In 1765, The Earl of Sandwich - then a Government Minister - was said to have spent a whole day and night gambling at the card tables. Understandably hungry but not wanting to leave the game, the Minister ordered his servant to prepare him a few slices of salt beef between two pieces of toasted bread.

Nearly 240 years later and the sandwich has become a snack institution, although the filling ingredients have certainly become more exotic. And it's not simply a case of office workers grabbing a quick and easy pre-packaged lunch at the supermarket. Increasing numbers of us are opting to dine out on sandwiches in bars and cafes. Indeed, according to recent figures, sandwiches actually represent 13% of the eating out market. One reason for this increase, apart from our busier lifestyles, is the arrival of themed sandwich bars like O'Briens which offer freshly made-to-order or pre-packed sandwiches, gourmet coffees and soups, all under one roof.

With 150 franchises open in six countries (Ireland, England, Scotland, Australia, Singapore and the U.S.A) O'Briens has gone from strength to strength since it first started in Dublin in 1988. It has also recently won the Sandwich Marketeer of the Year award and was nominated one of the UK's best sandwich bars by the Sunday Times Style Magazine in 2000. Naturally as the word spread about the chain and customer numbers increased, O'Briens became increasingly keen to find ways to make its service more efficient. Not surprisingly, one of its first projects was to install new EPoS hardware to speed up point of sale transactions.

The solution selected for this important task was Epson's SR-600, a spill-proof touchscreen terminal, designed for use in hospitality environments, where drinks, grease and food debris are everyday hazards for the EPoS hardware. Integrated into O'Briens' existing IT set up, the SR-600 is running Maitre'D software, from the Posera Corporation, supplied by Scotland-based Forth Cash Registers. In addition to a graphic interface, which makes inputting order information at the point of sale quicker and easier, the system also handles stock control and ordering. From the Back Office station, it gives O'Briens extensive management reporting options, full inventory control and the ability to manage operations such as accounts receivable and employee time-keeping and attendance.

So far, the solution has been installed in the chain's Hull franchise, however a full international roll-out will begin to 160 units in 2002. Colin Pearson, the first O'Briens franchisee to use the new system and a key figure in its adoption, is more than happy to sing its praises: "Good service is fundamental to the success of our operation," he reflected. "This means transaction speed is of critical importance and the Epson terminal can certainly deliver here. What's more, the intuitive touchscreen menus also make it much quicker and easier for our servery staff to input made-to-order sandwich selections featuring our more unusual products, such as Irish Whiskey Salami and Guinness Mustard."

For further information contact Tony MacHugh, Forth Cash Registers Tel: 0141 832 5030