The verdict in three sentences
The point-of-sale (POS) software is a restaurant's nervous system: order taking, kitchen dispatch, mobile money/cash payment, stock and reports. In West Africa, offline mode is non-negotiable — the till must run even without internet. The choice is between a SaaS subscription (10,000 – 40,000 FCFA/month) and custom (1,000,000 – 3,000,000 FCFA) depending on your volume and integration needs.
What a restaurant POS must cover
A serious restaurant POS links the floor, the kitchen and accounting. Here are the expected features by tier, as a 2026 order of magnitude.
| Feature | Basic POS | Full POS |
|---|---|---|
| Floor order taking | Included | Included |
| Kitchen dispatch (KDS/ticket) | Included | Included |
| Mobile money + cash payment | Included | Included |
| Offline mode | Essential | Essential |
| Stock management + alerts | Basic | Advanced |
| Multi-till | No | Included |
| Sales reports | Basic | Detailed + export |
| Accounting integration | No | Included |
Offline mode and mobile money payment are the two criteria that disqualify most poorly-adapted imported solutions.
SaaS, license or custom: the comparison
Three business models coexist. Here is the total cost over 36 months for a 2-till restaurant, as a 2026 order of magnitude.
| Criterion | SaaS subscription | License | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 0 – 100,000 FCFA | 400,000 – 900,000 FCFA | 1,000,000 – 3,000,000 FCFA |
| Monthly cost | 10,000 – 40,000 FCFA | Maintenance ~15,000 | 15,000 – 30,000 FCFA |
| Total 36 months | 360,000 – 1,540,000 FCFA | ~940,000 – 1,440,000 FCFA | 1,540,000 – 4,080,000 FCFA |
| Reliable offline | Variable | Often yes | Guaranteed |
| Customization | Low | Medium | Full |
| Ownership | No | Partial | You |
SaaS suits a fast start; custom is justified for multi-location groups or heavy accounting integration needs.
The hardware needed
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Beyond the software, budget for hardware. As a 2026 order of magnitude: a tablet or terminal (80,000 – 250,000 FCFA), a kitchen ticket printer (60,000 – 150,000 FCFA), a cash drawer (40,000 – 80,000 FCFA). Many restaurants start with a simple Android tablet and add the printer later.
Mini case study
Ibrahim, a restaurateur in Abidjan, loses money on order errors and shrinkage. With an average ticket of 8,000 FCFA and 120 covers/day, he estimates 4% losses from errors and theft, i.e. 8,000 × 120 × 4% = 38,400 FCFA/day, ~998,000 FCFA/month. A full POS at 1,500,000 FCFA that halves these losses saves him ~499,000 FCFA/month — the tool is paid back in about 3 months.
FAQ
Why is offline mode so important? Because internet and power cuts are frequent: a POS that stops taking payment without a network halts service. A good system records locally and syncs as soon as the connection returns.
SaaS or custom, which to choose? SaaS (10,000 – 40,000 FCFA/month) is ideal for a fast start and a single location. Custom (1,000,000 – 3,000,000 FCFA) becomes profitable for multi-till setups, groups and specific accounting integrations.
Does the POS handle mobile money payment? Yes, a market-adapted POS accepts Wave and Orange Money in addition to cash, with automatic reconciliation in end-of-day reports.
What hardware do I need? At minimum a tablet (80,000 – 250,000 FCFA); optionally a kitchen printer (60,000 – 150,000 FCFA) and a cash drawer (40,000 – 80,000 FCFA).
Does the POS connect to accounting? On full and custom versions, yes: automatic export of sales to your accounting, removing double entry and making reports reliable.
Let's talk about your project. We will analyze your volume and current losses to choose between a SaaS and custom POS. 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.
