A QR code on a table is the easy part. The useful work is deciding what opens after the scan and how that fits the way your café already runs.
Use this checklist before printing a code for every table.
1. Decide whether guests can only browse or can also order
A QR menu can be a digital version of a printed menu. A QR ordering system goes further: the guest chooses items, adds options, pays and sends an order to the café.
Be clear about which experience you are setting up. If guests can order, decide where paid orders appear and who watches that screen during service.
2. Prepare the menu as structured information
Do not begin with a PDF. Build the menu around information that works on a phone:
- Short category names such as Coffee, Tea, Breakfast and Cakes.
- Current item names and prices.
- Sizes, milk choices, extra shots and other modifiers.
- Clear availability controls for sold-out or seasonal items.
- Allergen information and a route for guests to ask staff a question.
The Food Standards Agency says UK food businesses must provide information about the 14 regulated allergens used in the food and drink they provide. Its allergen guidance should shape the café’s process, not just the wording on a screen.
3. Give every table the right code
A table-specific QR code can pass the table number into the order. That saves guests from typing it and reduces the chance of an order being sent to the wrong place.
Name the tables before printing. Keep the names short and make sure the label on the QR stand matches the name staff see on the order screen.
4. Check the payment arrangement
Ask who is the merchant, where payouts go, which payment-processing charges apply and whether the software provider adds a fee to each order.
With Café QR, each café connects its own Stripe account and remains the merchant. Café QR does not hold guest funds and adds a 0% platform fee. Stripe processing charges still apply.
5. Set a clear staff routine
Choose one screen for incoming orders and decide:
- Who acknowledges a new order.
- How staff mark it as preparing and ready.
- Where completed drinks or food are handed over.
- What happens when an item sells out.
- How staff handle a guest who prefers to order at the counter.
QR ordering should add another ordering route without making the counter confusing.
6. Test like a guest
Before launch, sit at each table and scan its code. Test on more than one phone and check:
- The code scans without moving the stand around.
- Text and buttons fit without zooming.
- Modifiers and prices are unambiguous.
- Apple Pay, Google Pay or card checkout appears as expected where available.
- The correct table reaches the staff screen.
- The confirmation tells the guest what happens next.
Also test on the café’s normal guest Wi-Fi and mobile signal. A fast office connection can hide a poor in-café experience.
A test sheet for your first service
Use a small test menu before opening ordering to guests. Assign a member of staff to each check and record the result. For a paid test, agree the amount and refund procedure before placing the order.
| Check | What should happen | If it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Scan two different table codes | Each opens the intended venue and carries its own table number into the order. | Correct the table labels or codes before printing the rest. |
| Add an item with a paid extra | The basket shows the chosen extra and the expected total. | Check the modifier price and repeat the test. |
| Mark an item unavailable | A newly opened or refreshed menu no longer offers it. | Confirm the availability change was saved and refresh the guest menu. |
| Complete a test payment | Confirmation appears and the paid order reaches staff with the correct table and items. | Check the payment status and staff screen before inviting guests to use it. |
| Move the order through preparation | Staff can identify the order, prepare it and mark it ready. | Agree who watches the screen and who hands over the order. |
| Decline loyalty sign-up | The guest can finish ordering without joining a marketing list. | Review the sign-up flow before collecting customer details. |
Keep the allergen-information checklist alongside your menu review. When planning your first offer, use the separate loyalty consent checklist.
7. Keep a fallback
Some guests will want to speak to someone or pay at the counter. Keep that route available and tell staff how to move between the two without treating either guest differently.
When the checklist is ready, see the full Café QR table-ordering flow or how setup works.