No cloud dependency. No hidden fees. No contracts. Bonsai POS runs on your Windows laptop or tablet — fast, offline-ready, and built for food trucks, cafes, and small restaurants.
No credit card required · Setup in under 5 minutes · Cancel anytime
Built by someone who actually understands the food business. No bloat, no fluff — just the tools that make your day faster.
Tap menu items, scan barcodes, or use keyboard shortcuts (F1/F2/F3). Global search finds any item instantly with Ctrl+F. Favorites row shows your top 8 sellers.
Built-in KDS screen shows incoming orders in real time. Auto-print kitchen tickets with seat numbers, courses, and special instructions. Bump items as they're completed.
Running low on brisket? One tap marks it 86'd. It instantly greys out on the POS so no one can ring it up. Un-86 it when you restock. Perfect for food trucks.
Park a ticket mid-order and start a new one. Recall it anytime. Great for when a customer says "I'll be right back" or you're juggling walk-up and phone orders.
Cash, card, split tender, gift cards — all supported. Quick-discount buttons ($1, $2, $5, 10%, 15%, 20%) let you apply deals in seconds. Tip prompts on card.
Sales summary, product mix, labor cost, cash over/short — all the reports you need at close. One-click end-of-day closeout with batch reconciliation.
Link ingredients to menu items with recipes. When you sell a burger, stock decreases automatically. Low-stock alerts tell you when to reorder.
Role-based access (Admin, Manager, Cashier). PIN-protected voids, refunds, and discounts. Clock-in/out with labor tracking. Schedule shifts.
Your data is backed up daily — automatically, on your machine. Keep 14 days of rolling backups. One-click restore if anything goes sideways. Your data stays yours.
Works offline when you're parked in a dead zone. Fast item entry for rush lines. 86'd toggle when you run out mid-service.
Modifier groups for milk types, sizes, and add-ons. Quick combos. Receipt and kitchen printer support. Tip prompts.
Table management, seat/course tracking, split checks. Kitchen display with bump bar. End-of-day closeout with batch reconciliation.
Portable. Runs on a $200 laptop. No internet needed. Set up in minutes. Take it down just as fast. Pay only for the months you use.
A real POS interface — not a web app pretending to be one. Runs natively on Windows with keyboard shortcuts for speed.
Simulated interface. Actual app runs natively on your Windows PC.
No per-transaction fees. No hardware lock-in. No contracts. Pay monthly, cancel anytime.
| Bonsai POS | Square / Toast / Clover | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | From $19 | $60 - $165+ |
| Per-transaction fee | None | 2.6% - 3.5% + 10-30¢ |
| Works offline | Yes, always | Limited / unreliable |
| Contract required | No contract | Often 1-2 year lock-in |
| Hardware lock-in | Any Windows PC | Proprietary hardware |
| Your data | On your machine | Locked in their cloud |
| Kitchen display | Included | $50+/mo add-on |
| Setup time | 5 minutes | Days to weeks |
Join food trucks, cafes, and restaurants that chose simple over complicated. 14-day free trial — no credit card, no commitment.