The verdict in three sentences
A custom multi-restaurant software (POS, stock, purchasing, consolidated reporting) costs between EUR 45,000 and EUR 110,000 in 2026, versus a SaaS POS such as Lightspeed or Zelty at EUR 69 to 200/month per location. Custom becomes relevant above 5 to 6 outlets, when consolidated reporting and food-cost control become the real stakes. Saving 3 points of food cost on a group with EUR 6M revenue is worth about EUR 90,000/year: the software often pays back in under a year.
Market POS vs custom: the comparison
SaaS POS are excellent single-site, but per-location cost and consolidated multi-site reporting limits push groups toward custom.
| Criterion | SaaS POS (Lightspeed, Zelty) | Custom Kolonell |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 500 to 3,000/site | EUR 45,000 to 110,000 |
| Monthly cost | EUR 69 to 200/site | Hosting EUR 300 to 700/month |
| 3-year cost (8 sites) | EUR 90,000 to 173,000 | EUR 70,000 to 135,000 |
| Consolidated reporting | Basic or add-on | Custom, real time |
| Group purchasing | Limited | Centralised, multi-supplier |
| Recipe cost sheets | Rarely | Built into food cost |
| Data ownership | Vendor | 100% group |
At 8 sites and EUR 150/month each, the SaaS costs EUR 14,400/year, i.e. EUR 43,200 over three years excluding advanced stock modules: custom becomes competitive as soon as you add centralised purchasing and fine reporting.
What drives the budget
The price depends on scope. A POS + stock core sits at the low end; centralised purchasing, recipe sheets and per-site margin reporting raise the budget.
| Module | Content | 2026 order of magnitude |
|---|---|---|
| POS & payment | Terminals, receipts, payment modes | EUR 10,000 to 20,000 |
| Stock & inventory | Multi-site, shortage alerts | EUR 9,000 to 18,000 |
| Purchasing & suppliers | Grouped orders, negotiated prices | EUR 8,000 to 16,000 |
| Recipe sheets & food cost | Recipes, per-dish raw cost | EUR 7,000 to 15,000 |
| Consolidated reporting | Per-site margin, revenue, avg ticket | EUR 8,000 to 18,000 |
| Mobile manager app | Real-time multi-site tracking | EUR 6,000 to 12,000 |
Mini case study
Sophie, operations director of a 7-restaurant group in Lille with EUR 6.2M revenue, faces an average food cost of 31%, i.e. roughly EUR 1.92M in raw material/year. Shortages and over-ordering cost an extra 2% of revenue in waste. Custom software at EUR 85,000 with recipe sheets and stock alerts saves her 3 points of food cost (i.e. EUR 186,000/year) and halves waste (+EUR 62,000). Payback in about 5 months, excluding scrapped POS subscriptions.
FAQ
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Can we keep our existing terminals and printers?
Often yes. Integrating common payment terminals and receipt printers is part of the scope; hardware compatibility is validated during framing.
How does consolidated multi-site reporting work?
Each till feeds a central dashboard in real time: revenue, margin, food cost and average ticket per site, with comparison and alerts. Head office steers without waiting for monthly closes.
Does the software handle centralised purchasing?
Yes. Grouped orders, supplier catalogues and negotiated prices are centralised, cutting raw-material cost by 1 to 3 points through better buying terms.
How long to equip 8 restaurants?
Budget 16 to 26 weeks: a pilot site around week 10-12, then a wave rollout of 1 to 2 sites per week.
Does it work if the internet connection drops?
Yes, a local offline mode lets you take payments and resync once the network returns, essential in high-traffic dining rooms.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of restaurants, current food cost and existing POS tools, and we will price the solution. 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.
