Choosing a restaurant POS system is one of the biggest decisions a restaurant or takeaway owner makes. It sits at the counter every shift. It touches every order and every payment. When it doesn't match how your kitchen actually works, you notice it every day.
Malabar Feast came to Easylance needing two things: point-of-sale software to run daily operations, and a customer-facing website. We built both as one complete project. This post covers why we did it that way, how we approached it, and what we'd tell any restaurant owner looking at POS options today.
The challenge: two systems, one restaurant
Most restaurants end up with a patchwork. The POS comes from one vendor, the website from another, and the menu gets typed into both. Prices drift out of sync. Opening hours on the site don't match reality. Nobody owns the full picture.
Malabar Feast wanted to avoid that. The brief was simple: one partner responsible for both the online presence and the software behind the counter.
Why we built the restaurant POS system and website together
Building the website and the POS in the same engagement had practical benefits:
- One brand, everywhere. The name, colours and menu presentation customers see online match what staff see at the till.
- One point of contact. When something needs changing, the owner makes one call, not two.
- Fewer handovers. No gaps between an agency that "only does websites" and a vendor that "only does POS".
Custom POS software vs off-the-shelf: what restaurants should consider
Off-the-shelf POS subscriptions work for many businesses. But they're built for the average restaurant, and no restaurant is average. Before you sign up for one, ask:
Does it fit how your kitchen runs?
Your order flow, your menu structure and the way your team works should shape the software. Not the other way round.
What does it cost over time?
Monthly per-terminal fees, add-on modules and payment processing markups add up. Work out the three-year cost, not the first month.
Who do you call when something breaks?
A support ticket queue is very different from a developer who knows your system.
Can it grow with you?
A second location, a new menu or a delivery service shouldn't mean switching systems.
Custom POS software isn't right for everyone. But if the answers above worry you, it's worth a conversation.
The result
Malabar Feast's website and POS system are fully completed and delivered as one engagement. The restaurant now has its online presence and its operations software from a single partner.
See the project summary on our works page.
Is a custom restaurant POS right for your business?
If you run a restaurant or takeaway and your current setup feels like a patchwork, we can help. Easylance builds restaurant websites, POS systems and custom business software for restaurants and small businesses.
Message us to discuss your website or POS project, or DM us on Instagram at @easylancetech.