KhanaOSChoose a restaurant POS by testing it against 7 criteria — GST billing, KOT routing, recipe-linked inventory, captain app, order management, profit reporting, support quality — and by comparing total cost of ownership, not the advertised monthly price.
Why this is your most consequential technology decision
A POS embeds itself into every order, bill, tax return, inventory deduction and report. The wrong choice costs more in hidden fees and missed capability than the subscription saves — and Indian restaurants that switch systems at month 18 pay for the migration in retraining, data loss and downtime.
The 7 criteria for choosing a restaurant POS in India
- GST-compliant billing. Automatic CGST/SGST/IGST split by order type, GSTIN on every bill, one-click GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B exports. Red flag: any manual GST entry.
- KOT and kitchen management. Automatic digital KOTs to the right station, multi-printer routing, modifier highlighting, mid-order changes.
- Inventory integration. Recipe-linked deduction on every sale, gram-level recipes for Indian menus, wastage tracked separately from consumption. Ask if it's included or an add-on.
- Captain app. Table-side ordering on ordinary Android phones, with split/merge tables.
- Order management. Dine-in, takeaway and delivery orders in one queue, with per-channel reporting.
- Reporting that answers profit questions. "Which dish made the most profit last month?" If the system can't answer, it's a billing machine, not a management tool.
- Support quality and uptime. Written uptime guarantee, response-time SLA, Sunday/holiday phone or WhatsApp support.
The true cost of a restaurant POS
| Cost component | Typical range | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | ₹0–50,000 | What's actually included at this tier? |
| Setup / onboarding fee | ₹0–15,000 | Often waived if you ask |
| Hardware | ₹15,000–40,000 | Counter + 2 KOT printers + card machine; avoid proprietary lock-in |
| Per-integration fees | ₹300–500/platform/mo | Delivery platform connections add up |
| Annual price increase | 15–25% | Get the price locked in the contract |
Where KhanaOS fits
KhanaOS is built to pass all seven criteria at a flat ₹499/outlet/month — inventory included, runs on standard Android hardware — and adds the capability no criterion list mentions because most vendors don't offer it: MarginMind AI dish-level profit tracking. Book a free demo to see both claims on your own menu.
Frequently asked questions
Which POS software is best for restaurants in India?
There is no single best — there are 30+ options from ₹0 to ₹50,000/month. Evaluate against 7 criteria: GST billing with GSTR export, automatic KOT routing, recipe-linked inventory, a captain app, order management, profit-level reporting, and guaranteed support. KhanaOS is designed for operators who also need dish-level margin analytics.
How much does restaurant POS software really cost in India?
A system advertised at ₹1,000/month frequently costs ₹4,000–6,000/month all-in: setup fees, hardware (₹15–40k), per-integration charges of ₹300–500 per delivery platform, and 15–25% annual price rises. Compare total cost of ownership, never sticker price.
What questions should I ask a POS vendor before buying?
Ask: Is inventory included or an add-on? What does each delivery-platform integration cost? Is the price locked for the contract term? What is your uptime guarantee and support response time — in writing? Is support available Sundays/holidays on phone or WhatsApp? A vendor who can't answer these is a risk.