Horeko and KitchenNmbrs solve completely different restaurant problems. Horeko runs your front-of-house operations as a POS system, while KitchenNmbrs focuses on your kitchen costs and food safety. Your choice depends on what's hurting your bottom line most.
Horeko: POS system with extras
Horeko functions as your main cash register system that happens to include inventory tracking and basic reports. It's built for restaurants that want everything bundled together - orders, payments, and standard business data.
💡 Horeko strengths:
- POS system with receipt printer and payment terminal
- Table layout and orders
- Basic inventory module
- Revenue and sales reports
- Accounting integration
Everything centers around the sales floor: taking orders, processing payments, managing tables. Cost calculations exist but they're more like an add-on feature than the core focus.
KitchenNmbrs: food cost and food safety
This system operates in your kitchen, not at your register. It calculates exact recipe costs, tracks your food margins, and handles HACCP documentation. You'll still need your existing POS system - this just tells you if you're actually making money.
💡 Strengths:
- Exact cost price calculation per dish
- Automatic food cost calculation
- Comprehensive HACCP module
- Allergen registration per ingredient
- Mobile app for use in the kitchen
From analyzing actual purchasing data across different restaurant types, the real value shows up in your margins: knowing exactly what each dish costs you and spotting the menu items that are quietly eating your profits.
When do you choose Horeko?
Go with Horeko if you need a cash register first and food cost tracking is secondary.
- You don't have a POS system: Horeko replaces your cash register, receipt printer, and payment terminal
- You work a lot with tables: Table layout and orders are built-in
- Basic cost price is enough: You want to know roughly what things cost, not to the cent
- You want one system: POS and basic cost price in one package
⚠️ Note:
Horeko's cost price module offers less detail than specialized tools. For precise food cost calculations, you might find it lacking.
When do you choose specialized food cost software?
Pick the food cost specialist if you've got the POS situation handled and need to fix your food costs and compliance issues.
- You already have a POS system: You don't need a new POS system, but you do want exact cost prices
- Food cost is crucial: You want to know to the cent what each dish costs
- HACCP is important: You want comprehensive temperature and cleaning registrations
- You work a lot with delivery: No tables needed, but exact margins per dish
- Budget matters: Specialized tools cost less than a complete POS system
💡 Example situation:
You run a delivery restaurant with Thuisbezorgd. You don't have tables and use their POS system. But you do want to know exactly if your beef salad is profitable at €16.50.
For you, specialized food cost software makes more sense: you get exact food cost without paying for POS features you don't use.
Price difference and ROI
Horeko runs about €50-80 monthly as a complete POS system. Food cost calculators start at €24.99 per month. You're paying for completely different things.
- Horeko: POS + basic cost price + inventory + reporting
- Food cost specialist: Exact cost price + comprehensive HACCP + allergen registration
If your current POS works fine, paying Horeko means you're buying duplicate features. That's when the specialized option becomes the smarter financial choice.
Can they work together?
Absolutely - lots of restaurant owners run both systems for different jobs. Horeko handles the front of house while specialized software manages your kitchen operations and compliance.
⚠️ Note:
No automatic integration exists between these systems. You'll need to manually sync recipes and pricing data.
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Start free trial →How do you choose between Horeko and KitchenNmbrs?
Determine your priority
Do you mainly need a POS system, or do you want control over cost prices? If you already have a working POS system, KitchenNmbrs is probably a better fit.
Check your current systems
Inventory what you already have: POS, receipt printer, payment terminal. If you already have these, you're paying Horeko for features you don't need.
Test both systems
Both providers offer trial periods. Test them with your own recipes and menu to see which one fits your workflow better.
✨ Pro tip
Test both systems with your 3 most expensive dishes over 14 days. You'll discover which platform actually saves you money on ingredient costs versus just tracking sales data.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I use Horeko and food cost software at the same time?
Yes, you can run both systems simultaneously. Many entrepreneurs use Horeko for sales operations and specialized software for cost calculations. However, there's no automatic integration, so you'll need to manually keep data synchronized between both platforms.
Which system offers better cost price calculation accuracy?
Specialized food cost software provides more precision since that's its main focus. Horeko includes basic cost pricing features, but since it's primarily a POS system, the costing functionality isn't as comprehensive or detailed.
What's the best choice for delivery-only restaurants?
Delivery restaurants typically benefit more from dedicated food cost tools since you don't need table management features. Platforms like Thuisbezorgd already provide POS functionality, so you'd mainly need precise cost calculations and HACCP compliance rather than another POS system.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
Compare for yourself — KitchenNmbrs vs. the rest
There are multiple food cost tools on the market. KitchenNmbrs stands out through simplicity, speed, and a complete HACCP package included. Test it free for 14 days and judge for yourself.
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