QR code table ordering: a how-to guide for restaurant owners

QR code table ordering has taken hold in many restaurants, cafés and bars. The principle is simple: guests scan their table’s QR code, build their order on their phone and send it straight to the kitchen. But for it to really work, it needs organising. Here is the complete how-to.

How does QR code table ordering work?

1. The guest sits down and scans the QR code on their table.
2. The menu opens on their phone, with no app to install.
3. They add dishes to the basket, choose the options (cooking, sauce, side) and add a note if needed.
4. They send the order: it reaches the kitchen and the POS with the table number.
5. The guest follows the progress of their order on their phone.

Payment can happen at the end of the meal, as usual, or online depending on how you work.

The real benefits for the restaurant

Less waiting at peak times

The bottleneck of a busy service is often taking orders. With table ordering, guests no longer wait for a server to be free to order: they do it at their own pace.

Fewer mistakes

No more misread tickets or forgotten extras: the order reaches the kitchen exactly as the guest built it, with its options.

A higher average spend

Ordering another drink or a dessert no longer means catching a server’s eye. And extras are offered at the right moment, with every order.

Organising the dining room

Table ordering doesn’t replace your waiters: it changes their role. They spend less time writing and more time welcoming, advising and serving. A few rules to start well:

• Introduce the system when greeting guests: “You can order directly with the QR code on your table”.
• Keep classic ordering possible for guests who prefer talking to a waiter.
• Turn on the waiter call: a button to ask for the bill, water or advice.
• Appoint someone to follow orders in the dining room during service.

Organising the kitchen

In the kitchen, orders must arrive in a clear and orderly way. Two options:

• The kitchen display: a tablet or screen shows orders in order of arrival, possibly by station (hot, cold, bar), with each one’s waiting time.
• The ticket printer: each order prints a ticket per preparation station, just like with a classic POS.

Either way, mark orders “in preparation” then “ready”: the guest sees the progress, and the floor team knows what to serve.

Before launch, run a test service with your team: everyone orders from their phone, the kitchen cooks. Within an hour you’ll spot what gets stuck.

Mistakes to avoid

1. A badly structured menu: missing options, vague extras… Review each dish as if you were the guest.
2. Badly placed QR codes: hidden under plates or too small. A table tent visible as soon as the guest sits down is ideal.
3. Sold-out items not updated: a sold-out dish must disappear from the menu immediately, otherwise the kitchen receives impossible orders.
4. Forcing the system: table ordering should be a convenience, not an obligation.

What results can you expect?

Restaurants that adopt table ordering usually see three effects in the first weeks: faster table turnover at peak times, a higher average spend thanks to drinks and desserts reordered from the table, and a team under less pressure. To measure the impact precisely, compare over four weeks:

• the average time between the guest’s arrival and the order being sent;
• the average spend per table;
• the share of follow-up orders (drinks, desserts, coffees);
• the number of mistakes or remade dishes.

You may start with one area of the dining room or the terrace, then extend to the whole venue once the organisation runs smoothly.

Preparing your menu for table ordering

A menu made to be read isn’t always ready to be ordered from. Before turning ordering on, go through each dish:

• are the required options asked for (cooking, side, sauce)?
• do all the extras have a price?
• are dishes served only at certain times scheduled?
• do set menus let guests choose each item?

Ten minutes of checking saves dozens of trips between the kitchen and the dining room during the first service.

Table ordering and takeaway: the same tool

Once table ordering is in place, takeaway and delivery use exactly the same menu and the same kitchen flow. And unlike platforms, a tool like Qarteo takes no commission on your sales. Discover online ordering for restaurants, or combine it with a cloud POS to take payment without double entry.

Try table ordering free for 14 days and run a first test service this week.