Every restaurant owner we talk to has a version of the same story: they tried one POS system, it didn't fit, and now they're wary of switching again. So before you pick one, here's what's actually worth checking — not marketing language, just the practical stuff.

1. What does it actually cost, and what triggers extra charges?

Look past the headline price. Ask what happens when you add a second staff login, a second table, or a second month without paying. Some systems are cheap to start and expensive to actually use day-to-day. If you're a small stall or a single-counter shop testing whether software is worth it at all, a genuinely free basic tier (not just a free trial) removes the risk of committing money before you know it works for you.

2. How long does setup actually take?

If "onboarding" involves a scheduled call, a multi-day setup process, or hardware that has to be shipped and configured, that's a real cost — in time, not just money. For a lot of small restaurants, a system that lets you add your menu and start taking orders within minutes matters more than a long feature list you'll never fully use.

3. Does it handle GST billing correctly?

This sounds basic, but it trips up a surprising number of systems once you have mixed tax rates on a menu (packaged items vs. prepared food, for example) or need proper GST-compliant invoices for business customers. Ask to see an actual sample invoice before you commit, not just a feature checklist.

4. What happens when your internet goes down?

Power cuts and patchy internet are a real part of running a restaurant in most of India. Find out whether the system can keep taking orders locally and sync later, or whether it simply stops working. This is one of those things that only matters once — the first time it happens during a busy service.

5. Does it match how your kitchen actually runs?

Kitchen Order Ticket (KOT) routing sounds like a minor feature until you're relying on it during a rush. If your kitchen has one station, you need simple and fast. If you have multiple stations (tandoor, grills, beverages), you need orders routed to the right place automatically. Mismatch here causes real chaos on the floor.

6. QR ordering — do you actually need it yet?

QR code ordering is genuinely useful for sit-down restaurants and cafes with table service. It's less relevant for a takeaway-only counter or a food cart. Don't pay for (or get distracted by) features that don't match how your customers actually order from you.

7. Inventory — how much do you need, honestly?

A food cart with 8 menu items doesn't need enterprise inventory forecasting. A restaurant managing raw ingredients across 40 dishes does. Match the feature to your actual operation size, not what sounds impressive in a demo.

8. Who do you actually talk to when something breaks?

At 9pm on a Saturday, does "support" mean a ticket queue with a 24-hour response time, or can you actually reach someone? For a small operation, this matters more than almost any feature on the list.

A simple way to decide

Write down your actual daily operation — how many tables or counters, how orders come in, whether you need GST invoicing, how your kitchen is laid out. Then test two or three systems against that list specifically, not against their marketing pages. If a system offers a genuinely free basic plan, start there — you lose nothing by testing it against your real day before deciding.