QR code table ordering lets guests scan a code on their table, browse your menu on their own phone, order, and pay, with the order landing on your kitchen screen already tagged with the table number. No app, no waiting to catch someone's eye.
This guide shows how it works from both sides of the counter, what you need to get started, and what it really costs. If you're still deciding whether it suits your café, start with is QR ordering worth it for a small café? first.
How it works, step by step
1. The guest scans the table's code. Each table has its own code, so the order knows where to go. It opens in the phone's browser with no download.
2. They browse and choose. The menu shows prices, options (oat milk, extra shot) and allergen information, and you can mark an item sold out so guests don't order what you no longer have.
3. They pay. With QR table ordering, guests pay from their own phone by Apple Pay, Google Pay or card before the order reaches the kitchen. Taking payment first means no walk-outs and no queue at the till to settle up.
4. The order reaches the kitchen. It appears on the kitchen screen, with the table number, in the order received. If you prefer paper, it can print on a kitchen printer.
5. Staff deliver. The table number tells them where it goes. Guests can order again from the same screen, which is where the extra coffee or slice of cake often comes from.
6. The guest can join your club. After ordering, they can opt in to your loyalty club. It is optional and separate from payment.
What you need to set it up
You don't need new hardware. Typically:
- A menu with prices, options and allergens entered.
- A code for every table, printed and placed. See how to print QR codes for café tables and where to put QR codes in a café.
- A way to see orders: a tablet, phone or laptop running the kitchen screen, or a network printer.
- A payment account. With Café QR, card payments go to your own Stripe account.
The QR code menu setup checklist takes you through the full list, and the free QR poster maker creates print-ready table talkers.
What it costs
Add up five lines for any provider:
- Subscription, flat or a percentage.
- Per-order fees, which some providers add on top.
- Card processing, paid to the payment provider whichever system you use.
- Hardware, if you need any.
- Your time setting up.
For Café QR specifically:
- Order & Pay is £9.99 per venue per month. It includes table and counter QR ordering, the kitchen screen and printer support, your menu and allergens, reports and loyalty contacts.
- There are no per-order fees: Café QR takes 0% commission.
- Card payments go to your Stripe account at Stripe's rates (standard UK cards: 1.5% + 20p online).
- The first month is free with no card needed.
- No contract.
To see how others price table ordering, SumUp's Goodeats add-on is listed at 1.7% + 12p per table order, and Square's Scan to Pay is on its Plus and Premium plans (prices checked 12 October 2026). A percentage fee means the busier you are, the more you pay. Our commission-free ordering guide shows why that matters.
What to expect from the first week
- Some guests will still walk up to the counter. That's fine. Keep counter ordering.
- Seated guests tend to order again. That is where most of the benefit shows up.
- Staff notice quickly if the menu is wrong. Check prices and sold-out items before opening.
- Your kitchen screen becomes the boss. Make sure someone is watching it.
A low-risk way in: put codes on a few tables for two weeks and compare how many orders arrive and whether second orders rise.
Order at the table or at the counter?
Table ordering suits cafés where guests sit; counter ordering suits grab-and-go. Café QR supports both in the same plan. See skip the queue with QR counter ordering and QR menu or order-and-pay: which do you need?.
Frequently asked questions
Do customers need to download an app?
No. The code opens your menu in the phone's browser.
How do guests pay?
By Apple Pay, Google Pay or card on their phone, before the order goes to the kitchen.
Can I use it alongside my existing till?
Yes. You can run QR ordering on its own from £9.99 a month and keep your till, or move to the full POS later. Our guide to adding QR table ordering to Square covers that setup.
What if the Wi-Fi drops?
Guests order from their own phones, so they need a signal or your guest Wi-Fi, and the kitchen screen needs a connection too. See does a POS system need internet?
Read more on how setup works, compare plans on the pricing page, or start a free month.
Related reading
- How QR Ordering Changes a Café Queue
- QR Code Menus: A Café Owner's Guide