Walk into any busy Indian restaurant during a peak service and watch the operation: orders are taken, KOTs are printed or called out, the kitchen executes, servers deliver, tables turn, and bills are generated. When this workflow is smooth, guests are happy, staff are calm, and revenue flows. When it breaks down — wrong orders, delayed KOTs, billing errors, table mix-ups — everything cascades. The right software holds this workflow together.
KOT Management: From Order Taking to Kitchen Execution
A Kitchen Order Ticket is the primary communication between the floor and the kitchen. In a well-run digital restaurant, the server enters the order on a tablet or handheld POS, and the KOT appears instantly on a kitchen display screen or kitchen printer at the relevant station. Hot items go to the grill station. Cold items go to the cold kitchen. Drinks go to the bar. Each station sees only their items — not the entire order — reducing confusion and execution time.
KOT Workflow Features That Matter
- Station-wise routing: automatically routes KOT items to the correct kitchen station (grill, cold prep, bar)
- Modification handling: dietary requests, no-ingredient modifications, and cooking preferences appear on the KOT
- Add-on orders: when a table orders dessert mid-meal, a new KOT appends to the existing order with a timestamp
- Priority flagging: rush orders or VIP tables can be marked for expedited kitchen attention
- KOT status: kitchen marks items as "ready" — servers can see on their device when food is ready for pickup
- Void handling: cancelled items are logged and visible to both server and kitchen to avoid preparing voided dishes
Table Management: More Than Just a Floor Plan
Table management in Aarcturus Restaurant POS shows the live status of every table in the restaurant: vacant, occupied, bill-printed, reserved, or cleaning. Servers can merge tables for large groups, split bills by seat or item, and transfer orders between tables without re-entering the order. The host sees table turnover times, which helps estimate wait times for walk-ins. During a busy service, this visibility reduces errors and improves table utilisation significantly.
GST Billing for Restaurants: The Multi-Rate Challenge
| Item Type | GST Rate | Aarcturus Handling |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant service (AC) | 5% (no ITC) | ✓ Automatic 5% with ITC block |
| Restaurant service (non-AC) | 5% | ✓ Correctly applied based on outlet config |
| Packaged food resale | 12% or 18% | ✓ Item-level GST rate in menu master |
| Delivery charges | 18% | ✓ Separate line item with correct rate |
| Alcohol (where licensed) | State VAT, not GST | ✓ VAT-only billing for liquor items |
| Service charge | No GST (voluntary) | ✓ Separate non-taxed line item |
Daily Settlement: The Z-Report Every Restaurant Owner Needs
At the end of every shift, Aarcturus Restaurant Billing generates a complete Z-report: total sales by category, total tax collected by rate, payment mode breakup (cash, UPI, card, aggregator), voids and discounts with reason and authorising staff member, and covers served. This report is the daily health check of your restaurant operation. Discrepancies surface immediately — before the cash is banked and the shift team has left. Cash reconciliation that used to take 45 minutes takes 5.
Cloud-Based Restaurant Management: See Your Outlet From Anywhere
Restaurant owners in India increasingly manage multiple outlets or simply are not on-site all day. Aarcturus Restaurant Billing's cloud dashboard gives you real-time visibility into current table occupancy, today's sales, top-selling items, and staff performance — from your phone, from anywhere. When a manager suspects theft or a discount pattern that does not make sense, they can review every transaction, void, and discount in the system from their office or home.