No single system is best for everyone. Here are the criteria that actually matter in Saudi Arabia, how much each one weighs, and a sourced comparison, so you can choose for yourself.
This guide is written by the Loqma team, and Loqma is one of the systems compared. So every fact about another system comes from its official site, with the link and the date it was checked; no system is given a score; and we say plainly when Loqma is not the right choice for you.
The best system for your restaurant is the one that passes five questions: it issues Phase 2 e-invoices, takes orders from the delivery apps you actually use, deducts stock by recipe, keeps selling when the internet drops, and has a clear full yearly cost. Larger systems suit chains that need many integrations; simpler ones suit a restaurant or cafe with one or two branches that wants a fixed price and a quick start.
The weight reflects how much a criterion matters to a restaurant in Saudi Arabia. Adjust it to your business: a cloud kitchen weighs delivery apps higher, a cafe weighs speed and loyalty higher.
| Criterion | Weight | Why it matters | How to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-invoicing (Phase 2) | 20% | Mandatory for VAT-registered businesses, in the integration waves ZATCA announces. | Ask for a simplified invoice with a QR code issued by the system, and ask whether the FATOORA integration is done from the system itself. |
| Full cost and clear pricing | 15% | The subscription is only part of the cost: hardware, setup and add-ons, and sometimes a share of sales or online orders. | Ask for a written quote for a full year for your branches and devices, and ask whether any percentage of sales is taken. |
| Delivery-app connections | 15% | Typing in app orders by hand wastes time and causes mistakes at peak. | Name the apps you use and ask about each: does the order come in automatically, on which plan, at what price? |
| Inventory, recipes and dish cost | 15% | Without recipe-based deduction you do not know a dish's cost or your real margin. | In the demo, add a recipe to an item and sell it, then check the ingredient went down and the cost was worked out. |
| Working offline | 10% | An outage at peak stops sales if the cashier needs a constant connection. | Switch the internet off in the demo and try to sell, print and close the order. |
| Kitchen display | 10% | Fewer lost tickets, and a late order is visible before the guest complains. | See how a late order shows, and whether add-ons and notes are clear to the cook. |
| Multiple branches | 5% | Matters if you plan a second branch. | Can you set a price per branch, transfer stock between branches and compare them? |
| Hardware | 5% | Some systems tie you to their own devices; others run on what you already have. | Does it run on an iPad, Android or a computer? Which printers does it support? |
| Arabic support and its hours | 5% | A problem at dinner time needs someone who answers. | Ask about support hours and channels, and try reaching them before you subscribe. |
We picked the systems that appeared on Google's first page and in Google AI Mode, ChatGPT and Perplexity answers to "the best restaurant POS in Saudi Arabia". Every cell comes from that system's official site, with the links under the table. "Not stated" means we did not find it on the official site, not that it does not exist.
| System | Starts at | Commission on sales | E-invoicing (Phase 2) | Delivery apps named | Offline | Trial | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LoqmaOurs | 199 a month per branch, VAT included | No | Both phases built in | HungerStation, Keeta, Ninja (Pro plan) | Yes | Live demo | WhatsApp and email, reply within one business day |
| Foodics | 248 a month (228 billed yearly); VAT and unit not stated | Not stated | Stated (FATOORA activation) | Jahez, The Chefz, Mrsool, Careem, Noon Food (marketplace from the Basic bundle) | Stated for kiosks and food trucks | Demo | 24/7 |
| Rewaa | 275 a month billed yearly, VAT excluded (1 branch, 1 register) | Not stated | Stated, in every plan | Stated as coming soon | Yes | 14 days | 24/7 |
| Hala Cashier | 299 per user a month; VAT not stated | Not stated | States authorized e-invoicing; Phase 2 not named | Stated, no apps named (add-on, 199 per user a month) | Yes | Offered, length not stated | 24/7 |
| YallaPlus | 209 a month billed yearly (260 monthly); VAT not stated | Not stated | Stated on the Cashier plan | Stated, no apps named | Yes | Demo | 24/7 |
| Qoyod Flavours | 1,200 a year, VAT excluded | Not stated | Tax handled in the accounting system; POS-side integration not stated | Stated, no apps named | Yes | Not stated | 24/7 |
| Kashierk | 799 a year, VAT included (1 user, 1 device) | Not stated | Stated on the Plus and Pro plans | HungerStation, Jahez, Ninja, The Chefz, Keeta (Plus and Pro) | Yes | Offered, length not stated | 24/7 |
| Marn | Not published (via sales) | Not stated | States approved e-invoicing; Phase 2 not named | Stated, no apps named | Yes | 14 days | Phone 9am to 5pm on weekdays (contact page) |
Prices as shown on each system's site on the check date, and they can change. Confirm the current price before you subscribe.
You need many integrations (accounting, HR, an app marketplace) and a dedicated support team. The larger systems on the market are built for this, and cost more.
What matters most is a fixed, clear price, a quick start and a cashier that never stops. Compare the full yearly cost, not just the monthly price.
What matters most is that your app orders come in automatically, a prep time per item, and each item's cost before the app's commission.
A bakery, sweets or dates shop selling by the kilo needs a system that connects to the scale and sells by weight. Check it in the demo.
Make sure the POS exports journal entries or connects to your software, or pick the POS from the same accounting provider.
If you sell by weight and need a scale connection: Loqma does not support selling by weight today.
If your orders come from an app other than HungerStation, Keeta and Ninja and you need them flowing in from day one: ask us about your app before subscribing, because connecting the others depends on their partner programs.
If you want the card terminal linked to the cashier so it reads the amount automatically: Loqma records card payments, but a direct terminal connection is not available today.
If you need payroll in the same system: Loqma records attendance and shifts, but has no payroll.
If you need round-the-clock phone support: most systems in the table advertise 24/7 support, and Loqma answers on WhatsApp and email.
If you run a large chain and need a third-party app marketplace: Loqma offers an API and webhooks, but no app marketplace.
Per branch? Per device? Per user? Is the price VAT-inclusive?
Does the system take a share of your sales or of online orders?
Set by the payment company, and different for mada and credit cards.
Can you use an iPad or a device you own, or must you buy the system's device?
Free or paid? Who moves your menu and items?
App connections, inventory, the kitchen display, extra branches: in the plan or paid separately?
Example: a one-branch cafe on Loqma's Growth plan pays 399 a month, VAT included, which is 4,788 a year with no commission on sales, plus online payment fees if it turns them on.
Show me a simplified e-invoice with a QR code issued by your system.
Let me switch the internet off and try to sell and print.
Write down the full cost for a year for my branches and devices.
Which delivery apps' orders come in automatically, and on which plan?
How do I move my menu and data from my current system, and who moves it?
If I decide to leave, can I export my data?
What are your support hours, and how long does a reply take at peak?
Is the contract monthly or yearly, and how do I cancel?
Source for the e-invoicing requirements: the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority website
No single system is best for everyone. The best one for your restaurant supports Phase 2 e-invoicing, takes orders from the apps you use, deducts stock by recipe, keeps working offline and has a full yearly cost that suits you. Use the nine criteria in this guide, and try two or three systems in a demo before you decide.
A VAT-registered business must issue e-invoices to the requirements set by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and in Phase 2 (integration) the system must connect to the FATOORA platform. ZATCA sets integration dates in waves, so check your business's date on ZATCA's site and ask the vendor to show you the integration working.
It depends on the system and the plan, and even the price unit differs: some systems in the table above price per year, others per month per branch or per user, and some exclude VAT or add integration fees. Loqma is a fixed subscription per branch: 199, 399 or 799 a month, VAT included, with no commission on sales. Compare the full yearly cost, not the monthly price.
There are free cashier apps and free tiers, but before relying on one check three things: does it issue e-invoices that meet Phase 2, who supports you if the cashier fails at peak, and can you export your data. A cashier that stops on a Thursday night costs more than a subscription.
Ask the new vendor to move your menu, items and stock, export your old sales reports before cancelling, and try the new system in one branch before moving fully. Pick a quiet day to switch, not the weekend or the start of the month.
Some systems and online ordering services take a share of every order, so their cost grows with your sales. A fixed subscription costs the same from day one however many orders you take. Work out the difference on your expected yearly sales before you decide.
Book a demo, and we will apply the nine criteria to Loqma itself with you before you decide.