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Quick Byte

Inspiration

Through exposure to the restaurant operation process by working in our family's restaurant, we gained insight into the inefficiencies of current systems. Many small businesses rely on an outdated point-of-sale ecosystem, and new POS systems are difficult to integrate because they can be inaccessible or expensive, especially when they require specific hardware.

We also noticed other gaps in the market. Many platforms focus on customer convenience, but fewer prioritize the operational challenges restaurant owners face. Services like Chowbus promise streamlined services for restaurant owners, but they can come at a high cost with limited optimization and unclear pricing. These challenges worsen an already difficult reality for restaurant owners: around 20% of restaurants close within their first year, and only around 50% survive the first five years.

So we created QuickBYTE, an open-source point-of-sale system that optimizes restaurant operations at no cost and is accessible through any device. Because it is open source, restaurants do not need to buy a new computer or commit to expensive hardware. Unlike many competitors, QuickBYTE is not locked behind a paywall and is not static.

What it does

We built QuickBYTE as a full-stack restaurant POS and kitchen management system with four core views: Cashier, Kitchen, Packer, and Manager.

The Cashier view handles order creation. It works like an intuitive POS system with menu tiles, categories, item modifiers, customer names, dine-in and takeout options, and receipt scanning. We also added OCR so restaurants can upload or take a picture of an external receipt, such as a DoorDash or third-party order, and bring that order into their own internal system instead of manually re-entering everything.

The Kitchen view is focused on prep. Instead of only showing a chronological list of tickets, it consolidates similar items into batches. For example, if multiple orders all need General Tso’s Chicken, the kitchen can see that as one combined prep task. The logic also goes beyond simple aggregation by considering order completion, wait time, and order complexity, so the kitchen is not just cooking efficiently, but also helping orders get finished in a smarter sequence.

The Packer view helps staff track what is ready, what is almost ready, and what still needs attention. It shows progress by order, item completion, and priority ranking so packers know which orders to focus on and when to serve customers.

The Manager view supports menu and inventory management. It gives owners a place to update menu items, track inventory, and eventually view suggestions and statistics that can help with day-to-day business decisions.

We also incorporated translation support to better accommodate multilingual teams. Many restaurants have staff from different language backgrounds, so we wanted the system to reduce miscommunication between the cashier, kitchen, packer, and manager views.

How we built it

We built QuickBYTE as a full-stack web application using a React and Vite frontend, a Node.js and Express backend, and Supabase PostgreSQL for the database. The frontend is organized around four role-based views: Cashier, Kitchen, Packer, and Manager, each designed around a different part of the restaurant workflow.

The backend provides custom Express API routes for loading menus, creating orders, tracking active orders, batching kitchen prep tasks, updating order statuses, and scanning receipts. Supabase stores menu items, modifiers, orders, order items, customer information, and status data, allowing the app to stay synced across views.

We also integrated Tesseract.js, Multer, and Sharp for free local OCR receipt scanning, which lets restaurants upload or capture receipts and convert them into editable order data. The frontend is deployed on Vercel, the backend is deployed on Render, and GitHub was used for version control and collaboration.

Challenges we ran into

One major challenge was coordinating development across multiple views while keeping shared order data consistent, which led to merge conflicts and required clear division of work. We also had to choose a practical stack that balanced reliability, usability, and simplicity for small business owners.

OCR added another layer of difficulty because the system needed to understand receipt context, such as distinguishing a side like White Rice from a separate dish. Deployment was also a learning curve, since the frontend, backend, and database had to be hosted separately while still communicating smoothly in production.

Accomplishments that we’re proud of

We are proud that QuickBYTE is built specifically for small restaurants, with a focus on being affordable, accessible, and easy to adopt. The four-view workflow gives each role a clear purpose: Cashier creates orders, Kitchen batches and prioritizes prep, Packer tracks completion, and Manager handles operations.

We are also proud of the OCR receipt scanning, which helps consolidate external orders into one system, and the Kitchen batching logic, which goes beyond basic ticket display by suggesting smarter prep priorities. Most importantly, Quick Byte can run on everyday devices like iPads, phones, and laptops, so restaurants do not need expensive hardware to modernize.

What we learned

We learned a lot about full-stack development, including frontend design, backend API structure, database schema design, deployment, OCR parsing, and translation workflows.

We also learned that restaurant software is not just about taking orders. It is about communication and coordination. The cashier, kitchen, packer, and manager all need different information at different moments. If one part of the workflow is unclear, the entire operation can slow down.

Another major lesson was that simple does not mean basic. A good system for small business owners should be intuitive, reliable, and easy to set up, while still handling the complexity of real restaurant workflows in the background.

We also spent time researching existing systems and the pain points small restaurant owners face. Many products are either too expensive, too rigid, too outdated, or too focused on displaying orders rather than helping teams make better operational decisions.

What’s next for Quick Byte

Next, we want to make QuickBYTE more customizable and easier for restaurants to set up. This includes expanding the Manager view with better inventory suggestions, sales statistics, and menu analytics so owners can better understand what is selling, what needs restocking, and how to improve daily operations.

We also want to improve translation, OCR accuracy, and the Kitchen/Packer logic so teams can communicate clearly and make smarter prep and packing decisions during busy periods.

A major next step is adding more automation around setup and customization. Instead of manually entering everything, restaurants could import Excel sheets, existing menus, receipts, or third-party order data, and Quick Byte would automatically help build the menu, modifiers, inventory, and workflows around their specific business.

The long-term goal is for Quick Byte to be an affordable, flexible system that runs on devices restaurants already have while adapting to the way each small business actually works.

To test our view... you're the manager! username: pho password: 12345