M-S Connect Pasadena Brings the POS Channel Together to Shape the Future of AI in Hospitality and Retail
M-S Cash Drawer’s flagship West Coast event unites VARs, ISVs and vendors around one question: how to put AI to work at the point of sale without losing the human touch
PASADENA, Calif. — October 16, 2026 — M-S Cash Drawer, a POS hardware manufacturer and distributor serving the channel since 1974, today celebrated the success of M-S Connect Pasadena, held October 14 at The Westin Pasadena. The year’s final M-S Connect event brought together value-added resellers (VARs), independent software vendors (ISVs) and hardware vendors from across hospitality and retail for a day of education, collaboration and an Old Hollywood–themed evening celebration.
AI was again the defining topic, but the conversation moved past hype. In an open forum, VARs, ISVs and vendors worked through how to deploy AI at the counter, the kiosk and the kitchen while keeping people at the center of the guest experience.
“M-S Connect Pasadena felt like a family reunion and a portal to the future at the same time,” said Eder Caceres, Marketing Director at M-S Cash Drawer. “The landscape is changing fast, and these events matter more than ever. When VARs, ISVs and vendors work through it together, we elevate our customers like never before. M-S Cash Drawer is proud to be in the front row of that transformation.”
Key takeaways for the channel
- Design the right stack for every merchant. Whether a solution runs in the cloud, on premises or both, software, hardware and AI must work together seamlessly. VARs who architect that fit become trusted advisors, not just installers.
- Sell outcomes, not AI. Restaurant operators want faster table turns and smarter kiosk upsells. Retailers want shorter lines, real-time inventory and less shrink. VARs who lead with outcomes close bigger, stickier deals.
- AI takes the friction; people own the moments. The strongest deployments let AI handle repetitive work while staff stay in charge of exceptions such as voids, comps, overrides, refunds and cash variances.
- When the VAR wins, everyone wins. Every successful install pulls ISV software and vendor hardware through the channel, the shared success M-S Connect is built to create.
- Hardware is the foundation, and that includes cash. Every AI layer depends on the devices feeding it data: printers, scanners, displays and cash drawers.
Cash remains essential at the point of sale
Cash is still a major part of how hospitality and retail get paid. Every drawer open, close and count generates data that strengthens reconciliation, till accountability and loss prevention.
“Cash drawers are the dependable foundation under every POS deal,” said Caceres. “We’ve been building them since 1974, and they’re designed to work with the terminals and printers merchants already run. For VARs, that makes an M-S cash drawer an easy, reliable attach.”
Celebrating 50 years of Star Micronics
The evening’s red carpet after-hours celebration at Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena also honored Star Micronics on 50 years of innovation. “Star has never stopped moving the industry forward,” said Caceres. “We were proud to celebrate their milestone with the channel, and here’s to the next 50.”
Thank you to our sponsors
M-S Cash Drawer thanks the sponsors who made M-S Connect Pasadena possible: OrderCounter (Badge Sponsor), Pecan POS (Lunch Sponsor), Intel (Coffee Sponsor), Star Micronics (After-Hours Sponsor), Artisan POS (Cocktail Sponsor) and GRUBBRR (Parking Sponsor), along with every vendor partner, VAR and ISV who attended.
M-S Connect will return in 2027. To be the first to hear about upcoming events, visit mscashdrawer.com.
About M-S Cash Drawer
Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Pasadena, California, M-S Cash Drawer manufactures cash drawers and distributes point of sale hardware for hospitality and retail through a dedicated network of VARs, ISVs and channel partners. The company is a 13-time winner of the RSPA Vendor Award of Excellence in the Technology Distributor category, including four consecutive Gold awards. Through its M-S Connect event series, M-S Cash Drawer brings the channel together to Connect, Learn, and Succeed together. Learn more at mscashdrawer.com.
