A tablet costs less and does almost everything. A terminal is built to survive a restaurant. Here is how to decide which you need.
This is the first hardware decision most restaurants make, and it is usually made on price alone. Price matters, but it is not the only difference.
What a tablet gives you
Cheap, familiar, portable. Staff already know how to use one. You may own a suitable device already, which means your hardware cost is zero. Waiters can carry it to the table, and it doubles as a kiosk or a second till when you are busy.
The trade-offs: consumer tablets are not built for heat, grease and being dropped. Battery life fades. And an unattached tablet is easier to walk off with.
What a terminal gives you
Built for continuous use on a counter. Often includes a built-in printer, so it is one device instead of two. Sturdier, usually faster under load, and it stays where you put it.
The trade-offs: costs more up front, and it is not going anywhere near a table.
Three things that matter in Kenya specifically
Power. A tablet has a battery, so a short power cut does not stop service. A mains-powered terminal without a UPS does.
Dust and heat. Kitchens are hard on consumer electronics. If the device sits near a grill, buy for durability.
Theft. A tablet is attractive and portable. Mount it, or keep it behind the counter.
How most restaurants actually end up
| Setup | Works well for |
|---|---|
| One tablet | Small cafes, cloud kitchens, anyone starting out |
| Terminal at the counter | Fast food, bars, high-volume counters |
| Terminal + waiter tablets | Full-service restaurants with table service |
| Two terminals | Busy venues where one till becomes the queue |
A sensible path is to start with a tablet, prove the workflow, then add a terminal when the counter becomes the bottleneck. Orderly runs the same on both, so upgrading later changes nothing about how your staff work.
Related reading
Try it on what you have
Orderly runs the same on a tablet and a terminal, so you can start with a tablet and add a terminal when the counter becomes the bottleneck. Browse tablets or book a demo.
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