Running a restaurant in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah means managing a dining room, a kitchen, several delivery channels and a thin margin. The right software can reduce waste and errors; the wrong one slows service. Use this checklist when you compare systems or brief a developer.

1. Counter and table service

  • Fast order entry on a tablet or touch screen, with modifiers and notes.
  • Open tables, transfers, split and merged bills.
  • Service charge, tips and discounts configured the way you operate, with permission levels.
  • Receipts in English and Arabic that show the VAT correctly.

2. Kitchen flow

  • Orders routed to the right station by item, using printers or a kitchen display.
  • Course timing, rush orders and item status.
  • Voids tracked with a reason and staff name.

3. Delivery and online orders

Many UAE restaurants receive orders through delivery aggregators, their own website and WhatsApp. Without integration, staff re-enter orders and mistakes follow. Ask:

  • Which aggregator platforms can the system connect to, and how (API or tablet mirroring)?
  • Do orders from all channels land in one queue and one sales report?
  • Can you run your own ordering page with delivery zones and fees, so you keep the customer relationship?
  • How are commissions and platform payouts reconciled with sales?

4. Inventory and food cost

Margin lives here. A recipe module links each dish to ingredient quantities, so every sale reduces stock. Compare theoretical usage with actual counts to find waste and theft. Record supplier prices so you see when a rise should change a menu price.

5. Multi-branch control

  • Central menu and price management with branch overrides.
  • Sales by hour, dish, branch and payment method.
  • Stock transfers between kitchens.
  • User roles for manager, cashier and owner.

6. Reliability

Ask what happens when the internet fails. A good system keeps taking orders offline and syncs later. Ask about backups, support hours during peak times and how updates are applied.

7. Accounting link

Daily sales, VAT and payments should flow to accounting without retyping. See POS and retail software for the UAE and the checklist for accounting software.

Build or buy?

Questions to ask during a demo

  • Show me how you void an item after it was sent to the kitchen, and what is logged.
  • Show me an end-of-day report with VAT, discounts and payment methods.
  • Show me a delivery order from an aggregator appearing in the kitchen.
  • Show me stock falling when a dish is sold.
  • Show me how a new branch is added.

Ask to try the system on a tablet with a real printer, during a simulated rush.

Standard systems suit standard restaurants. Groups with unique concepts or loyalty models often customize. See restaurant and cafe software and POS software from Crafts Software, or tell us about your outlets.