A restaurant loses money on three invisible fronts: orders garbled on the way to the kitchen, stock that vanishes without trace, and customers who never return for lack of a reminder. Restaurant management software tackles all three. But between a simple touch register and a full platform with delivery and loyalty, the gaps in price and features are huge. Here is a clear comparison for the Senegalese market.
Which software to pick by venue type
| Venue type | Recommended solution | Budget /month | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast food / single till | Loyverse or simple register | 0 to 30,000 FCFA | Free register + basic stock |
| Full-service restaurant | Square for Restaurants or Tiller | 40,000 to 90,000 FCFA | Floor plan, kitchen tickets |
| Restaurant with delivery | Platform + delivery integration | 80,000 FCFA and up | Online ordering, driver tracking |
| Multi-site chain / mobile money | Custom Kolonell build | from 100,000 FCFA | Multi-site, Wave / OM, custom loyalty |
Understanding your real needs
A fast food needs speed at the till and simple stock tracking. A sit-down restaurant needs a floor plan, tickets sent to the kitchen, and a bill per table. A venue with delivery needs online ordering linked to drivers. Do not buy a feature you will never use.
Feature matrix
| Software | POS / register | Kitchen tickets | Online ordering | Delivery | Loyalty | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyverse | yes | partial | no | no | yes | yes |
| Square Restaurants | yes | yes | yes | partial | yes | yes |
| Tiller | yes | yes | partial | no | yes | yes |
| Lightspeed | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Custom Kolonell | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Price comparison
| Software | Price /month | Mobile money payment | Hardware included | French UI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyverse | 0 to 30,000 FCFA | no | no | partial |
| Square Restaurants | 40,000 to 70,000 FCFA | no | optional | partial |
| Tiller | 50,000 to 90,000 FCFA | no | optional | yes |
| Lightspeed | 90,000 to 180,000 FCFA | no | optional | partial |
| Custom Kolonell | from 100,000 FCFA then hosting | yes (Wave / OM) | to define | yes |
Mobile money and online ordering
None of the major foreign software collects natively via Wave or Orange Money. For a restaurant that wants to take WhatsApp or website orders and get paid via mobile money, the custom integration remains the only direct path without manual reconciliation.
Worked example: a 60-cover restaurant
A restaurant serving 60 covers a day at an 8,000 FCFA average ticket makes about 14,400,000 FCFA per month. Without stock tracking, losses (theft, waste, errors) easily reach 8 percent, or more than 1,150,000 FCFA. Software that tracks stock in and out and flags discrepancies brings these losses down to 3 percent. Monthly saving: about 720,000 FCFA. A tool at 80,000 FCFA per month pays for itself nine times over.
Recommendation by profile
Fast food or startup
Loyverse, free or nearly so, is enough for a register and simple stock. You collect mobile money separately and reconcile at the end of the day.
Established sit-down restaurant
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Tiller or Square bring the floor plan and kitchen tickets. A good balance, but without integrated mobile money.
Online ordering and mobile money loyalty
A custom ordering site linked to Wave and Orange Money, with a digital loyalty card and driver tracking, becomes profitable once delivery is a serious share of revenue.
Integration with your digital presence
Your software must talk to your online presence: QR menu, WhatsApp orders, Google page. An isolated system forces you to re-enter everything. This is where a custom build wins, by linking register, website, and social media.
FAQ
Which restaurant POS software is free?
Loyverse offers a free version with a register and basic stock, enough for a small fast food. Advanced features are paid.
Can orders be collected via Wave or Orange Money?
Not directly with foreign software. A custom integration links your online ordering to mobile money without manual entry.
Do I need software to manage delivery?
If delivery is more than 20 percent of your revenue, yes. Tracking drivers and online orders avoids costly errors and delays.
How much does full restaurant software cost?
Between 40,000 and 180,000 FCFA per month for foreign solutions. A custom build starts at 100,000 FCFA as a one-off project, then only hosting.
Does the software handle customer loyalty?
Yes for most. But a digital loyalty card linked to WhatsApp and mobile money, that actually wins customers back, often needs a tailored build.
Let's talk about your project. Want a register linked to online ordering and mobile money for your restaurant? Message us on 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.
