MC-POS vs Foodics: which restaurant POS for Saudi Arabia and the UAE in 2026?
Quick answer
Foodics is the best known restaurant POS in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf — a Riyadh company with its own payments, hardware and a large field team, priced per branch per month with add-ons. MC-POS Cloud is the better pick if you want tables, KOT per kitchen, the waiter app, QR menu, online ordering and full accounting in one yearly price — $120 a year for 4 users — with ZATCA Phase 2 and UAE e-invoicing built in, no cut of your sales, and apps that bill fully offline on Android, iOS, Windows and macOS.
Foodics's UAE list shows Starter, Basic and Advanced at AED 199, 375 and 556 a month per branch, billed yearly; Saudi pricing is on request.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | MC-POS Cloud | Foodics |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Restaurant Full Suite $120 a year for 4 users (admin, waiter, kitchen, cashier), tax extra; free to start | UAE list: Starter AED 199, Basic AED 375, Advanced AED 556 a month per branch, billed yearly. Saudi Arabia: price on request. Add-ons extra |
| Payments | Any card machine or bank — MC-POS takes no cut of sales | Foodics Pay available; card rates on its help pages |
| Apps | Native apps for Android, iOS, Windows and macOS, plus web | Cloud POS; devices not listed on the price list we could read |
| Works offline | Yes — full billing with no internet; syncs when back online | Not listed on the price list we could read |
| Kitchen | KOT printed at each kitchen or bar (Item, Note, Qty), own paper width per printer, or a kitchen login on a screen | Kitchen display sold as an add-on |
| Waiter app | Waiter app on the waiter's own phone; waiter name stays on the bill | Waiter app sold as an add-on |
| QR menu ordering | QR menu ordering at the table, built in; location fence blocks orders from outside | Not listed on the price list we could read |
| Online ordering | Own online ordering and WhatsApp ordering, no commission | Online ordering add-on |
| Bills | Split bills, service charge, tips, item and bill discounts | Not listed on the price list we could read |
| Accounting | Built in — full accounting on every paid plan | Through integrations (marketplace) |
| ZATCA / UAE e-invoicing | Saudi ZATCA and UAE VAT e-invoicing built in (Advanced plan) | Says it is ZATCA compliant (vendor claim) |
| Arabic and English bills | Yes — Arabic, English and 20+ languages | Yes |
| Countries | Worldwide | Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Egypt and the Gulf |
Price: per branch per month vs one plan per year
Foodics prices per branch per month. Its UAE list shows Starter AED 199, Basic AED 375 and Advanced AED 556 a month, billed yearly — so a single branch on Basic pays about AED 4,500 a year before add-ons such as the kitchen display and waiter app. Saudi prices are given on request.
MC-POS prices one plan per year, not per branch, device or terminal. The Restaurant Full Suite is $120 a year (about SAR 450 / AED 440) for 4 users and includes tables, KOT per kitchen, the waiter app, QR menu, commission-free online ordering, menu stock, purchases and full accounting. MC-POS takes no cut of your sales. See MC-POS pricing.
ZATCA Phase 2 and UAE e-invoicing
In MC-POS every bill from a Saudi till is a ZATCA Phase 2 e-invoice: the till is onboarded once as its own EGS unit, diner bills (simplified invoices) are signed with the QR code and reported within 24 hours — offline bills are reported when the till is back online — and company invoices are cleared live. MC-POS passes ZATCA's compliance checks per unit. In the UAE, diner bills carry 5% VAT and your TRN; company and catering invoices are prepared for the Accredited Service Provider you appoint from 2027. Read the ZATCA restaurant guide and the UAE restaurant e-invoicing guide.
Foodics says it is ZATCA compliant. We could not read the detail on its pages, so ask them how offline bills are signed and reported.
Payments: Foodics Pay vs any card machine
Foodics offers its own payments, Foodics Pay, and a marketplace of add-ons. That is convenient if you want one vendor for everything. MC-POS does not process payments and takes no cut of your sales: use the bank card machine you already have — mada, Visa, Mastercard, STC Pay — and record the tender on the bill. Split bills, service charge and tips are built in.
KOT, kitchen display and the waiter app
In MC-POS each kitchen or bar gets a KOT with only its own items — Item, Note and Qty — with the table and the waiter's name; each printer has its own paper width and line feed, and a kitchen login can show orders on a screen. The waiter app runs on the waiter's own Android or iPhone. All of this is in the Restaurant Full Suite. Foodics sells the kitchen display and the waiter app as add-ons on top of the bundle.
Offline billing and devices
MC-POS has native apps for Android, iOS, Windows and macOS that bill, print KOTs and keep tables with no internet, then sync. Foodics is a cloud POS; its public price list does not say what keeps working offline, so ask them before you buy — a mall food court with weak Wi-Fi will find out fast.
Which one should you choose?
Choose MC-POS Cloud if
- You want one yearly price with KOT, waiter app, QR menu and online ordering included
- You want no cut of your sales and to keep your own card machine
- You need ZATCA Phase 2 or UAE e-invoicing with offline bills still reported
- You want accounting inside the POS
- You run Windows or Mac at the counter, or Android and iPhone for waiters
Choose Foodics if
- You want one Gulf vendor for software, payments and hardware
- You want a large local field team and onsite support in Saudi Arabia
- You rely on its marketplace of add-ons and integrations
Frequently asked questions
Is MC-POS a good Foodics alternative?
Yes. MC-POS Cloud has ZATCA Phase 2 and UAE e-invoicing built in, KOT per kitchen, a waiter app, QR menu and online ordering at $120 a year for 4 users, with no cut of sales and full offline billing. Foodics is the better pick if you want its own payments and a large local field team.
How much does Foodics cost?
Its UAE price list shows Starter AED 199, Basic AED 375 and Advanced AED 556 a month per branch, billed yearly, with add-ons extra. Saudi Arabia pricing is on request.
Is MC-POS ZATCA approved?
ZATCA does not approve software; it checks each e-invoicing unit. Every MC-POS till is onboarded as its own unit and passes ZATCA's compliance checks; diner bills are signed with the QR code and reported within 24 hours, company invoices are cleared live.
Does MC-POS take a percentage of card sales like Foodics Pay?
No. MC-POS does not process payments and takes no cut. You keep your bank's card machine and record the tender on the bill.
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