Register & Payment Systems
Complete guide to all payment methods at Muse & Co, including POS systems, kiosks, and online ordering.
Overview
Muse & Co offers four ways for customers to make purchases:
- Self-Serve Kiosk - Customer orders and pays independently
- Front Cash Register - Staff-assisted with card or cash payments
- Online Customer Portal - Orders placed via website
- Staff Mobile POS (QR Code/Link) - Staff generates payment link for customer
All systems integrate with FrontTab (in-store) or Stripe API (online) for seamless order management.
System 1: Self-Serve Kiosk
What It Is
Large standing kiosk (similar to airport kiosks) where customers browse menu, customize drinks, and pay independently without staff assistance. This is a fully self-serve ordering station with:
- Full menu display with pictures of drinks and descriptions
- Complete drink customization at your fingertips (sweetness, ice, toppings)
- Easy name and phone number input for rewards program integration
- Integrated with ticketing system for order tracking
- Connected to FrontTab POS system
Location
- Near entrance or ordering area
- Floor-standing kiosk (airport-style)
- Highly visible and customer-accessible
- Integrated with restaurant ticketing/order management
How It Works
Customer Experience:
- Customer approaches large standing kiosk
- Browses full menu with pictures and descriptions
- Selects drink and customizes (sweetness, ice, toppings)
- Enters name and phone number for rewards tracking
- Adds to cart
- Proceeds to checkout
- Pays via tap, chip, or swipe card
- Receives order number on screen
- Order automatically sent to kitchen/drink station via ticketing system
Staff Responsibilities:
- Keep kiosk clean and accessible
- Monitor for customers who need help
- Ensure kiosk is powered on and connected
- Restart kiosk if freezing or not responding
Payment Methods
- ✅ Tap pay (contactless)
- ✅ Chip card
- ✅ Swipe card
- ❌ No cash (card only)
Connected Systems
- FrontTab - Order management
- Orders appear on kitchen display automatically
- Syncs with inventory
Troubleshooting
Kiosk not responding:
- Restart tablet
- Check WiFi connection
- Contact management if issue persists
Payment declined:
- Customer sees error message
- Direct them to front register for alternative payment
Order didn't print:
- Check kitchen printer connection
- Manually re-send order from FrontTab dashboard
System 2: Front Cash Register
What It Is
Main staff-operated register with large touchscreen tablet and small customer-facing display. The only location that accepts cash payments.
Location
- Front counter/main register area
- Large tablet for staff
- Small customer-facing tablet showing cart/total
- Card reader attached
- Cash drawer underneath
How It Works
Staff Experience:
- Greet customer
- Take order on large tablet
- Enter items, customize drinks
- Customer sees real-time total on facing display
- Process payment (card or cash)
- Hand receipt to customer
- Tell customer their order number
Customer sees:
- Real-time cart updates on facing display
- Running total with each item added
- Final total before payment
Payment Methods
- ✅ Tap pay (contactless)
- ✅ Chip card
- ✅ Swipe card
- ✅ Cash (ONLY location for cash)
- ✅ Mobile pay (Apple Pay, Google Pay)
Login Information
System: FrontTab POS Login URL: https://admin.fronttab.com/#/login
Staff credentials:
- Username/email provided by management
- Password set during onboarding
- Do NOT share login credentials
Taking Orders on Front Register
1. Start New Sale
- Tap "New Sale" or "+" button
- New order screen opens
2. Add Items
- Search for drink name, or
- Browse categories → Select item
- Categories: Milk Tea, Fruit Tea, Coffee, Specialty, etc.
3. Customize
Customer-facing display updates automatically as you customize:
Sweetness: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% Ice: No ice, Light, Regular, Extra Toppings: Tapioca (included), or add extras (+$1 each)
4. Add to Cart
- Tap "Add to Cart"
- Item appears on both screens
- Total updates automatically
5. Review with Customer
- Always confirm order verbally:
"So I have you down for a Large Thai Tea, 100% sweet, regular ice, with tapioca. Your total is $6.50. How would you like to pay?"
6. Process Payment
For Card Payment:
- Customer taps/inserts/swipes card
- Reader processes automatically
- Receipt prints
For Cash Payment:
- Tap "Cash" button
- Enter amount customer gave you
- System calculates change
- Cash drawer opens automatically
- Give customer change and receipt
7. Complete Order
- Tell customer order number
- "Your order is number 42. We'll call your name when it's ready!"
Cash Handling
Opening Cash Drawer:
- Only opens automatically during cash sales
- Or use manager override key for manual open
Accepting Cash:
- Count cash received out loud: "Out of $20"
- Enter amount in POS
- System shows change due
- Count change back to customer: "Your change is $4.50"
- Place bills in drawer by denomination
- Close drawer fully
Cash Drop (When drawer gets full):
- Count excess cash
- Place in sealed envelope with amount written
- Place in safe
- Log in cash drop sheet
Never:
- Leave cash drawer open unattended
- Give refunds in cash without manager approval
- Accept torn, damaged, or suspicious bills
Connected Systems
- FrontTab - POS and order management
- Orders print on kitchen receipt printer
- Orders display on kitchen screen
- Syncs with inventory system
System 3: Online Customer Portal
What It Is
Customers place orders directly through ncmuse.co website, pay online, and pick up in-store or get delivery (if applicable).
How It Works
Customer Experience:
- Visit ncmuse.co
- Browse menu
- Add items to cart
- Customize drinks
- Enter pickup time or delivery info
- Pay online via Stripe
- Receive email confirmation
- Pick up order at scheduled time
Order Flow:
- Customer completes order on website
- Payment processed via Stripe API
- Order automatically appears on online dashboard (staff.ncmuse.co)
- Order prints on Brother label printer when paid
- Staff prepares order
- Customer arrives for pickup
Staff Responsibilities:
- Monitor online dashboard for incoming orders
- Check label printer for new order labels
- Prepare orders as they come in
- Verify customer identity at pickup
- Mark order as complete in dashboard
Payment Method
- ✅ Credit/debit card via Stripe (online payment only)
- ❌ No cash (online orders must be prepaid)
Accessing Online Orders
Dashboard: staff.ncmuse.co
Login credentials:
- Provided by management
- Do NOT share login
Dashboard shows:
- All pending orders
- Order details (items, customizations, customer name)
- Pickup time
- Order status (new, preparing, ready, completed)
Label Printer
Brother Label Printer automatically prints when order is paid:
Label includes:
- Customer name
- Order number
- Items and customizations
- Pickup time
- Special instructions
Attach label to:
- Order bag or cup carrier
- Helps prevent mixups
If label doesn't print:
- Check printer power and connection
- Check if paper roll needs replacing
- Manually view order on dashboard
- Write order details on cup if needed
Troubleshooting Online Orders
Order not appearing on dashboard:
- Refresh dashboard
- Check if customer completed payment (they may have abandoned cart)
- Check spam/email for confirmation
Customer says they ordered but can't find it:
- Ask for confirmation email
- Search dashboard by customer name or email
- Check if order went to wrong location (if multiple)
Payment went through but order not received:
- Check Stripe dashboard for payment confirmation
- Manually enter order from payment details
- Contact customer if needed
System 4: Staff Mobile POS (QR Code/Link)
What It Is
Staff generate a payment link or QR code from staff.ncmuse.co/pos that customers scan/click to pay via Stripe. Convenient for orders taken away from the register or even outside the shop.
When to Use
- Customer is seated at table (don't want to wait in line)
- Taking orders at events or off-site
- Register is busy but customer ready to pay
- Customer prefers contactless payment
- Staff is away from register (cleaning tables, workshop area, etc.)
How It Works
Staff Experience:
- Log in to staff.ncmuse.co/pos
- Take customer's order (verbal or kiosk-style)
- Enter items and customizations
- Generate payment link or QR code
- Show QR code to customer OR send link via text/email
- Customer scans/clicks and pays on their phone
- Payment processed via Stripe
- Order appears on dashboard and prints on label printer
- Staff prepares order
Customer Experience:
- Staff takes their order
- Staff shows QR code on tablet/phone
- Customer scans with phone camera or clicks link
- Customer sees checkout page with order details
- Customer enters payment info or uses saved payment
- Confirms payment
- Receives confirmation on phone
- Waits for order to be prepared
Accessing Mobile POS
URL: staff.ncmuse.co/pos
Login:
- Same credentials as online dashboard
- Use your phone, tablet, or any device with browser
Interface:
- Similar to in-store POS
- Add items, customize
- Generate payment link button
- Generate QR code button
Creating QR Code Payment
Step by step:
- Enter customer order in staff.ncmuse.co/pos
- Review order with customer verbally
- Tap "Generate QR Code"
- QR code displays on your screen
- Show screen to customer
- Customer scans with phone camera
- Customer is taken directly to payment page
- Customer completes payment on their phone
- You receive confirmation notification
- Order prints on label printer automatically
Advantages:
- No physical contact with customer's card
- No need to be at register
- Customer sees full order details before paying
- Instant confirmation for both parties
Sending Payment Link
Step by step:
- Enter customer order in staff.ncmuse.co/pos
- Review order with customer verbally
- Tap "Generate Payment Link"
- Copy link
- Send via text, email, or messaging app
- Customer clicks link on their device
- Customer completes payment
- You receive confirmation
- Order prints on label printer
When to use link instead of QR:
- Customer already has your contact info
- Customer prefers text/email confirmation
- QR code won't scan (phone issues)
- Customer ordering remotely (not in shop)
Payment Method
- ✅ Credit/debit card via Stripe
- ❌ No cash (online payment only)
Troubleshooting Mobile POS
QR code won't scan:
- Increase screen brightness
- Make QR code larger (pinch to zoom)
- Use payment link instead
- Have customer manually visit staff.ncmuse.co and enter order number
Payment link not working:
- Check if link was fully copied
- Regenerate link
- Try QR code instead
Customer says payment failed but was charged:
- Check Stripe dashboard for payment status
- If payment went through, proceed with order
- If payment failed, no charge occurred (Stripe doesn't charge failed payments)
- Customer may need to wait for pending authorization to clear (1-3 days)
Order not printing after mobile payment:
- Check printer connection
- Manually print from dashboard
- Write order details on cup if needed
Comparing All 4 Systems
| Feature | Self-Serve Kiosk | Front Register | Online Portal | Mobile POS (QR/Link) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staff Required | No | Yes | No | Yes (to take order) |
| Cash Accepted | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Card Payment | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Location | In-store only | In-store only | Anywhere | Anywhere |
| Customer Browses | Yes | With staff help | Yes | No (staff enters) |
| Order Prints | Immediately | Immediately | When paid | When paid |
| Best For | Independent customers | Personal service, cash | Advance orders | Tableside, events |
| Platform | FrontTab | FrontTab | Stripe + Dashboard | Stripe + Dashboard |
Order Fulfillment Workflow
Regardless of which system customer used, orders follow same workflow:
When Order Comes In
From Kiosk or Front Register:
- Order immediately appears on kitchen display
- Order prints on kitchen receipt printer
- Staff begins preparation
From Online Portal or Mobile POS:
- Order appears on online dashboard (staff.ncmuse.co)
- Order prints on Brother label printer
- Staff checks dashboard/printer
- Staff begins preparation
Preparing Order
Read order details:
- Customer name
- Drink(s) with customizations
- Any special requests
Make drink following recipe:
- See Drink Recipes
- Follow customizations exactly
- Check Quality Standards
Label properly:
- For in-store: Cup with customer name
- For online: Attach printed label to bag/carrier
Call customer when ready:
- "Thai Tea for Sarah!"
- Or place in pickup area if online order
Mark order complete:
- In FrontTab (kiosk/register orders)
- In online dashboard (online/mobile orders)
Staff Training Requirements
All Staff Must Know:
- [ ] How to use Front Cash Register (FrontTab)
- [ ] How to help customers at Self-Serve Kiosk
- [ ] How to monitor online dashboard
- [ ] How to troubleshoot label printer
- [ ] Cash handling procedures (register only)
Advanced Staff (Shift Leads):
- [ ] How to use Mobile POS (staff.ncmuse.co/pos)
- [ ] How to generate QR codes and payment links
- [ ] How to manually process refunds in FrontTab
- [ ] How to troubleshoot payment failures
- [ ] How to access Stripe dashboard
Common Issues Across All Systems
Payment Declined
Customer experience:
- "Payment could not be processed"
- "Card declined"
- "Insufficient funds"
How to handle:
- Stay professional and discreet
- "It looks like that card didn't go through. Do you have another payment method?"
- Offer alternatives:
- Different card
- Cash (if at front register)
- Mobile payment (Apple Pay/Google Pay)
- Never assume why card declined
- Never discuss it loudly
Order Not Printing
Causes:
- Printer out of paper
- Printer offline
- WiFi connection issue
- Printer power off
Fix:
- Check printer power
- Check paper roll
- Check WiFi connection
- Restart printer
- Manually reprint from dashboard
- Write order on cup as backup
Order Missing/Lost
If customer says order missing:
- Ask for order number or name
- Check all systems:
- FrontTab transaction history
- Online dashboard
- Stripe payment history
- Search by time, name, or amount
- If found: Remake order with apology
- If not found and customer has proof: Contact manager
System Down/Offline
If POS/kiosk/dashboard down:
- Remain calm
- Use backup system if available
- Write orders on paper temporarily
- Enter into system when back online
- Contact management immediately
Manager Functions
Refunds
- Always require manager approval
- Manager logs into FrontTab or Stripe
- Processes refund through appropriate system
- Documents reason for refund
Discounts
- Staff can apply up to 20% without approval
- Over 20% requires manager override
- Manager enters override code
Cash Drop
- Manager verifies count
- Signs cash drop sheet
- Places in safe
System Access
- Manager controls user permissions
- Manager can reset passwords
- Manager accesses all reporting
Best Practices
For All Systems:
✅ DO:
- Greet customers warmly regardless of payment method
- Confirm order details before payment
- Tell customers their order number
- Keep all equipment clean and functional
- Monitor for incoming orders constantly
❌ DON'T:
- Leave register unattended during transaction
- Share login credentials
- Process refunds without manager approval
- Ignore error messages or warnings
- Rush customers through payment
For Cash Handling:
✅ DO:
- Count money in view of customer
- Count change back clearly
- Keep cash drawer organized by denomination
- Log all cash drops
- Balance drawer at end of shift
❌ DON'T:
- Leave drawer open
- Accept damaged bills
- Make change from your pocket
- Process large bills without manager approval ($100+)
Security & Privacy
Customer Payment Data
- Never manually record card numbers
- Never take photos of cards or receipts
- Never ask for CVV codes
- Stripe/FrontTab handles all sensitive data securely
Staff Credentials
- Never share login credentials
- Always log out when leaving station
- Change password if compromised
- Report unauthorized access immediately
Cash Security
- Perform cash drops when drawer exceeds $200
- Keep safe key secure
- Report discrepancies immediately
- Balance drawer at end of each shift
Troubleshooting Quick Reference
| Problem | System | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Kiosk frozen | Kiosk | Restart tablet |
| Card declined | Any | Offer alternative payment method |
| Cash drawer stuck | Register | Call manager (don't force) |
| Receipt not printing | Register/Kiosk | Check paper, restart printer |
| Label not printing | Online/Mobile | Check Brother printer, manual reprint |
| QR code won't scan | Mobile POS | Brighten screen, use link instead |
| Dashboard not loading | Online/Mobile | Refresh page, check WiFi |
| Order missing | Any | Search by name/time, check all systems |
Related Pages
- Taking Orders - How to take orders properly
- Handling Complaints - Payment disputes
- POS Management - Admin portal guide
- Opening Checklist - System startup
- Closing Checklist - System shutdown, cash out
Questions about payment systems? Contact [email protected] or ask your manager.
Login issues? Contact management for password reset or access issues.
