You can retire a delivery marketplace tablet when the replacement workflow is active for that specific channel and location, covers every action your staff need, and has passed agreed checks. If an essential action still requires the tablet, keep it or establish an acceptable alternative before removing it.
That decision can differ across channels in the same restaurant. One marketplace may be ready for tabletless operation while another still needs a device for cancellations, availability changes, or outage recovery. Treat each channel and location as a separate sign-off, not as one switch for the whole business.
List what each tablet does today
Start with the devices on the counter and the people who use them. Ask a shift lead to walk through a normal service and a difficult one. Record the marketplace, restaurant location, device, and the system that receives the order. Include a tablet even if someone only opens it a few times a week.
For each channel, list the actions staff perform and where each action would happen after the tablet leaves. Common jobs to check include:
- Seeing a new order and accepting or rejecting it.
- Checking items, modifiers, promised times, and the amount shown.
- Sending the order to the POS or kitchen and identifying it at pickup.
- Marking an item unavailable, pausing orders, or changing a preparation time.
- Receiving cancellation notices and handling a cancellation or refund request.
- Seeing pickup or delivery status and contacting the appropriate support team.
- Finding an order again when the internet, printer, or another system fails.
Do not assume every marketplace offers each action through a POS connection. Some may require a web dashboard, a phone call, or another manual step. A manual step can be acceptable if it is available during service, has a named owner, and does not leave the team guessing.
Mark unknowns beside the relevant action. For example: “Can the shift lead pause this channel without the tablet?” is more useful than “integration works.” Also note which staff have access to the alternative screen and who can restore access if a manager is absent.
Confirm eligibility and activation by channel
Ask the marketplace and integration provider to confirm tabletless eligibility for the exact restaurant location, marketplace account, POS, and intended setup. A listed connection is a starting point, not proof that your account is activated or that every tablet action moves to the POS.
Request a written action-by-action answer. Which tasks are supported in the replacement workflow? Which remain in a marketplace dashboard? What requires marketplace approval, configuration, or a separate device? Ask who activates the connection, how you will know it is live, and what happens if an account or location changes.
Use a short checklist for each vendor conversation:
- Can this location receive and handle this channel's orders without its marketplace tablet?
- Where do acceptance, rejection, cancellation notices, and availability changes appear?
- Which actions can staff complete there, and which require another tool?
- How are order changes and exceptions surfaced during a busy shift?
- Who supports activation, and whom should the restaurant call if the channel stops appearing?
Compare an existing POS connection with a separate order-management provider on these practical answers, not just on the number of logos in a directory. Otter describes an Order Manager that consolidates online and manual orders on a tablet, with automatic acceptance and printing and POS connections. Ask whether the proposed configuration removes a particular marketplace tablet or simply changes which device staff use.
Fleksa's restaurant integrations directory distinguishes live connections from connections available on request. Its listed US marketplace examples include DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub, subject to setup and availability. You can also review the Uber Eats integration and ask about the exact location and POS combination. A connection being listed does not by itself settle tabletless eligibility or every action on your checklist.
Run safe checks before the tablet leaves
Agree on expected results with the provider before testing. Use a simulation or a vendor-provided test mode configured so it cannot charge a real card, send a guest message, or dispatch a courier. If the provider cannot offer a safe way to simulate an action, document the gap and agree on another verification method. Do not place a live order just to see what happens.
Give each simulated source order a unique test identifier. Match it to the POS and kitchen result, then check the items, modifiers, quantities, totals, and any relevant timing information. Record what should happen, what was observed, who checked it, and whether the result met the agreed criterion. Keep guest details and payment information out of the record.
Test the exceptions the restaurant actually needs, not just a straightforward order. For acceptance and rejection, establish where staff see the request, what action they take, and how they know it was handled. For a cancellation, check how the notice reaches the team and how a kitchen ticket already in progress is addressed. Ask separately where refund decisions and processing happen; a cancellation notice alone does not establish that a refund was completed.
For a simulated outage, agree on the failure being represented: for example, loss of internet at the restaurant or a disconnected order feed. Determine how staff would notice, whom they would contact, whether they should pause the affected channel, and where they would look for orders needing attention. A recovery procedure should include checking for missing or duplicate orders; it cannot promise that none will occur.
An intentionally unsupported action is a documented limitation, not an automatic failure. The decision depends on whether the restaurant has an acceptable alternative. If pausing a channel requires a dashboard, for example, confirm that the shift lead can access it and knows when to use it.
After safe simulations meet the criteria, a separate live service pilot may be appropriate with the provider and marketplace. Agree on its scope, monitoring, and rollback conditions first. A live pilot handles real business, so do not treat it as a harmless practice order or assume uninterrupted service.
Use a sign-off sheet and set a rollback trigger
The following is a hypothetical sign-off for one location. Channel A and Channel B are invented labels, not claims about a particular marketplace or provider. The results illustrate how a manager might record a simulated check; they are not results from an actual test.
| Channel and action | Required result | Illustrative status | Owner and decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| A: new order and modifiers | Test ID, items, modifiers, and total match in POS and kitchen | Simulated check recorded as passed | Shift lead signs off after confirming activation |
| A: cancellation notice | Staff see notice and follow kitchen cancellation procedure | Simulated check recorded as passed | Shift lead confirms team training |
| A: outage response | Staff identify the issue, contact support, and check affected orders | Procedure agreed; live pilot not yet complete | Manager monitors pilot before removal |
| B: pause orders | Shift lead can pause the channel without the tablet | Dashboard access unresolved | Manager obtains access or retains tablet |
| B: tabletless eligibility | Marketplace confirms this location and POS setup | Awaiting confirmation | Manager requests written answer; no retirement yet |
In this example, Channel A is a candidate for a monitored live pilot, not immediate disposal of its tablet. Channel B stays on its current workflow until eligibility and pause access are resolved. The sheet deliberately separates a simulated pass from a live pilot and from the final removal decision.
For your own sheet, add every essential action from the inventory, including any manual workaround. Set a decision date and name one person who can approve retirement. The kitchen lead may verify ticket handling, while the manager owns account access and the provider owns configuration questions. Keep unresolved items visible until someone accepts the workaround or the issue is fixed.
Write down a rollback trigger before the live pilot. For example, if an order is not visible in the agreed receiving screen, staff should follow the outage procedure, contact support, and restore the prior workflow if it is available and appropriate. Confirm the restoration steps with the marketplace and provider in advance; simply plugging a stored tablet back in may not restore an account's prior configuration.
If a device is retained as a fallback, assign someone to keep it accessible, powered or charged as appropriate, and able to sign in. Record where it is stored, who checks access, and how staff reach support. If the marketplace requires the device to be returned, agree on a different fallback before sending it away.
Bring your channel list, sign-off sheet, and safe test cases to a Fleksa demo. Ask how the restaurant POS system and proposed connections would handle each action, and confirm availability for your location.
Frequently asked questions
Does a POS integration mean I can remove every marketplace tablet?
No. Confirm eligibility and activation for each channel, location, and POS setup. Then check that essential actions have a workable home and that the team has an outage and rollback procedure.
Can a dashboard replace a tablet for some tasks?
It can be an acceptable manual alternative if the marketplace offers the needed action there and staff can access it during service. Record who uses it and how the team handles access or connectivity problems.
What should I do with a tablet after a successful pilot?
Follow the marketplace's device and account instructions. If you keep it for fallback, assign an owner and confirm how the prior workflow would be restored. If it must be returned, establish another recovery path first.
