Texas runs hospitality at scale — over 50,000 restaurants from Tex-Mex in San Antonio to brisket in the Hill Country to Austin's food truck capital. Katalyst OS handles Texas-volume operations, TABC alcohol compliance, and the modifier complexity Tex-Mex menus demand.
We support restaurants, bars, food trucks, and event venues across Texas — from Houston to McKinney and every region in between.
Greater Houston · Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex · Austin Metro · San Antonio Metro · Rio Grande Valley · West Texas · East Texas · Hill Country
Texas restaurant operations span everything: legendary BBQ joints selling brisket by the pound and running a full restaurant from the same kitchen, Tex-Mex chains with modifier menus longer than most operators' entire SKU lists, Austin's food truck parks where 8 trucks share a single bar, and the steakhouse / fine-dining scene that's emerged in Dallas and Houston as the state's wealth has compounded.
Texas tax setup is comparatively clean: 6.25% state sales tax plus local jurisdictions up to 2%, with most major cities running 8.25% total (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio all hit the cap). Mixed beverage gross receipts tax (TABC) adds 6.7% on alcohol-only operations and is reported separately — Katalyst tracks the alcohol and non-alcohol lines independently for clean Texas Comptroller filings.
Texas restaurants benefit from no state income tax, which simplifies tip distribution and shifts more of staff comp into base + tips. Federal minimum wage applies; no statewide paid sick leave law (though Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio have local ordinances that have been challenged in court). Katalyst's tip pooling handles the federal DOL distinction between tipped and non-tipped staff cleanly.
Restaurant scenes, seasonal patterns, and tax regimes specific to Texas that generic POS systems handle poorly. Here’s how Katalyst is set up for them out of the box.
Most Texas BBQ spots sell brisket / ribs / sausage by the pound at the counter and run a full restaurant from the same kitchen. Katalyst handles both lines on one POS — retail (by-the-pound, no service charge) and dine-in (full menu, tip line) — with one inventory pool and one customer database.
Salsa choice, queso add, sour cream side, rice/beans/charro beans, flour vs corn, chicken/beef/al pastor/carnitas — Tex-Mex modifier groups are deeper than almost any other category. Katalyst's modifier shortcuts get a fully customised order in under three taps.
ATX food parks commonly run 6–10 trucks sharing a single bar and event space. Katalyst handles multi-truck operations with per-truck revenue centres, shared bar inventory, and combined park-level reporting for the operator running the lease.
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs 20 days; San Antonio Fiesta runs 11. Katalyst's offline-first transaction recording and capacity throttling handle pop-up service at festival scale without dropping tickets.
50,000+ restaurant establishments
BLS QCEW data — 2nd largest restaurant state
Sales tax 6.25% state + local up to 2%
Houston/Dallas/Austin/San Antonio all hit 8.25%
Mixed beverage tax 6.7% (TABC)
Katalyst reports alcohol lines separately for Comptroller filings
Yes. The 6.7% mixed beverage gross receipts tax on alcohol-only operations is tracked separately from the standard 6.25%+local sales tax on food. Katalyst's reports break out alcohol revenue, mixed beverage tax due, and non-alcohol food sales for clean Texas Comptroller filings.
Yes. Both lines run on one Katalyst POS as separate revenue centres: by-the-pound retail (no service charge, retail pricing) and dine-in restaurant (full menu, tip line, standard pricing). Shared inventory pool means the same brisket count drives both retail and restaurant deductions.
Yes. Multi-truck parks run per-truck revenue centres on one Katalyst account, with shared bar inventory and combined park-level reporting. Common Austin pattern: 6–10 trucks + central bar + event space, all on one Katalyst, one customer database for loyalty across the park.
Offline-first transaction recording: if connectivity drops at the rodeo grounds or fairgrounds, transactions queue locally and sync the moment cellular returns. Capacity throttling and order pacing keep the kitchen from drowning when 400 people queue up at the gate.
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.
