The verdict in three sentences
For a group of 12 restaurants in London, stacking per-site SaaS licences costs more over 3 years than a consolidated custom core, and it never delivers the group-level view management actually needs. A consolidated POS + stock + HR scheduling + group reporting project runs between 60,000 and 140,000 EUR (net) over 4 to 8 months. The real return comes from food cost: 3 points saved on 18M EUR of sales is 540,000 EUR/year of recovered margin.
What the core covers and what it costs
A multi-location group doesn't need a full hotel ERP: it needs a few well-integrated bricks that talk to the existing POS and payroll. Here is the 2026 ballpark per module for custom development.
| Module | Scope | 2026 cost (EUR net) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated POS (API) | Real-time sales across 12 sites | 12,000 - 22,000 | 4-6 wks |
| Stock management | Inventory, waste, inter-site transfers | 14,000 - 28,000 | 6-8 wks |
| HR scheduling | Rosters, clock-in, overtime | 12,000 - 24,000 | 5-7 wks |
| Group reporting | Multi-site dashboards, food cost | 10,000 - 20,000 | 4-6 wks |
| Payroll integration | Export to payroll software | 6,000 - 14,000 | 2-4 wks |
| Manager portal | Per-restaurant access, alerts | 6,000 - 12,000 | 3-4 wks |
On top of that, application maintenance (ADM) secures operations: budget 12 to 22 % of build cost per year, i.e. roughly 9,000 to 30,000 EUR/year depending on scope.
Consolidated custom vs stacked licences
The comparison that matters isn't "custom vs SaaS" but "group view vs 12 silos". Here is an indicative 3-year TCO for 12 restaurants.
| Line item | Stacked licences | Custom core |
|---|---|---|
| Initial build | 0 EUR | 60,000 - 140,000 EUR |
| Subscriptions/yr | ~150 EUR/site/mo x 12 = 21,600 EUR | 0 EUR (self-hosted) |
| Maintenance/yr | Included but rigid | 9,000 - 30,000 EUR |
| Consolidated group view | Not native | Native |
| 3-year cost | ~64,800 EUR + rigidity | 87,000 - 230,000 EUR + asset |
| Food cost margin recovered | Hard to steer | -3 pts steerable |
The custom core costs more upfront but becomes an asset the group owns, with no per-site fee that balloons at every opening.
Mini case study
Thomas, MD of a 12-brasserie group in London, does 18M EUR of revenue at an average 31 % food cost. He invests 95,000 EUR (net) in a consolidated core (POS + stock + reporting) plus 18,000 EUR/year of maintenance. Thanks to real-time tracking of waste and inventory variance, he brings food cost down to 28 % - 3 points on 18M EUR = 540,000 EUR/year of margin. Even crediting the software with only a third of that gain (180,000 EUR/year), the project pays back in under 8 months.
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FAQ
Do we need to replace the existing POS?
No. In 80 % of cases we connect to the existing POS API (ticket feed). Integration budget is 12,000 to 22,000 EUR (net) depending on the number of terminals and API quality.
How long until a first useful version?
A first "consolidated POS + group reporting" batch ships in 6 to 10 weeks, already giving the multi-site sales view leadership asks for.
How do we handle a new restaurant opening?
With a custom core, adding a 13th site is a configuration, not a new licence: near-zero marginal cost versus 150 EUR/month per site in SaaS.
Is payroll really integrated?
Yes, we generate an export in the format your payroll software expects (hours, premiums, absences). Budget 6,000 to 14,000 EUR (net) for this brick.
Can we steer food cost per recipe?
That's a stock-module extension (recipe cards, material cost per dish): an extra 8,000 to 16,000 EUR (net), often the highest-ROI module.
Let's scope your project. Give us the number of sites, your current POS and your target food cost, and we'll frame a consolidated core between 60,000 and 140,000 EUR (net). Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
