Self-order terminals usually come as one package. The vendor sells you the hardware and the software together, and you pay for both. If you already own kiosks that still work, that’s money spent on screens you didn’t need to replace.
ORDERMONKEY works differently. The software also runs on other brands of kiosk hardware, including many Windows-based terminals that restaurants already have. If yours pass a compatibility check, we can set them up to run ORDERMONKEY.
Here’s how that works, what it costs, and when buying new hardware is the better choice.
You’re Not Locked Into ORDERMONKEY Hardware
Many kiosk vendors sell you a device with their software locked to it. That works until you want to change something. If the software stops suiting you, the hardware usually has to go with it, meaning you could possibly pay for kiosks again.
ORDERMONKEY is built the other way around. Our kiosk ordering software is the product, and the technology behind it is designed to work with many different kiosk hardware, not only with devices that we have. The software also connects to your POS, so the system you already run in your business can stay and be integrated with ours.
This becomes important when you’re setting up self-order terminals for the first time. The hardware is the visible cost, so it can be a turning point for many businesses. Separate the two, and you can start with the software, then replace the screens when they’re actually due.
Keep Your Existing Kiosks and Run ORDERMONKEY on Them
If your current kiosks run on Windows, there’s a high chance they can run ORDERMONKEY too. Windows-based terminals are the most common fit, though whether a specific device qualifies depends on a compatibility check.
The check itself is simple. You send us the details of the kiosks you have, and we tell you whether ORDERMONKEY can run on them. If it can, we handle the setup and walk you through each step.
For your guests and your team, the change happens on the screen. The kiosk itself stays where it is, on the same counter, with the same cables.
When New Kiosk Hardware Is the Better Choice
Reusing your current kiosks might not be the answer for every restaurant. Some are too old to be working correctly, and some restaurants would rather start with a new device than adapt an old one.
In those cases, a new kiosk is the better route. Because ORDERMONKEY is hardware-independent, you can choose a compatible new device and run our software on it the same way.
A new kiosk usually makes sense in a few situations:
Your current kiosks are near the end of their life: If they’re already close to replacement, setting them up may only add a little extra use.
You’re opening a new location: With no hardware in place yet, there’s nothing to reuse.
You want the simplest setup: A new, compatible device runs ORDERMONKEY without a compatibility check.
Whichever route you take, the software works the same way.
Why Choosing the Right Software Matters
The value in a self-ordering setup sits mostly in the software. The screen is the part your guests touch, but the software holds your menu, your prices, your upsell prompts, and the order data that comes back to you. It also connects to your POS, and it’s what you manage day-to-day from the Back Office.
That difference shows up when your hardware situation changes. Say you take over a second location and it came with kiosks from the previous tenant. With a software-first setup, the first move is to check whether those kiosks qualify. If they do, you could be taking orders through ORDERMONKEY without buying a device.
The same holds later on. If you add a third location with different hardware, the software can usually run there too. And if you move to a new device in a year or two, you’re changing the screen rather than rebuilding your ordering setup.
Hardware ages. Menus change, prices change, and your ordering system needs to keep up with both. That’s a good reason to choose the software carefully and treat the hardware as the part you can swap.
Start With What You Already Have
If the cost of new hardware is what’s slowing down your decision on self-order terminals, it’s worth checking what you already own first. Windows-based kiosks can often run ORDERMONKEY after a check and a one-time setup, and a new compatible device is an option if you’d rather start fresh.
Either way, the hardware decision stays with you, and you can make it on your own timeline rather than the vendor’s.
Already have kiosks? Contact us to check if it can run ORDERMONKEY.
