What restaurant billing software needs to do
Restaurant billing software has to take an order at the table, get it to the kitchen, and turn it into a correct bill when the guests leave. Cartix Prime does this on the Gold plan, with tables, KOT (kitchen order tickets) and a kitchen screen.
A word before you read on. Cartix Prime was built first for shops: kirana stores, supermarkets, bakeries. The restaurant module grew out of shops that also serve food. It suits a family restaurant with a dozen tables, a café or a tea shop with snacks. A large restaurant that lives on delivery apps, or runs several kitchens, may be better served by a dedicated restaurant system.
Tables and orders that add up
Each table is a running order. The captain or the owner adds items as they are ordered: two meals, then a juice, then dessert. Nothing is lost between rounds, and the bill is ready when the table asks for it.
- See which tables are occupied and which are free
- Add to a table's order at any time until the bill is made
- Parcel orders and counter sales billed alongside the tables
On Platinum, table bookings are added for places that take reservations.
KOT and the kitchen screen
When items are added to a table, a KOT goes to the kitchen. It can print on a small kitchen printer or show on a kitchen screen, so the cook sees what to make and for which table. That ends the shouting across the hall and the "I never got that order" arguments.
For the kitchen printer, a 58 mm or 80 mm thermal printer works. Our guide to 58 mm vs 80 mm thermal printers helps you choose.
A quick counter for tea and snacks
Not every sale goes through a table. A tea shop at a bus stand bills chai, vada and a packet of biscuits in seconds. Fast sellers sit as one-tap buttons, so the person at the counter does not search a menu for "tea". The same counter can sell packed goods with barcodes, which suits restaurants with a small shop at the front.
Payment can be cash, UPI, card or a split, for the group where one person pays by UPI and another in cash.
Staff, cash and the internet
Restaurants have more hands on the billing than shops. You decide what each person may do, with a PIN at the counter. On Gold, discounts and voided bills can wait for the owner's approval, which closes a common leak. Shifts and cash closing show each person's cash at the end of the day.
If the internet drops during the lunch rush, billing carries on and catches up later. See offline billing software for how that works.
What it does not do
Cartix Prime does not sync orders from Swiggy or Zomato. If most of your sales come from delivery apps, keep that in mind. For GST on restaurant bills, the rate depends on the type of place you run, so confirm it with your CA before you set it up. Our GST invoice format guide covers what the bill must show.
The back office of a small restaurant
Fish, vegetables and gas are bought every day, often in cash. Enter them as expenses or purchases, and the day's figures show what came in and what went out. On Gold, accounts add profit and loss and export to Tally for your CA. Staff attendance and payroll are on Gold too, which helps when the kitchen has several hands on daily wages.
What it costs
| Plan | 1 computer + 1 phone | Phone only | Restaurant side |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | ₹8,999 | ₹1,899 | Tables, KOT, kitchen screen, approvals |
| Platinum | ₹12,999 | ₹2,599 | Adds table bookings, more than one branch |
Prices are for a year, before 18% GST. A tea shop that only bills at the counter, with no tables, can do well on Starter at ₹2,499 or ₹599 on a phone. Extra phones for captains are from ₹399 a year.
How to start
- Sign up at the start page. The free 7 days are on Silver; message us on WhatsApp if you want to try the Gold restaurant features.
- Import your menu from Excel, with prices and GST rates.
- Set your tables and the kitchen printer or screen.
- Run one lunch on it alongside your old way, then switch.
Running a bakery with a café corner? Read bakery billing software too.
Questions people ask
Which billing software is good for a small restaurant?
Look for table-wise orders, KOT to the kitchen, quick counter billing, split payment and billing that works when the net drops. Cartix Prime has these on Gold at ₹8,999 a year before GST. It suits small restaurants and cafés more than large chains.
What is KOT in restaurant billing?
KOT is a kitchen order ticket. When a waiter or captain adds items to a table, the KOT tells the kitchen what to cook and for which table. In Cartix Prime it prints on a kitchen printer or shows on a kitchen screen.
Can restaurant billing software connect to Swiggy and Zomato?
Some restaurant systems do. Cartix Prime does not sync orders from Swiggy or Zomato. If delivery apps bring most of your orders, choose software that has that link.
Can I run a tea shop on billing software without tables?
Yes. A tea shop or juice stall can bill at the counter with one-tap buttons for fast sellers. That works on the Starter plan, from ₹599 a year on a phone, before GST. Tables and KOT need Gold.
Does restaurant billing software work offline?
Cartix Prime keeps billing when the internet goes, including during a busy lunch. Bills are kept on the counter and go to the cloud when the connection is back, with no typing in later.