Discounts

Overview

The Discounts feature (also referred to as Guest Check Comp in the POS) lets authorized staff apply price reductions to a check — either as a dollar amount or a percentage — from a list of pre-configured discount options. Discounts can also be triggered by scanning a barcode or QR code from a coupon or loyalty offer.

Prerequisites

• At least one discount must be configured in your back office menu settings before it appears on the POS.
• Your staff role must have permission to apply discounts, or a manager PIN may be required for certain discount types.
• A check must be open with at least one item.

Applying a Discount from the List

1. Open a check in the Check Composer.
2. Tap the discount action button (often accessible from the check actions menu or a dedicated discount button).
3. The Guest Check Comp screen opens, with the instruction: "Select Comp Below:"
4. Browse the list of available discounts grouped by category.
5. Tap the discount you want to apply.
6. If the discount requires a fixed dollar amount or percentage to be entered, an amount entry screen opens — enter the value using the numeric keypad and tap Submit.
7. If the discount requires Manager Approval, the screen changes to: "Enter Manager Pin:" — have a manager enter their PIN to authorize the discount.
8. Once approved, the discount is applied to the check and appears in the amounts area.

Applying a Scanned Discount (Barcode / QR Code)

Some promotions are delivered as barcodes or QR codes (on printed coupons, digital offers, or loyalty programs).

1. Open the check in the Check Composer.
2. Tap the barcode/scan button or use the dedicated barcode scanner if one is connected.
3. Scan the barcode or QR code from the coupon or promotion.
4. The POS reads the code and matches it to the appropriate discount automatically.
5. If the discount requires item selection or further confirmation, follow the on-screen prompts.
6. The discount is applied to the eligible items on the check.

Removing a Discount

1. In the Check Composer, locate the discount in the amounts area of the check.
2. Tap the discount row to select it.
3. Use the remove/delete option to remove it.

Removing a discount that required manager approval may also require a manager PIN, depending on your restaurant's settings.

Troubleshooting

No discounts are appearing in the list

Confirm that discounts have been configured and activated in your back office menu settings. If discounts exist but are restricted to specific revenue centers, make sure your current revenue center is included.

"Enter Manager Pin" is appearing

The discount you selected requires manager authorization. Have a manager enter their 4-digit PIN on the PIN pad to approve the discount.

Scanned barcode is not being recognized

The barcode does not match any configured discount promotion. Verify the coupon or code is still valid and was issued for this restaurant's system. If it is a valid promotion, contact Katalyst support to make sure the discount is properly linked to that barcode.

Discount is not showing on the check total

Confirm the discount was applied to the correct items. Some discounts are item-specific and only reduce the price of eligible items, not the full check total.