Restaurant billing is fundamentally different from retail billing. You're not just issuing an invoice — you're managing table orders, kitchen tickets, running bills, and split payments simultaneously while customers wait. A restaurant needs a POS, not just a billing app.
What Restaurant Billing Software Must Do
- KOT (Kitchen Order Ticket) — Order goes to kitchen the moment waiter enters it; no verbal miscommunication
- Table Management — See which tables are occupied, their order total, and how long they've been seated
- Running Bill — Add items to an open bill as the customer orders more
- Fast Checkout — Generate GST invoice from KOT in one click when customer asks for bill
- Split Payment — Part cash, part UPI — common for group tables
- Daily Sales Report — End-of-day report by payment mode (cash/card/UPI)
Standalone restaurants, AC or non-AC, charge 5% GST without input tax credit. A restaurant inside a hotel that charges more than ₹7,500 a night for a room charges 18% with input tax credit. Hotel rooms up to ₹7,500 a night are 5% without credit since 22 September 2025 (they were 12%). Make sure your software applies the correct rate automatically.
Cloud POS vs Traditional Restaurant Software
| Cloud POS (Billux) | Traditional POS | |
|---|---|---|
| Device | Any tablet, phone, PC | Dedicated terminal only |
| Setup Time | 30 minutes | 1–7 days |
| Cost | ₹1,500–₹6,000 + GST a year | Often ₹30,000+ up front |
| Offline Support | Needs internet (keep a hotspot as backup) | Yes |
| Remote Reports | Yes (phone) | No |
| WhatsApp Receipt | Yes | No |
Tiffin Service & Small Hotels
Billux works equally well for tiffin services and small hotels. For tiffin: create a "Tiffin" item, bill daily customers by subscription or per-meal. For a small lodge, you can add room nights and laundry as service items and bill them alongside food. Billux is not a full hotel front-desk system, though, so larger hotels need dedicated hotel software.
The restaurant starter list in Billux includes common South Indian, North Indian, Chinese and cafe menu items you can import and edit, which saves a few hours of setup. Check the GST rate on each item before you start billing.
Want guests to order from their phone? Read our guide to QR code menus and scan-to-order.
Try free at billux.in/register — select "Restaurant" and your menu will be ready to bill in under an hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the GST rate for restaurants?
Standalone restaurants, AC or non-AC, charge 5% GST without input tax credit. Restaurants in hotels where any room is priced above ₹7,500 a night charge 18% with input tax credit.
What is a KOT in restaurant billing?
A KOT (kitchen order ticket) is the order slip sent to the kitchen when a waiter enters an order. It avoids verbal mistakes, and the final GST bill is made from the table's KOTs when the guest asks for the bill.
What is the GST on hotel rooms below ₹7,500?
Since 22 September 2025, hotel accommodation priced up to ₹7,500 per room per night is taxed at 5% without input tax credit. It was 12% before. Rooms above ₹7,500 a night are taxed at 18% with input tax credit.
Can I run restaurant billing on a tablet or phone?
Yes. Cloud restaurant software runs in a browser on a tablet, phone or PC, with a Bluetooth or USB thermal printer. Keep a mobile hotspot as backup, since the Billux restaurant counter needs internet.
