Most restaurants are sold more hardware than they need. Here is the honest minimum, what each piece does, and what you can safely skip.
Walk into most POS conversations in Nairobi and you will be quoted a full setup: terminal, monitor, cash drawer, printer, scanner, stand. Somewhere between KES 50,000 and 100,000 before the software is even switched on.
You probably do not need most of it on day one.
The honest minimum
To run a restaurant on a cloud POS you need exactly two things: a device to take orders on, and a way to get the order to the kitchen. Everything else solves a problem you may not have yet.
What each piece actually does
Tablet or terminal - your till. A modern Android tablet is enough for most restaurants. A dedicated terminal is sturdier and faster for high-volume counters.
Receipt printer - customer receipts and, if you use eTIMS, tax invoices with a KRA QR code. From about KES 3,500.
Kitchen printer or screen - gets the order to whoever is cooking. A screen is usually better in a busy kitchen; a printer is cheaper and simpler.
Cash drawer - only if you take a lot of cash. Around KES 8,000 to 9,000. Many M-Pesa-heavy restaurants skip it initially.
Router and UPS - the boring ones that matter most in Kenya. If the internet or power drops mid-service, everything else stops.
Barcode scanner - only for retail-style operations, butcheries or shops attached to the kitchen.
What we would actually recommend, by type
| Your restaurant | Start with | Add later |
|---|---|---|
| Small cafe | Tablet + receipt printer | QR stands, second tablet |
| Busy restaurant | Terminal + receipt printer + kitchen screen | Waiter tablets, UPS |
| Bar or pub | Terminal + receipt printer + bar printer | Second till, cash drawer |
| Takeaway or delivery | Tablet + receipt printer + kitchen screen | Kiosk tablet |
| Butchery or pork centre | Terminal + printer + scale-friendly setup | Scanner, cash drawer |
Two rules worth following
Never buy hardware that only works with one company's software. If you leave, it becomes scrap. Standard Android devices stay useful whatever you do next.
Buy the router and the UPS. They are the least exciting items on the list and the ones that save your Friday night.
Related reading
Get the right hardware, not the most
Tell us your restaurant and we will spec the smallest setup that actually works - often using devices you already own. Browse POS terminals or see complete kits.
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