How to choose restaurant billing software in India
A checklist for owners of small restaurants, cafés and sweet shops. Each point says what to check and why it matters at the counter. Under each one we say plainly how mezBill does, so you can hold it against anything else you try.
Thermal printer support
The bill comes out of a thermal printer: 58 mm for a pocket Bluetooth printer, 80 mm for a counter or kitchen printer. If the software cannot drive your printer, nothing else matters.
What to check- checkDoes it print on the printer you already own?
- checkBluetooth, USB and Wi-Fi, or only one of them?
- checkDo Hindi or Marathi dish names print correctly?
- checkCan you print a test bill before you pay?
mezBill: Prints on most 58 mm and 80 mm ESC/POS printers over Bluetooth, USB or Wi-Fi, in English, Hindi or Marathi. We do not publish a list of tested models yet, so send us the model number and we confirm before you pay. Thermal printer billing ›
KOT for the kitchen
A kitchen order ticket (KOT) tells the kitchen what to cook. When it goes wrong, dishes are cooked twice or not at all.
What to check- checkDoes each kitchen station get only its own dishes?
- checkWhen a table orders again, does the kitchen get only the new dishes?
- checkCan a waiter add a note such as "less spicy"?
mezBill: A KOT per kitchen station on Standard and Pro, and a second round prints only the new dishes. Kitchen status Start, Ready, Served shows on the phones. KOT software ›
Tables
A dine-in restaurant needs to see which tables are free and which are waiting for the bill. A counter shop needs no tables at all.
What to check- checkCan you see every table and its state at a glance?
- checkCan you move or merge tables without losing the order?
- checkCan a counter shop bill without setting up tables?
mezBill: Tables by area, each free, ordering or waiting for the bill. Move or merge tables. A counter shop can bill without setting up any tables. Restaurant billing software ›
Works without internet
The internet goes in the evening rush, exactly when the queue is longest. Software that needs the internet to make a bill stops the counter.
What to check- checkCan you bill, print and take cash with no signal?
- checkWith two phones offline, do bill numbers still stay correct?
- checkWhich things do need the internet?
mezBill: Everything at the counter works offline, and each phone has its own bill series. Sending on WhatsApp, confirming a UPI payment by itself and the web console need the internet. Offline billing app ›
GST invoice format
A GST-registered business must give a tax invoice with certain details. Your CA will ask for GSTR-1 every month.
What to check- checkGSTIN and HSN codes on the bill, CGST and SGST shown apart
- checkBill numbers in order, with no gaps to explain
- checkCan a printed bill be edited later? (It should not be.)
- checkA GSTR-1 download for your CA
mezBill: On Standard and Pro every bill is a tax invoice with CGST and SGST, HSN codes and a GSTR-1 download. The fields the law requires cannot be hidden, and a bill cannot be edited after it is made. GST billing ›
Udhaar (credit)
Regular customers pay at the end of the week or month. A notebook gets lost; the software should keep the book.
What to check- checkA balance for each customer, and a limit
- checkReminders for what is due
- checkWhen you switch software, can old balances come with you?
mezBill: Udhaar with a limit you set for each customer and WhatsApp reminders. Imported customers keep what they owe as an opening balance. Kirana and retail billing ›
Several phones
Waiters, the counter and the parcel desk all bill at the same time. Extra phones should not cost a fortune or clash on bill numbers.
What to check- checkHow many phones does the price include?
- checkCan two phones ever print the same bill number?
- checkCan the owner approve a new phone and switch off a lost one?
mezBill: Starter: 1 outlet, 2 phones. Standard: 1 outlet, 5 phones. Pro: up to 5 outlets, 10 phones each. You can add a phone for ₹99 a month. Each phone has its own bill series and must be approved by the owner; a lost phone is switched off from the web. Café POS ›
Price
A monthly price adds up over a year. Check what it includes, not only the headline number.
What to check- checkIs GST included or added on top?
- checkIs there a free trial, and does it need a card?
- checkWhat happens if a payment is late? Does billing stop?
mezBill: Starter ₹499, Standard ₹999 and Pro ₹1,999 a month, GST included, two months free when you pay yearly. 30-day free trial, no card. A late payment never stops the counter. Pricing ›
Getting your data out
Your menu, customers and sales are yours. You will need them when your CA asks, and if you ever switch software.
What to check- checkCan you download the menu and reports as Excel files?
- checkIs there a GSTR-1 file for your CA?
- checkCan you import a menu and a customer list from Excel?
mezBill: On Standard and Pro you can export the menu and download reports as Excel files, and GSTR-1 as a file. You can also import a menu and a customer list from Excel, including EZO's files. mezBill vs EZO ›
What mezBill does not do
So you can decide quickly if it is not for you.
- removeBilling runs on Android phones and tablets. There is no iPhone app.
- removeA computer shows a live board of tables but does not make bills.
- removeNo online ordering page and no delivery app connection.
- removeThree languages: English, Hindi and Marathi.
Questions
Something else? Message us and a person will answer.
Do I need a computer for billing software?
Not with mezBill. Billing runs on an Android phone or tablet. The web console for the menu, reports and GST opens in any browser when you want it.
58 mm or 80 mm: which printer should I buy?
58 mm Bluetooth for one counter or a cart. 80 mm for a busy counter and for the kitchen, where several phones print to the same machine.
What is a KOT?
A kitchen order ticket: the slip that tells the kitchen which dishes to cook for which table. It is not the customer's bill and has no prices.
Does billing software file my GST return?
No. It prepares tax invoices and reports such as GSTR-1 from what you enter. You or your CA check them and file the return.
Can I change billing software later?
Check before you start that you can download your menu and reports as Excel files. With mezBill you can (Standard and Pro), and you can import a menu and customer list from Excel, including EZO's files.
More from mezBill
mezBill is one app for the whole shop. See how it handles:
We set it up with you, on your phone
Book a free demoStart free trialSend us your menu as a photo or an Excel file. We add the dishes, connect the printer and print the first bill with you.