CAPE VINCENT, New York (WWNY) - When you go to a restaurant or café, you typically see your server using a touchpad to take your order. The man who invented it has roots in the north country but never got a patent for it.

Fishing touches are being made ahead of the grand opening of Sweet Jenny’s Bistro and Bakery in Cape Vincent. Purchasing A Monitor

Inventor of touch-screen point-of-sale system has north country ties

That includes upgrading its point-of-sale system.

The owners called the man who knows it best. After all, his name is on the system.

“1980, I guess I created the term ‘point of sale,’” said Eugene Mosher.

Inventor and former restaurateur Eugene “Gene” Mosher founded the free software point-of-sale solution ViewTouch in 1986, which he says is the first touch-screen point-of-sale system.

Just a few days ago, he flew in from Eugene, Oregon to help the Cape Vincent business. Steering away from Telly’s fine dining to the village’s new spot for breakfast, lunch and sweets.

“Completely blows my mind. I mean, who does that? The most humble person I have met. I’m so floored, honestly,” said Genevieve Letizia, co-owner, Sweet Jenny’s.

Letizia noticed the inventor was from Philadelphia. She had assumed Pennsylvania. But he actually grew up just miles away.

“Being from here, it seemed pretty natural to get on the plane, come back here, and see what’s changed,” said Mosher.

His Point of Sale system was the first time anyone actually recorded and communicated sales information in real-time to a restaurant kitchen using a ‘home computer.’ Now restaurants hardly operate without them.

“You want that efficiency, and you want it to be quick, too, because the customer doesn’t want to sit around and wait while you’re trying to find whatever you need in the system. You want to make sure it’s accurate as well,” said Sweet Jenny’s co-owner Jennifer Baxter.

So the next time you put in an order at your local cafe or restaurant, think about the point-of-sale pioneer.

Sweet Jenny’s opens on April 27th. If you’re interested in being a vendor, you can visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.