open when you want it most, the Standard serves breakfast from 8am weekdays and its late licence enables it to remain open until 3am.

It has five Zonal EPoS terminals, two in the main bar, one on the main floor, one in the downstairs bar and another on the serving floor on the lower level.

The Standard's general manager Duncan Stewart said: "We have been using the EPoS terminals since day one and have identified clear benefits for the staff and the bar itself. Although the terminals have many functions, they are straightforward to use, and it was a great advantage to train all the staff to use the EPoS terminals very quickly.

"They provide us with a wide range of information that assists us in managing the busy bar and brasserie, and the information is also available to head office management. EPoS allows us, amongst other things, to keep track of what is and what isn't selling, helps us to restock, as well as showing the busiest times of the day, which is useful when it comes to working out staff rotas."

"Staff also use handheld EPoS terminals, which allows them to offer improved table service to customers."

The handheld EPoS terminals allow staff to take orders for food and drink at the table while the order is automatically printed out in the bar, so that bar staff can prepare the drinks, and in the kitchen, so that the chef and his team can start preparing meals.

The wine list comprises 38 wines including 12 champagnes and customers can choose from a mouth-watering list of beers and a choice of cocktails.

Duncan Stewart said: " When there are so many different products to order, it is important that we have the information at our fingertips to help us make the right ordering decisions, without too much hassle - Zonal's EPoS terminals are a great asset in this area."

The Standard has quickly gained a reputation for the quality of its food under the leadership of award-winning chef Alisdair Ritchie, formerly of the Melville Castle Hotel.

The Chef's choices on the menu include venison, pan-fried chicken with peppers and mushrooms with a honey and balsamic vinaigrette and salmon fillets in pastry.

Saltire Taverns use Zonal EPoS terminals in all its other outlets in Scotland.