Load-shedding remains one of the biggest challenges facing South African restaurants. When the power goes out, orders stop, kitchens shut down, and revenue disappears. But it does not have to be that way.

With the right combination of technology and preparation, your restaurant can keep serving customers even during Stage 6. Here is how top-performing restaurants across South Africa are doing it.

Go offline-first with your POS

The most important investment you can make is a POS system that works offline. Tafura, for instance, uses IndexedDB to cache your full menu, pricing rules, and recent orders locally on each device. When the connection drops, orders continue to flow and sync automatically when power returns.

Keep at least two tablets charged at all times. A fully charged iPad can run for 8-10 hours, well beyond any load-shedding stage.

Invest in a UPS for your router

A small UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for your WiFi router costs around R800-R1,500 and keeps your network alive for 2-4 hours. This means QR code ordering, kitchen displays on tablets, and payment processing all continue working.

Pair this with a mobile data fallback (most modern routers support USB dongles) and you have near-100% uptime.

Simplify your menu during outages

Create a "load-shedding menu" with items that require minimal cooking or can be prepared on gas. Many successful restaurants pre-configure this in their POS and switch with a single tap when the lights go out.

This reduces kitchen stress and customer wait times, turning a weakness into a competitive advantage.

Communicate proactively

Use push notifications or WhatsApp to inform loyal customers about your load-shedding readiness. Phrases like "We stay open when others close" build trust and drive repeat visits.

Post your load-shedding schedule on your door and social media so customers know exactly when you are available.