Updated
Agree on the names before testing the equipment
Ask the owner and a Tamil-reading kitchen colleague to approve the spelling of a small test menu. Include a short name, a longer name and two dishes that differ by one important word. Use your actual preparation names so staff can distinguish variants without guessing.
For a simple practice order, start with the three examples below. They are sample text, not a software import format. Keep your item codes and prices unchanged when testing names; do not create duplicate live menu items just to compare languages.
- இட்லி — Idli: quantity 2
- தோசை — Dosa: quantity 1
- காபி — Coffee: quantity 1
Use one test sheet for every output
The sample below deliberately mixes short names, similar prefixes and a longer name. Copy each complete name from the downloadable UTF-8 text sheet into a supervised demo using the supported menu process. Have a Tamil-reading colleague approve or replace the names before testing. Quantities are test values, not recommended portions or live kitchen instructions.
Write a separate result for the saved menu, captain screen, KOT paper and customer receipt. Mark each as readable, needs correction or not tested. Keep English labels on your test sheet for identification; they do not imply that the software automatically translates menu names or prints two languages.
| Tamil sample | English identification | Test quantity and check |
|---|---|---|
| இட்லி | Idli | 2 — confirm the full short name and quantity. |
| தோசை | Dosa | 1 — inspect vowel marks on screen and paper. |
| காபி | Coffee | 12 — keep two-digit quantity separate from the name. |
| வெங்காய தோசை | Onion dosa | 1 — distinguish this from the next dish. |
| வெங்காய ஊத்தப்பம் | Onion uthappam | 1 — check the differing second word is visible. |
| நெய் பொடி இட்லி | Ghee podi idli | 2 — retain all three words when a line wraps. |
On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways to read every column.
Check the saved menu and each ordering screen
Enter the agreed names in a safe demo menu using the supported menu setup process. Save, leave the page and reopen it. Compare the stored names with the approved list. Then locate the same items on the captain phone and counter. If staff normally search by name, demonstrate the exact spelling or item code they will use.
Unicode provides an encoding for Tamil, but an encoded name is not proof that a particular application and print path will render it correctly. The Unicode Consortium’s Tamil FAQ is linked below for background. Have a Tamil reader inspect the actual result rather than accepting a screenshot simply because it contains recognisable characters.
Print the customer bill and KOT separately
Send the practice order to the kitchen and produce a sample customer bill. Record the printer model, connection, paper width and print settings for each output. One successful receipt does not establish that a separate kitchen printer or template works the same way.
Check the dish name, quantity and order reference together. Look for missing characters, boxes, clipped marks and lines that wrap into the quantity column. Add your longest real dish name and try a two-digit quantity in a second test. Ask the cook to read the ticket from the normal working position under service lighting. Keep the test slips with the acceptance record; do not send practice orders into live preparation.
Repeat with an addition and an agreed removal
Start with two idlis, one dosa and one coffee. Add one more coffee as a second round. Before preparation, agree to remove the dosa through the demonstrated order-change procedure. The expected final quantities are two idlis, no dosa and two coffees.
Ask the captain, cook and cashier to describe the current order independently. Check that the changed dish is unambiguous on each update. A ticket containing only an addition is not the full order. If the installation also uses a kitchen display, inspect the displayed names separately; if it uses voice, ask staff to listen to the actual pronunciation. Readable Tamil text does not confirm Tamil speech support.
Make a useful fault record before changing settings
When a check fails, record the exact dish text, order reference, affected device and whether the saved menu, screen, preview or paper first differs. Attach a photo of a test slip and the matching demo screen. Remove customer details before sharing evidence with support.
Ask the installer to confirm the supported font, driver and print method for that model. Change one agreed setting at a time and repeat the same order on both outputs. Do not assume installing a font fixes every printer. If Tamil output is not supported in the intended setup, agree on readable English names or item codes with the team before service, and record the unresolved requirement.
Keep a repeatable acceptance record
Record the test date, approved spellings, devices, settings, result and the person responsible for any correction. Repeat after a printer replacement, template change or menu update affecting names. A useful pass means your own staff can identify the correct dish and quantity on every output they depend on.
Bring your menu and printer details to a DeccanPro demonstration in Chennai. The restaurant software plan is ₹6,000 per year with unlimited use and no setup fees or hidden software charges. Confirm language compatibility and any separate equipment requirements during the demonstration.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Your checklist
- Spellings approved by a Tamil-reading team member
- Saved menu, captain phone and counter checked
- Customer bill and kitchen ticket tested separately
- Addition and removal understood by all three operators
- Failed output, equipment details and follow-up owner recorded
