NodeDR OrderRestro

NodeDR OrderRestro is a free, open-source restaurant management system for venues that want sales, kitchen, floor, and stock tools on their own server. Its strongest case is keeping core service running over the local network without internet; the trade-off is that the restaurant must operate the installation.

Overview

OrderRestro brings point of sale, kitchen display, reservations, customer loyalty, and inventory into one self-hosted system. A computer at the restaurant runs the server, while tills, tablets, and phones on the same network connect through a browser. This suits operators who value local control and continued service through internet outages, but it is not a hands-off hosted service.

The POS handles dine-in, takeaway, and delivery orders, along with split or merged bills, discounts, gift cards, tips, mixed payments, and refunds. Regional tax setups include GST, US Sales Tax, EU VAT, and Spain IVA. These options cover varied checkout needs, though delivery management is still planned rather than part of the current workflow.

Key features

Kitchen and floor operations

The live kitchen display routes tickets by station and adds priority tickets, timers, and order-status tracking. A visual floor plan, reservations, and a waitlist help connect table management with kitchen flow. Together these make OrderRestro broader than a kitchen screen alone, particularly for restaurants seeking one system across front and back of house.

Guest ordering and stock

Guests can scan a table QR code to view the live menu and order in English, Spanish, or French without installing an app. Inventory tools track ingredients, calculate recipe costs, manage purchase orders and batches, record expiry and waste, and deduct stock when orders are billed. That can give operators a tighter view of consumption, though it also means the system's value depends on maintaining useful ingredient and recipe records.

Customer tools, integrations, and upkeep

Customer profiles, loyalty points, gift cards, and staff accounts with role-based permissions cover basic retention and access-control needs. A website Integration API can send orders and bookings to OrderRestro, and an MCP server exposes permitted order and reservation functions to Claude or other MCP-compatible AI. S3-compatible backup and restore support and a one-click update button are useful operational provisions for a self-hosted product.

The maker says only port 1995 is exposed; the API and Swagger documentation are reached through the web app proxy rather than published directly to the network. The server can run on Linux, macOS, or Windows, and can also be deployed on a VPS or cloud server. The maker describes a one-command install taking under 10 minutes, but responsibility for the host and its ongoing operation remains with the venue.

Pricing

Free / AGPL-3.0: free. It is billed Free forever, with no subscription or per-seat fees, and includes a self-hosted restaurant POS and management system under the AGPL-3.0 license. There is no paid lower tier to trade features for a lower bill: the practical cost is operating the server and devices yourself. No free trial is offered, and the plan's defining constraint is self-hosting rather than a stated seat quota.

Platforms

The server runs on Linux, macOS, or Windows. Staff use the web interface from devices on the same network; the product also supports offline mode and local-network operation for order-taking, billing, kitchen display, and printing. Browser access avoids requiring a separate client app for each till or tablet, while putting server setup and continuity in the operator's hands.

Who it's for

OrderRestro is best for independent restaurants that want a broad service toolkit, local-network resilience, and no subscription or per-seat charge, and have someone able to manage a self-hosted installation. It is a weaker fit for operators who want a hosted, centrally maintained service or need delivery management, employee records, payroll, accounting, or branch management now; those capabilities are planned, not current features.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Core service functions work on the local network without internet, which helps venues where connectivity is unreliable.
• Pros: The free-forever AGPL-3.0 plan has no subscription or per-seat fees, while covering POS, kitchen, floor, QR ordering, and inventory workflows.
• Pros: Browser access from networked tills, tablets, and phones lets a venue use different device types without dedicated client apps.
• Cons: Self-hosting makes server operation the restaurant's responsibility, unlike a managed hosted service.
• Cons: Delivery management and several back-office functions remain planned, limiting its fit for venues that need those workflows today.

Alternatives

Kitchen Display System Software is a useful category page for comparing kitchen display options. Consider Baresto Manager for another free, locally run open-source restaurant system; it uses the MIT license and offers optional paid installation support. Odoo Restaurant may suit readers who want a broader platform spanning Android and iOS as well as desktop and web; its One App Free plan is free for one app and unlimited users, while Standard covers all apps on Odoo Online at custom pricing.

FloCafe KDS is a free, MIT-licensed, self-hosted option for a narrower kitchen-display need, with hardware and operating costs separate. Ordering.Tools is a better match for readers prioritizing online ordering on Android, iOS, or web: its Free plan is free for 20 orders per month with no commission, while AI use has limits. HungerRush offers a qualified Starter option from $0 / Month for one location and one POS terminal, so it may suit an eligible operator seeking a different POS offering.

Lightspeed Restaurant is a paid alternative at $69 a month for Starter, which includes a customizable POS, menu manager, floor plans, Advanced Insights, offline mode, and 24/7 support. ZeusPOS KDS is a focused paid KDS choice at $150, paid once for a single license supporting up to four stations plus one special station, and requires ZeusPOS version 6.0.6 or higher. ChefDesk is another paid restaurant software option, with pricing based on outlets and modules.

Verdict

Choose OrderRestro if you want a free, locally resilient system that combines restaurant sales, kitchen, floor, and stock workflows and can take responsibility for your own server. Its breadth and lack of subscription or per-seat fees are compelling; look elsewhere if you need managed hosting or delivery and back-office capabilities that are still planned.