With a QR code on the table, guests scan it with their phone camera, see the menu and order by themselves. No app to download. Here is how to set it up so it helps your staff instead of confusing them.
1. One QR code per table
Every table, sunbed or room has its own QR code. The order then knows where it came from, and the guest doesn't have to type a table number. Print them on stickers or stands that survive cleaning.
2. A menu that reads well on a phone
- A few clear categories (Coffee, Snacks, Drinks).
- Photos of your best sellers.
- Options where a waiter would ask: sugar, milk, size, doneness.
- The menu in English too, if you get tourists.
- Anything that runs out is marked "sold out", so it can't be ordered.
3. The order goes straight to the right place
A QR order should show up on the till and print or appear in the kitchen and bar, just like a waiter's order. If staff have to re-enter it, the QR adds work instead of saving it.
4. Calling the waiter and the bill
A "Call the waiter" and a "The bill, please" button save trips. Better still, guests can pay the bill by card on their phone: all of it, only their own items, or an equal share, with a tip if they like.
5. Staff stay at the centre
The QR code doesn't replace waiters. Many guests will always prefer to order from a person. The QR code helps at peak times, with repeat orders ("another freddo") and at far-away tables.
6. Measure
After two weeks, look at how many orders came by QR, which dishes are ordered most from phones, and whether waiting times went down.
In IKAROS POS
Every table, sunbed or room has its own QR code, printed from the back office. Orders go to the till, the printers and the kitchen screen. There is a waiter call, bill payment from the QR, a menu in Greek and English, and group orders for parties.
How IKAROS POS does it: QR ordering at the table: guests order and pay from their phone
Questions
Does the guest need to download an app?
No. They scan with the phone camera and the menu opens in the browser.
How does the kitchen know which table the order is from?
Each table has its own QR code, so the order arrives with the table number.
Can guests pay from their phone?
Yes, if online payments are switched on: the whole bill, only their items or an equal share, with an optional tip.
Does the QR code replace waiters?
No. It helps at peak times and with repeat orders, while waiters keep serving.
These guides are general information, not tax or legal advice. For your own business, ask your accountant.