The Best 7 Free and Open Source Restaurant Management Software

Updated on :October 18, 2023
By :Jason Adams

Dining out at fancy restaurants has always been a matter of satisfying our taste buds. After all, food comes above everything else. You come across an advertisement about a new restaurant opening up in your neighborhood and decide to see what they have to offer. Upon reaching, you observe the staff is impolite, there is no proper billing system, and the restaurant is crowded as if it were a sea of people. You say to yourself never to revisit this place. This chaos could have been avoided had there been a Restaurant Management Software in place. The software increases the utility of a restaurant by managing orders, inventory, appointments, and waitlists comfortably.

What is a restaurant management software?

A restaurant management software helps in operating and managing a restaurant efficiently. It is a software used by the restaurant to streamline the process of catering to the customers and conveniently improve the employee work rate and overall productivity of the restaurant. Aim of this software is to serve customers what they prefer, reduce the waiting time and maximize potential of the restaurant through its vast features.

What are the features / benefits of a restaurant management software?

A restaurant management software is only as good as the features it provides. The features should be diverse and must cater to every type and size of restaurants. These features help monitor all employees and reduce any wrongdoings. Some of the features are listed below:

  • A management software or a point-of-sale is the base to any restaurant’s growth and enhances productivity.
  • Inventory control
  • Table management
  • Enhanced staff timesheets
  • Gift cards and loyalty programs for customers
  • Easy and customizable menu setup
  • Advanced reporting and data
  • Round-the-clock technical assistance
  • Integration availability for growth
  • User-friendly order management
  • Generate accurate financial statements
  • Cost savings
  • Reservation system
  • Control to the software from any device and from anywhere
  • Track sales of each item or product
  • Shorter queues
  • Workforce management
  • Improved employee synergy
  • Cloud storage
  • Data security

Restaurants of all types want to improve their profit and “make it big.” By implementing a free and open source restaurant management software, the probability of growth will increase by letting the staff lay all their attention on catering to the customers. This software is crucial in terms of updating and selecting menus, placing orders, or receiving payments. It is a platform designed to reduce human efforts and maximize business potential.

Obtain a clear picture of the seven best free and open source restaurant management software by going through the comparison chart below.

Comparison chart of the best 7 free and open source restaurant management software

The Best 7 Free and Open Source Restaurant Management Software

TastyIgniter

TasyIgniter is developed to streamline the daily activities of a restaurant efficiently. It is an entirely free and open source software based on the Laravel PHP framework and works as an effective restaurant management platform. It is easy to use and provides powerful features.

TastyIgniter restaurant management software

(Image Source: TastyIgniter)

Key highlights of TastyIgniter

  • Single interface
  • Captivating and mobile-friendly design
  • Extension availability
  • Customized delivery zones
  • Easy modification
  • Reliable table management
  • Explore potential market segments
  • Multiple modes of payment supported
  • Easy online ordering
  • Speedy and efficient booking management
  • No overbooking
  • Available in multiple languages
  • Unlimited menu

TastyIgniter is customized to suit your brand and bring your ideas to life through easy implementation. It is a one-stop solution for all your restaurant requirements. Designed for the users’ convenience, it is a smooth platform with no complicated interface. It is designed in a way to enhance visibility to customers.

Floreant POS

A free and open source restaurant management software, Floreant POS is easily understood and used by many. Quick installation and setup provide users with easy access to the platform. It has a robust back-end database to manage complexities. It resolves issues in real-time, which keeps them updated and makes them widely used.

Floreant POS restaurant management software

(Image Source: Floreant POS)

Key highlights of Floreant POS

  • Works offline
  • Runs on various operating systems
  • Hassle-free table service
  • Advanced reports
  • Easy to manage cash drawer and employee tips
  • Generate different sales and payroll reports
  • Bar tab
  • Modular
  • Available in zip format
  • Cash terminals

An offline platform, it does not require an internet connection and provides all features everywhere. A free restaurant management software, it allows users to modify the software according to their needs and improve their business.

SambaPOS

SambaPOS provides all the answers relevant to growing a restaurant efficiently. It gives an edge to the restaurant by providing some striking features. It is a free and open source platform that can be easily customized to your requirements.

SambaPOS restaurant management software

(Image Source: SambaPOS)

Key highlights of SambaPOS

  • Simple, user-friendly design
  • Create completely customized menus
  • Real-time advanced reporting of data
  • Integrated payment solutions
  • Create multiple departments
  • Increase productivity by tracking and analyzing the restaurant’s performance
  • Easy-to-understand floor plans and table management
  • Offer multiple payment options
  • Create gift cards to boost customer loyalty
  • Customized designing of accounting system
  • Change, transfer or merge tables
  • Cloud synchronization
  • Design unlimited floor and table layouts
  • Periodic inventory verification
  • Authorized discounts

Structured and aesthetically pleasing kitchen screens allow the employees to enjoy their work and make adjustments whenever necessary. With the belief of “staying ahead of your game,” it provides an experience that increases the productivity of employees and keeps the customers satisfied. This open-source restaurant management software eases the operations and increases profitability.

Bevspot

Providing powerful features and data-driven insights, Bevspot is a restaurant management software offering a free trial. It helps run a restaurant smartly by providing all information related to unused stock or overpricing. It assists in making more profitable ordering decisions.

Bevspot restaurant management software

(Image Source: Bevspot)

Key highlights of Bevspot

  • Interactive inventory calculator
  • Organized storage areas
  • Flexible units
  • Digital purchasing and filing from each vendor
  • Reconciled purchases
  • Item archive and purchase history
  • Detailed usage reports
  • Priced out recipes for maximized margins
  • Enterprise dashboard
  • Control employee level permissions
  • Collaborative input
  • Historical filter and search
  • Pars to maintain inventory level consistently
  • Unused inventory reporting

Managing the entire restaurant becomes accessible through the Enterprise Dashboard, where all permissions and information are accessed. This restaurant management system allows comparing performances of all employees and enables quick switch between multiple accounts.

ZoomShift

ZoomShift is a software that makes work scheduling simpler and faster. It enables employees to focus on the more, high-value tasks. Automated reminders to the employees before their shift increases the work rate and improves staff accountability. This restaurant management system software is available as a free trial in the beginning.

Zoomshift restaurant management software

(Image Source: ZoomShift)

Key highlights of ZoomShift

  • Improve staff accountability
  • Find shift replacements quickly
  • Improve communication
  • Manage requests with ease
  • Track employee time
  • Prevent timesheet errors
  • Save labor costs
  • Run payroll faster
  • Export timesheets easily
  • Centralized access

Track time efficiently with the timesheet and save on labor costs. Prevent timesheet errors and invest the majority of time in team-building and increasing work efficiency. Review and update the timesheet from the mobile application and always be in control of managing the cost and time of employees. 

Shore

With the philosophy of cutting down on daily tedious administrative tasks, Shore provides a platform to make work simple again. With their enhanced digital employee organizer, shift planning and organizing have become comfortable and more interactive. Shore is one of the best restaurant management software providing free trial.

Shore restaurant management software

(Image Source: Shore)

Key highlights of Shore

  • Manage daily operations online
  • Access Shore from anywhere and from any device
  • Track all customer data
  • Enhanced online reservation experience
  • Customized newsletter
  • Shift planner
  • Automated reminders
  • Attract potential customers through google

With multiple features to ease daily restaurant functions, Shore is an appropriate platform for someone looking to boost their business. With a feature to book appointments through social media, Shore allows a vast outreach to attract potential customers. It also provides insights to understand the performance of the restaurant and make improvements wherever necessary.

Lightspeed

To create the best experiences for customers and make data-driven decisions, Lightspeed believes in working smarter and providing the best features to enhance the growth of a restaurant. It offers a free trial for anyone looking for a boost in their business.

lightspeed restaurant management software

(Image Source: Lightspeed)

Key highlights of Lightspeed

  • Customizable menu
  • Custom floor plans
  • Color indicators to show free, empty or ready to pay tables
  • Stock management
  • Modify stock count in real-time
  • Multiple menu and modifier management
  • Create customer profiles
  • Track customer visits and previous orders
  • Staff management
  • Timed staff promotions 
  • Works offline for an uninterrupted service
  • Automatic syncs and backups

Lightspeed conducts regular webinars and provides support round-the-clock to make sure the users are aware of the latest updates. It offers remote access, which allows the user to control the software from any place. With its variety of features, Lightspeed is one of the best restaurant management software.

PeachWorks

Intending to make restaurants successful and streamline their daily restaurant operations, PeachWorks is the most popular restaurant management software available. It is hosted on the cloud so that users can access it from any device and from anywhere. Providing significant features and helping a restaurant thrive is their priority.

PeachWorks restaurant management software

(Image Source: PeachWorks)

Key highlights of PeachWorks

  • Staffing and inventory forecast
  • Efficiently purchase inventory
  • Schedule labor
  • Stock management
  • Build recipes quickly and engineer the menu
  • Build employee schedules effectively
  • Collaborate and communicate with the team
  • Consistent daily log
  • Build dashboards to analyze the data

PeachWorks is passionate about maximizing the profit and improving operations of a restaurant to its fullest. A restaurant’s primary focus should be on its customers, and PeachWorks is designed to manage complex functions and do it accurately. With this restaurant management software, managers and employees can concentrate on high-value activities.

Conclusion

Food is one of the top-most priorities for any individual, and they expect to leave satisfied after visiting a restaurant. It becomes highly essential that restaurants find a way to cater to all the needs of customers and grow their business simultaneously. This becomes possible by using relevant free and open source restaurant management software, which enhances the potential and makes working fun.

Restaurant management software simplifies the complex management of hundreds of orders and payments daily. It automatically updates and stores all information about the customers and restaurant requirements, allowing the restaurant to deliver quality service, hassle-free.

Selecting a software can be a tedious and boring task, but searching through Goodfirms list of Restaurant Management Software will dowse your curiosities and help reach a satisfactory conclusion. Let us know with your feedback if you have or are currently using any of the Restaurant Management Software.

To broaden your perspective, attain further information regarding any other software, click here.

Jason Adams
Jason Adams

Jason Adams is a writer with keen interest to continue learning and develop his research abilities. Avid reader and an eye towards growth, he is associated with GoodFirms, a frontline and evolving reviews and rating platform.

Read Similar Blogs

10 Ways IoT-Powered POS Can Revolutionize the Retail Business

10 Ways IoT-Powered POS Can Revolutionize the Retail Business

POS (Point of Sale) system is a perfect combination of software and hardware components that allow retail businesses to collect payments from their customers fo ... Read more

Why is an Integrated Smart POS System Essential for Modern Retail Businesses?

Why is an Integrated Smart POS System Essential for Modern Retail Businesses?

From cash registers and excel spreadsheets to the modern-age POS systems - retail companies have come a long way in terms of adopting new methods of collecting ... Read more

The 9 Most Popular Free and Open Source Restaurant POS Software

The 9 Most Popular Free and Open Source Restaurant POS Software

1973 was a landmark year for the world of technology and hospitality. IBM, the Big Blue, introduced the first-ever physical restaurant POS system. Despite being ... Read more