Maryland's restaurant scene runs the Maryland Blue Crab tradition, Baltimore Inner Harbor seafood tourism, Bethesda/Rockville DC-suburb dining (NIH, NIST, government contractors), and the Annapolis Naval Academy + sailing tourism economy. Katalyst OS handles MD's $15/hr minimum wage, the 9% alcohol-specific tax, and the crab-house operational quirks that define Maryland dining.
We support restaurants, bars, food trucks, and event venues across Maryland — from Baltimore to Glen Burnie and every region in between.
Greater Baltimore · DC Suburbs (Montgomery / Prince George's) · Annapolis / Anne Arundel · Eastern Shore · Western Maryland · Southern Maryland · Frederick / Northern MD · Salisbury / Lower Eastern Shore
Maryland restaurant operations split across three distinct markets. Baltimore's Inner Harbor anchors a seafood-and-tourism economy with crab-house traditions that define the regional cuisine (steamed Maryland Blue Crabs by the dozen, crab cakes, Old Bay seasoning on everything). Bethesda, Rockville, and Silver Spring function as DC suburb dining — NIH researchers, NIST scientists, government contractors, and Capitol Hill commuters dining on the Maryland side of the line. Annapolis runs the state capital + Naval Academy + sailing tourism economy.
Maryland's tax setup is among the simplest on the East Coast: 6% state sales tax with no county or local add-ons on prepared food. Alcohol carries a separate 9% sales tax — important for bars and restaurants with significant alcohol revenue, which Katalyst tracks on a separate tax line. Hot prepared food and dine-in are at the standard 6% rate; some grocery items are exempt.
Maryland labor compliance steps up significantly in 2026: state minimum wage is $15/hr, tipped minimum is $3.63/hr + tips making up to $15. No state Fair Workweek scheduling. Maryland Healthy Working Families Act requires earned sick leave (1 hour per 30 worked, up to 40 hours/year for businesses with 15+ employees). Tip pooling follows MD DOL rules with manager exclusion.
Restaurant scenes, seasonal patterns, and tax regimes specific to Maryland that generic POS systems handle poorly. Here’s how Katalyst is set up for them out of the box.
Crab houses run uniquely — steamed crabs sold by the dozen at market price, brown-paper tables, Old Bay shaker on every table. Katalyst handles market-price item pricing (changes daily), bushel-and-dozen volume modifiers, and the by-the-pound retail crab sales many crab houses run alongside dine-in.
NIH, NIST, gov contractor, and Capitol Hill commuter customer base. Expense-account dinners, lunch-hour volume from Pentagon and federal-agency offices, and the Metro-walking-distance density of Bethesda Row, Rockville Pike, and downtown Silver Spring all handled.
Naval Academy graduation weekends, Commissioning Week, year-round midshipmen / officer family dining, plus Annapolis sailing season (April–October) bring distinctive seasonal patterns. Katalyst handles the surge weeks and the historic-district + waterfront workflows Annapolis operators run.
Alcohol carries a 9% sales tax separate from the 6% standard rate — significant for bars, taverns, and restaurants with serious wine programs. Katalyst tracks alcohol revenue and the 9% tax line separately for clean Comptroller of Maryland filings.
11,000+ restaurant establishments
BLS QCEW data — Baltimore + DC suburbs dominate
Sales tax 6% state + 9% on alcohol
No county or local sales tax variation
MD minimum wage $15/hr (2026)
tipped $3.63/hr + tips making up to $15
Yes. Maryland's 6% standard sales tax on food and dine-in plus the 9% alcohol-specific sales tax tracked on separate lines automatically. Restaurants with significant alcohol revenue (bars, wine programs, taverns) see the alcohol tax broken out for clean Comptroller of Maryland filings.
Yes. Market-price item pricing for steamed crabs (prices change daily based on supply), bushel-and-dozen volume modifiers, brown-paper-table workflow (minimal POS interaction for the table experience), and by-the-pound retail crab sales for the takeout crab market many crab houses run.
Yes. The Maryland Healthy Working Families Act earned sick leave accrual (1 hour per 30 worked, up to 40 hours/year for businesses with 15+ employees) is tracked at the employee level with audit-trail reports the MD Department of Labor requires.
Expense-account workflows, government-shutdown surge patterns, Metro-walking-distance reservation depth, and the corporate-account billing that Bethesda / Rockville / Silver Spring restaurants need for NIH, NIST, and federal contractor clientele all built in.
Ever wondered what sets Katalyst OS apart from the rest? Here are the details.
| Feature | Katalyst OS | Toast | Aloha | SpotOn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud point of sale | ||||
| Payment processing | ||||
| Reservations | ||||
| Waitlist and table management | ||||
| Loyalty program | ||||
| Gift card program | ||||
| Kitchen display system | ||||
| Handhelds | ||||
| QR code order and pay at table | ||||
| Online ordering | ||||
| Catering | ||||
| Dual pricing capable | ||||
| Branded mobile app | ||||
| Self-order kiosk | ||||
| Open API |
POS systems aren’t one-size-fits-all. Katalyst is tuned for the kinds of operators who actually use it day to day.
Coffee shops, convenience stores, and retail of all sizes use POS systems to process payments, run loyalty programs, and update menus and pricing in real time.
From fine dining to fast food, every restaurant uses a POS system. Operators rely on POS software because it makes their day easier — taking orders, managing tables and reservations, and processing payments efficiently.
POS systems let food trucks ditch the cash register and take orders and process payments on the go. They also generate sales reports that help operators understand peak times and sales trends.
A bar POS supports order accuracy, inventory tracking, and tab management. Katalyst OS also generates detailed reports on sales and customer behaviour, helping bar owners make informed decisions.
Small and large event venues use POS systems as mobile cash registers for ticketing, food and drink sales, and merchandise.
POS systems help manage reservations and assign rooms to guests. They’re also useful for tracking food and cleaning supplies inventory and handling billing for room charges, meals, and add-on services.
POS systems support catering with everything from invoicing to inventory control, and store past clients’ information and preferences for future marketing.
Four things Katalyst handles natively that most POS systems leave you to integrate yourself.
Katalyst OS evolves and grows along with your business. Unlike rigid POS systems, our Flex POS makes integrating new features easy — open new locations and add third-party apps without waiting for your POS to catch up.
Katalyst OS gives you an inside look at customer preferences. From the moment you start using it, guest information and preferences are stored securely. Use our analytics and reporting feature to export customer details for personalised marketing campaigns and stronger guest engagement.
Our online ordering feature eliminates the middleman, saving you and your customers time and money. Guests can order takeout and large-party catering all in one place — and capture orders outside traditional operating hours.
Make sure your kitchen runs smoothly from open to close with Katalyst’s kitchen display system. By directing orders straight from customer to chef, this feature streamlines workflow while minimising errors and improving order accuracy.
“Wait… I can see what is going on without being there?”
“Katalyst is a diamond in the rough. All these companies come in and tell you what they are going to do and never do it. Katalyst sets your expectations correctly and follows through.”
“The analysis Katalyst provided me literally saved me thousands of dollars and I would have never noticed any of it unless the team at Katalyst brought it to my attention.”
A point of sale (POS) system processes payments, updates inventory, and tracks sales and customer data. When a customer places an order, an employee enters the items on the POS. The system calculates the cost and processes the payment — cash, card, or mobile. Katalyst OS automatically updates inventory by deducting items sold, keeping stock counts accurate in real time. Every transaction is recorded, so you can pull sales and trend reports as often as you like.
Katalyst OS is an example of an all-inclusive POS. We provide standard POS services such as payment processing, online ordering, and table management — and we don’t stop there. Unlike most POS systems on the market, our solution includes 24/7 support, a branded mobile app, gift card and loyalty programs, and reservations, all in one platform.
Katalyst OS handles the entire payment process end-to-end. Once a server enters the items being purchased, the POS calculates the total — applying tax and discounts automatically. Customers can tap their phone, swipe a card, or pay in cash. Once payment is approved (usually a few seconds), the POS prints a receipt or sends one to the guest’s email. Sale records and inventory levels update automatically to reflect the transaction.
Other states we serve:
A 30-minute walkthrough of the platform, tuned to how your operation actually runs.
