QR Ordering
QR Ordering vs Traditional Table Service
With traditional table service a server takes the order, enters it and brings the bill. With QR ordering the guest orders from their phone and the order goes straight to the kitchen; staff still serve, check and help. QR ordering removes waiting to order and re-order; table service keeps the conversation and the guidance. Many restaurants run a mix rather than choosing one.
Side by side
| QR ordering | Traditional table service | |
|---|---|---|
| Ordering | Whenever the guest is ready | When a server reaches the table |
| Second round | A few taps | Catching someone's eye again |
| Accuracy | The guest picks options; nothing is misheard | Depends on note-taking and entry |
| Recommendations | Photos, descriptions, tags | A person who knows the food |
| Allergies | Menu information, then a check with staff | A conversation at the table |
| Paying | At ordering or at the end, by phone or with staff | At the end, with staff |
| Feel | Relaxed, self-paced, casual | Hosted, personal, formal |
Where QR ordering fits best
- Cafés, bars, terraces and casual dining, where guests order in small rounds.
- Large or spread-out floors where staff spend much of the shift walking.
- Guests from abroad, who can read the menu in their own language.
- Busy hours, when the wait to order is the longest wait of the visit.
Where table service still wins
- Tasting menus, wine pairings and special occasions, where the explanation is part of the meal.
- Guests who do not want to use a phone at dinner.
- Complicated allergy or dietary needs that need a real conversation.
- Regulars who come for the person as much as the food.
Mixes that work
- Server first, QR after: staff greet the table and take the first order; guests add drinks and desserts from the code.
- QR for drinks, server for food: quick rounds by phone, the meal with a person.
- QR for the terrace, service inside: a different rhythm for each area.
- View-only QR: the code shows the menu in the guest's language, and a server takes the order.
What changes for staff
QR ordering does not remove service; it moves it. Less time goes into writing orders and carrying them to the till, more into greeting, checking, serving and fixing. Staff need to watch new orders as they arrive, keep the menu's availability current, and stay easy to call. A guest who is ignored because "they can order on the phone" will notice.
For the step-by-step flow, see how QR table ordering works.
Both kinds of service with Thmenu
In Thmenu each table has its own QR code. Guests can order from it, and the order reaches the kitchen screen with the table number and waits for a member of staff to accept it. Staff can also enter a table order themselves from the panel, so a server-first or mixed service uses the same menu and the same kitchen queue. Waiter-call and bill-request buttons are switches you control, and you choose whether guests pay when ordering or after being served; paying by card in the app needs a Stripe account. With ordering switched off, the code stays a view-only menu.