Set up your café POS in 15 minutes

6 min readUpdated
In shortPufferPOS runs in the browser on a phone, tablet or PC you already own. You create an account, name your business, add your menu (or start with demo items), invite staff, and you are ready to take orders, usually within 15 minutes and with no credit card.
On this page
  1. What you need
  2. Create your account and business
  3. Add your menu
  4. Invite your team
  5. Take your first order
  6. Add PufferPOS to your home screen
  7. Common questions

What you need

  • A phone, tablet or computer with a modern browser (Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox).
  • An internet connection.
  • Your menu: a photo of it, a spreadsheet, or just the item names and prices.
  • Optional: a thermal receipt printer. See the printer guide.

Setup checklist

0 of 6 done

Create your account and business

  1. Start the free trial

    Open pufferpos.com and choose “Start free trial”. Sign up with Google or with your email. You get 14 days of full access, including AI, with no credit card.

  2. Name your business

    This is the name your team and your guests see, on the menu and on receipts.

  3. Add your logo (or skip)

    You can change it any time from Settings.

  4. Pick your business type

    Café, restaurant or workspace. PufferPOS uses it to suggest the right screens.

  5. Demo menu or empty start

    Choose “Yes, add demo data” to explore with sample items and orders first. Choose “Start with an empty space” if you are ready to add your own menu.

Tip

Not sure? Start with demo data. You can delete the sample items later from Products.

Add your menu

Go to Control panel → Products. Add items one by one, import a CSV or Excel file, or upload up to six photos of your paper menu and let AI read it for you. You review everything before it is saved.

Full menu guide →

Invite your team

Open Settings → Team and invite people by email. Give each person a role: Manager, Cashier or Reception. Each role sees only what it needs, so a cashier cannot change prices or see the owner’s reports.

Tip

Starter includes 5 accounts per branch, Growth includes 15. The owner counts as one.

Take your first order

The PufferPOS cashier with an order of four items

  1. Open the cashier

    Tap POS. Pick the order type: takeaway or dine in (choose a table for dine in).

    /pos

  2. Add items

    Tap an item to add it. If it has sizes or extras, choose them and tap “Add to order”.

  3. Take payment

    Choose cash, card or wallet (such as InstaPay or Vodafone Cash) and confirm. The order goes to the kitchen screen and to your reports straight away.

  4. Print or share the receipt

    Print it on your receipt printer, or share the receipt link with the guest.

Connect a receipt printer →Run your day: shifts and cash →

Add PufferPOS to your home screen

PufferPOS works as an installable web app. In Chrome or Edge choose “Install app”; on iPhone or iPad tap Share → “Add to Home Screen”. It then opens full screen like a normal app.

Common questions

Do I need special POS hardware?

No. Any device with a modern browser works. A receipt printer is optional.

Does it work without internet?

PufferPOS needs an internet connection to save orders. Keep a mobile hotspot as a backup for your shop Wi-Fi.

Can I use it in Arabic?

Yes. Every screen is available in Arabic and English, and each person can choose their language.

Next guideCreate your menu and QR menu, even from a photo
YOUR NEXT SHIFT, A LITTLE LIGHTER

A better shift
starts here.

Try PufferPOS with your own menu and team. Or tell us about your place and we’ll help you see if it fits.

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14-day trial · No credit card required