How many times have you driven away from a drive-thru window, only to realize that your Quarter Pounder with Cheese looks conspicuously like a cheeseburger and your double order of fries has mysteriously become just one? Rest assured you are not alone. However, with today's ever-advancing technology, misconstrued orders are (thankfully) becoming less common. You may have noticed that an increasing number of fast food chains have implemented screens above the drive-thru order box. As you relay your order, it is displayed on the screen, letting you see your order and helping to ensure that it is placed correctly.

One company behind this technology is Atlanta-based Radiant Systems, which provides point-of-sale, self-service kiosk and back-office technology to enable companies to drive top-line growth and improve bottom-line performance. The company provides this innovative store technology for not only the hospitality industry, but also for the petroleum and convenience store industries, and the entertainment industry.

The applications for Radiant Systems' technology are many and varied - from providing automated will-call ticketing at theatres to loyalty cards at convenience stores to quick serve restaurant order screens - but all serve an underlying purpose: to grow a company's revenue by increasing efficiency and reducing cost.

Consumers today are both more technically savvy and busier than ever before. They place an increasing importance on quick, accurate and efficient service. The shorter the line, the better. And better still if the customer can serve himself. With many stores selling similar items, and an abundance of stores to choose from, the pressure companies are facing to both gain and retain customers is huge. In short - the competition is fierce!

Radiant Systems helps companies achieve a competitive edge by focusing on a critical component of customer interaction - the point of sale (POS). Radiant offers a multitude of hardware and software features designed to facilitate an efficient, accurate point of sale. In the hospitality industry, for instance, POS features that help speed up your order time and increase order accuracy include:

Recently, Radiant Systems announced a partnership with New York City's Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), one of New York's most prestigious culinary education facilities. Under the partnership, Radiant Systems will outfit the ICE facility with its Aloha suite of POS applications and Radiant 1550 color, touch screen terminals. The goal is to work the technology into the institute's curriculum, offering students the ability to learn the latest technology as part of the culinary management program.

Radiant Systems is creating the latest technology to help companies retain a competitive edge while also facilitating quick and efficient transactions for customers. To learn more about the different types of POS technology the company offers, visit their Web site.