Written from real operator searches.
Food cost formula: calculate plate cost and price a menu
The food cost formula, worked through on a real Thai dish in baht: cost a plate with yield and sauces included, then price your menu to hit a target food cost percentage.
Kitchen display system vs kitchen printer: the real test
A kitchen display system swaps paper tickets for a screen. When a KDS earns its keep in a Thai kitchen, what it costs per screen, and when printers still win.
Cloud POS vs on-premise: the five differences that matter
A cloud POS keeps your data in a data centre; an on-premise POS keeps it on a box in your back office. The five differences that decide which one a Thai restaurant regrets.
Restaurant management system: what you actually need
What a restaurant management system really covers, which parts earn their keep at your size, and the order to switch them on. In baht, for Thai operators.
Restaurant billing software: split bills, ++ and tax invoices
What restaurant billing software has to handle at a Thai checkout: splitting a bill without re-keying it, 10% service charge and 7% VAT, PromptPay next to card, and full tax invoices on request.
iPad POS system for restaurants: the hardware you need
What restaurant POS hardware actually costs in Thailand: an iPad POS system at ฿16,900 versus a ฿6,990 Android tablet, printers, a cash drawer, and what you can skip.
Collections, start to finish.
Getting started
Set Papaya up and get your restaurant running on it — the essentials, in order.
Open guide →3 articlesFood cost & margin
Cost your recipes, cut waste and protect margin without touching the menu.
Open guide →4 articlesOnline & multi-channel ordering
Run dine-in, QR, takeaway and delivery from one menu and one kitchen queue.
Open guide →5 articlesChoosing a POS
Buy the right restaurant POS — the questions, trade-offs and fees that actually matter.
Open guide →3 articlesRunning the floor
Coursing, floor plans, staff and service — the day-to-day of a busy room.
Open guide →How you compare.
Restaurant revenue, average check & covers benchmarks by segment (2026)
Typical monthly revenue per outlet, average check, covers per day and revenue growth across restaurant segments — a yardstick for restaurateurs and F&B managers sizing up performance.
Read the report →MarginsRestaurant food cost, labour & prime cost benchmarks by segment (2026)
What healthy food cost, labour and prime cost percentages look like across restaurant segments — from quick-service to fine dining — and how to read your own numbers against the band.
Read the report →Calculators that answer the question on the spot.
No sign-up, no email wall. Plug in your numbers and get the answer — then read the guide that explains what to do with it.
Food cost calculator
Enter ingredient costs and yield to get a true plate cost and the margin at your menu price.
Menu price calculator
Work backwards from a target food-cost % to the price you should be charging for each dish.
Break-even calculator
Fixed costs, prime cost and average ticket in — covers-per-day to break even out.
Shopping around? See the honest comparison.
Side-by-side on the things that decide it — offline behaviour, real payment fees, ordering, inventory and lock-in. We show where Papaya wins and where it doesn't.
Compare Papaya vs the rest →One operator-grade idea in your inbox, every Tuesday.
A short read on margins, menus and turning tables — the same thinking we use with Papaya venues. No spam, unsubscribe in a tap.
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