A self-hosted restaurant POS should make its deployment shape easy to understand. In OrderRestro, the core stack is PostgreSQL, an API, and a web app, packaged for Docker Compose.

For one branch, the recommended setup is a local server on the restaurant’s LAN. Till devices, tablets, and kitchen screens connect over the local network. The same stack can run on a VPS if remote administration or multi-branch access is needed, and a tunnel or reverse proxy can provide HTTPS without exposing a port directly.

The application is the same in each setup, but the operator’s responsibilities change. A LAN installation needs a plan for power, backups, and physical access. A VPS needs hosting and network controls. A tunnel adds remote exposure, so the public endpoint, authentication, updates, and secure cookies matter.

One easily missed setting: when the app is reached over HTTPS, the project’s setup notes call for COOKIE_SECURE=true.…