Top 7 UK Restaurant Inventory Systems 2026: Boost Profits

Key Takeaways for UK Hospitality Teams

1. Integrated inventory systems like Jelly cut manual dish costing from 28 minutes to 3 minutes, saving 10-20 hours a week on invoices.
2. Jelly offers 1-week onboarding, £129 flat pricing, and delivers a proven 3% food cost reduction plus 2% GP uplift for UK venues.
3. FIFO inventory management is essential for perishables, keeps costs accurate during price swings, and supports UK accounting compliance.
4. Leading systems integrate with POS such as Square, ePOSnow, and Lightspeed to give real-time profitability and menu engineering insights.
5. Jelly helps enforce the 30/30/30/10 profitability rule, and a quick demo can unlock 2-5% margin gains in 2026.

1. Jelly: Real-Time, Chef-Friendly Profitability Control

Jelly leads the market for growing UK restaurants, pubs, and hotels with automated invoice scanning that captures every line item without manual typing. The platform connects with POS systems like Square and ePOSnow, plus accounting tools such as Xero, then updates live dish costs as ingredient prices move. Price alerts highlight every supplier increase or decrease, so teams can negotiate quickly and claim credits when needed.

The Kitchen section lets chefs build recipes by clicking ingredients already pulled from scanned invoices, with automatic unit conversions and calculations. Sales mix reports show which dishes drive both popularity and profit by using POS data to rank performance.

Pros: £129 per month flat pricing, 1-week onboarding, 3% average food cost reduction, 2% GP uplift, and about 68x ROI for customers like Amber. Cons: Designed mainly for multi-site growth operators rather than very small single-site venues. UK Pricing: £129 per location each month.

Claudio Bosi explains, “I was buried under piles of paperwork, spending endless hours just inputting data. Jelly automated it all, and I can focus on what I love.” Stuart Noble from Cairn Lodge Hotel adds, “We slashed food costs by 5% in a month, it’s a game changer!”

2. MarketMan: Supplier Management for Complex Purchasing

MarketMan focuses on supplier relationship tools with multi-vendor ordering and recipe management features for more complex buying setups. The platform supports ingredient sourcing across several suppliers and includes basic inventory tracking for stock control. However, MarketMan requires log-in and log-out across locations and offers fewer advanced recipe tools than some rivals.

The system includes supplier integration and communication tools, but often trails specialist platforms on invoice automation and detailed stock tracking. Recipe costing sits alongside features like AI-powered suggestions, while multi-location management uses a Corporate Headquarters dashboard for central oversight.

Pros: Strong supplier relationship management and an established vendor network. Cons: Noticeable learning curve for multi-location features and slower onboarding than Jelly’s 1-week setup. UK Pricing: Around £150 or more per month with variable feature costs.

MarketMan suits operators who prioritise complex supplier relationships over simplicity, although the learning curve and setup time are longer than Jelly’s streamlined approach for growing UK hospitality businesses.

3. Nory: AI Forecasting for Demand and Waste

Nory uses artificial intelligence for demand forecasting and inventory planning, giving predictive analytics for ordering and waste reduction. The platform analyses historical sales data with machine learning to predict future ingredient needs and stock levels. These AI insights help operators prepare for busy periods and adjust purchasing before issues appear.

The system offers automated reporting and trend analysis, but the AI needs a meaningful data training period before recommendations become reliable. Integrations exist with major POS systems, yet the complexity of AI setup can delay value compared with simpler automated tools.

Pros: Advanced AI forecasting, detailed analytics, and strong waste reduction insights. Cons: Longer onboarding for AI training, complex configuration, and slower time-to-value. UK Pricing: Variable, starting around £200 per month, depending on features and locations.

Nory’s AI is powerful, while Jelly delivers instant price alerts and cost visibility from day one without weeks of data training or algorithm tuning.

4. Lightspeed Restaurant: POS-Led Inventory and Menu Insights

Lightspeed Restaurant combines POS and inventory management with real-time stock counts, menu profitability tools, and multi-location inventory control. The platform connects with more than 200 hospitality tools through its Integration Hub, including hotel PMS, staff management, and loyalty systems.

Menu engineering tools analyse dish profitability and popularity so teams can refine the menu with clear data. The system tracks inventory at the ingredient level and deducts stock automatically as orders are processed. Multi-location support gives central inventory oversight for groups and franchises.

Pros: Deep POS integration, wide third-party connections, and proven multi-location performance. Cons: More complex than standalone inventory tools, requires a POS commitment, and offers limited invoice automation compared with Jelly. UK Pricing: From £99 per month with extra module costs.

Lightspeed works well for operators who want a unified POS and inventory stack, while Jelly’s focus on automated invoices and real-time costing often delivers stronger back-office efficiency.

5. Supy: Central Control for Multi-Site Chains

Supy targets multi-location restaurant chains with detailed stock tracking, recipe cost simulation, and centralised purchasing. The platform offers single-login access across all locations, which removes the multi-site access friction seen in tools like MarketMan. Advanced recipe features include parent-child menu items for complex POS setups.

The system supports supplier-specific naming and coding, structured communication tools, and deep cost analysis for recipe tweaks. Inventory tracking covers real-time stock levels and sends alerts when items reach reorder points. Multi-branch groups benefit from unified reporting and consistent processes.

Pros: Strong multi-location management, granular inventory control, and advanced recipe simulation. Cons: Interface complexity can overwhelm smaller operators, and the learning curve is steeper than Jelly’s simpler layout. UK Pricing: Around £175 per site each month.

Supy fits established chains that need detailed control, while Jelly’s faster onboarding and automation often suit independents moving into multi-site growth.

6. Access Procure Wizard: Enterprise Procurement for Large Groups

Access Procure Wizard delivers procure-to-pay functionality for large hospitality groups that need strict supplier management and compliance. The platform supports complex approval workflows, purchase orders, and detailed audit trails that suit corporate structures.

Reporting covers spend analysis, supplier performance, and compliance monitoring for finance and procurement teams. Integrations with major accounting systems support smooth financial reporting and multi-currency operations across large hotel groups and chains.

Pros: Enterprise-grade features, strong compliance tools, and robust audit trails. Cons: Over-specified for growing independents, higher implementation costs, and usually needs dedicated admin staff. UK Pricing: Custom, typically £300 or more per month for enterprise setups.

Access Procure Wizard fits large groups with full procurement teams, while Jelly’s simple automation and flat £129 pricing work better for growing restaurants, pubs, and hotels that want quick wins.

7. Kitchen Cut: Traditional Costing for Legacy Chains

Kitchen Cut offers traditional inventory management and recipe costing for established chains with stable menus and processes. The platform supports basic ingredient tracking, standard recipe management, and periodic cost reports for predictable operations.

The system includes supplier tools and core reporting but lacks real-time price alerts and dynamic costing. Integrations are available yet often need manual configuration and ongoing maintenance by back-office teams.

Pros: Long-standing platform with stable performance for traditional workflows. Cons: Higher pricing, no real-time updates, static costing, and limited automation. UK Pricing: Around £250 or more per month with extra feature charges.

Kitchen Cut suits legacy operations that prefer familiar processes, while Jelly’s live costing and automated invoice scanning deliver more value for modern, growth-focused hospitality businesses.

Why Jelly Stands Out: 30/30/30/10 Rule and Menu Engineering

The 30/30/30/10 rule allocates 30% to food, 30% to labour, 30% to overhead, and 10% to profit as a simple profitability target. Jelly’s automated invoice scanning and real-time dish costing help operators stay within these limits by exposing cost changes and margin impact immediately.

Menu engineering with sales mix reports highlights high-margin, high-popularity dishes and flags weak performers. Jelly’s POS integration calculates dish popularity and profitability automatically, which supports data-led menu changes. The GP calculator updates margins as ingredient prices shift, so pricing decisions can happen the same day.

Schedule a chat with Jelly to see how automated invoice processing and real-time profitability tracking can transform your kitchen within a week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 30/30/30/10 rule for restaurants?

The 30/30/30/10 rule is a simple framework that allocates 30% of revenue to food, 30% to labour, 30% to overheads, and 10% to profit. This benchmark helps operators protect margins while covering rent, utilities, insurance, and other fixed costs.

Real-time visibility into food and labour is essential because manual tracking often allows hidden cost creep that erodes the 10% profit slice. Integrated inventory systems like Jelly automate food cost tracking and send alerts when ingredient prices rise or portions drift, which helps teams stay close to the 30% food cost target.

What is the best inventory method for UK restaurants handling perishables?

FIFO, or First In, First Out, is the most suitable inventory valuation method for UK restaurants using perishable stock. FIFO assumes the oldest inventory sells first, which matches the physical rotation needed to avoid waste and spoilage.

This method gives an accurate cost of goods sold during inflation, because older, cheaper stock is matched to sales while newer, higher-priced items remain in inventory. FIFO is required under UK GAAP and IFRS, so it is the only compliant option for statutory reporting. Restaurants using FIFO gain clearer cash flow and pricing decisions, as the method reflects real ingredient costs during volatile markets.

How does Jelly compare to MarketMan for UK restaurants?

Jelly typically outperforms MarketMan for growing UK restaurants through faster onboarding, simpler pricing, and deeper automation. Jelly onboards in about one week, compared with 4 to 6 weeks for MarketMan, and uses a £129 flat fee instead of variable pricing from £150 upwards.

MarketMan supports multi-location access and invoice processing, while Jelly offers unified access and invoice scanning that captures every line item automatically. Jelly’s price alerts highlight supplier increases instantly, while MarketMan relies more on reporting. For operators who want quick implementation and fast savings, Jelly’s streamlined setup often delivers 3% food cost reductions and 2% GP gains sooner.

What POS systems integrate best with inventory costing tools in the UK?

Square, ePOSnow, and Lightspeed Restaurant are leading UK POS options for inventory integration and costing. These systems provide real-time sales data that supports accurate dish costing and profitability analysis. They connect with inventory tools to deduct ingredients automatically as orders are placed, which keeps stock and cost figures current.

Jelly integrates with all major UK POS systems and uses sales data to build menu engineering reports that highlight high-margin, popular dishes. The integration also updates GP calculations as ingredient prices move, which supports rapid pricing decisions. Cloud-based POS platforms usually give the most reliable real-time data flow between sales and inventory.

What is the best food costing software for UK restaurants in 2026?

Jelly leads UK food costing software in 2026 through automated invoice scanning, live dish costing, and tight POS integrations that deliver instant profitability insights. Many competitors need weeks of setup and manual data entry, while Jelly typically delivers value within one week with price alerts and live margin calculations.

The £129 flat pricing removes hidden extras and supports 3% food cost reductions plus 2% GP improvements. Jelly’s chef-friendly interface cuts dish costing time from 28 minutes to 3 minutes, so kitchen teams can keep recipes accurate without extra admin. For growing UK restaurants, pubs, and hotels, this mix of automation, speed, and proven ROI makes Jelly a strong choice.

Scale Profits with Jelly in 2026

Integrated inventory and menu costing systems now sit at the core of UK hospitality profitability in a tight 2026 market. Jelly offers a straightforward route to stronger operations through automated invoices, real-time profit tracking, and POS integrations that often deliver 2% GP improvements within the first quarter.

The path from single-site to multi-location growth needs systems that scale without heavy complexity. Jelly’s flat £129 pricing and 1-week onboarding support fast expansion while keeping cost control and margin visibility across every site. Customer stories such as Amber’s £3,000 to £4,000 monthly savings show how quickly automated inventory can pay off.

Growing restaurants, pubs, and hotels no longer have the capacity to lose 10-20 hours a week on manual paperwork while competitors automate. The 30/30/30/10 rule remains realistic when teams use tools that reveal food costs and margins in real time.

Book a demo with Jelly today to see how automated invoice scanning and live dish costing can transform your kitchen and lift profitability by 2-5% in 2026.