QR code ordering for restaurants: how it works and when it fits your venue

Your guest sits down, grabs their phone, scans the code on the table and orders. No menus being passed around, no waiting until someone on your team has a free moment. QR code ordering in restaurants went from stopgap to standard in just a few years. But how does it actually work, what changes for your team, and does it really fit your venue? Here’s the full picture.

What is QR code ordering for restaurants?

With QR code ordering, there’s a plate or card with a QR code on the table, at the bar or by the entrance. A guest scans it with their phone camera and lands straight in your digital menu. There they pick dishes and drinks, adjust options, pay and send the order. It reaches you digitally.

The big difference with a custom app: nothing needs to be downloaded. The menu simply opens in the browser, on any screen. Curious why that matters so much? Read why building your own ordering app often isn’t the smartest move.

How it works for your guests

For your guests, it’s just a few taps:

1. Scan or tap. The guest scans the QR code, or holds their phone against an NFC plate.
2. Browse the menu. Your menu opens with photos, descriptions and categories, exactly the way you set it up.
3. Pick and customise. Extra sauce, no onions, large or small: the guest builds it themselves.
4. Pay and send. The guest pays straight from their phone and sends the order.

No hunting for someone to take the order, no extra round to settle the bill. That makes a real difference when it’s busy.

What happens on your side

A QR order comes in digitally and clearly laid out, including the chosen options and extras. Your team no longer has to retype or write anything down.

You decide how the order reaches your kitchen. Plenty of venues simply work with printed kitchen tickets. Prefer a screen in the kitchen? You can add the Kitchen Display as a separate add-on. The two can also run side by side.

In the Onesix Dashboard you see all your orders, together with those from your other ordering points. That’s also where you edit your menu: products, prices and options. Don’t feel like building your menu from scratch? Send us your existing menu and Onesix sets it up for you. After that, you tweak it yourself in the Dashboard, or let us make the changes.

When does QR code ordering fit your venue?

QR ordering isn’t the answer for every venue, but in a few situations it works especially well:

• Terraces and patios. Guests are spread out and your team is running back and forth all day. With a QR code on every table, guests order when they want to, including that second round.
• Busy peaks. On a Friday night or during an event, orders no longer stall because nobody’s free for a moment.
• Takeaway and delivery. The same ordering experience also works through your website, for guests who order ahead and come to pick up.
• Small teams. Your staff can focus on preparing, serving and hospitality instead of taking orders and handling payments.

Does your venue mostly run on counter traffic, like a snack bar or fast-food spot? Then a Kiosk in your venue is often the more logical step, or a combination of both.

What to watch out for when you start with QR ordering

Putting a QR code on the table is step one. Whether guests actually use it depends on a few things:

• Visibility. Place the code where guests see it right away: on the table, not tucked behind the napkins. A plate with a table number and QR code works great.
• A menu that sells. Good photos and short, tasty descriptions do at least as much online as on paper. Also read how to make your menu more appealing.
• Smart upselling. Offer extras and combos at the moment they fit, like a sauce with the fries or a drink with the meal. To the guest it feels like service, not a sales pitch.
• Bring your team along. Explain how it works, so they can help guests who are trying it for the first time.
• Paper can stay. QR ordering doesn’t have to replace your printed menu. Guests who prefer to order from a person can keep doing just that.

What does QR code ordering cost?

With the Onesix Online Kiosk, you pay a licence that you can cancel monthly. There are no one-off software or setup fees.

The QR or NFC plates themselves are physical materials. You can have them made yourself, or order them from Onesix: among other things, we supply aluminium QR plates with a built-in NFC chip. Those material costs are separate from the licence. For current prices, check the product page or just ask us.

QR ordering or a Kiosk: side by side

	QR ordering (Online Kiosk)	Kiosk in your venue
Where does the guest order?	On their own phone	On a screen in your venue
Best fit for	Table service, terraces, takeaway	Counter service, fast food, high footfall
What you need	QR or NFC plates	The Kiosk itself, paid upfront or in instalments
Try it out	30 days free	30 days free

Plenty of operators combine the two: a Kiosk for walk-ins, QR ordering for guests at the table.

Frequently asked questions

Do my guests need to download an app? No. The menu opens in the browser as soon as the guest scans the QR code or holds their phone against the NFC plate.

Can I edit my menu myself? Yes. In the Dashboard you change products, prices and options. Rather have us do it? We’ll make the changes for you.

Do I need a Kitchen Display? No. You can simply work with printed kitchen tickets. The Kitchen Display is an optional add-on.

Can I try QR ordering first? Yes. You can test the Online Kiosk free and with no strings attached for 30 days, with your own guests.

Try QR ordering with your own guests for 30 days

Wondering whether QR code ordering fits your venue? Test the Online Kiosk free and with no strings attached for 30 days. After that the licence is cancellable monthly, and you can always count on 24/7 support.

Still not sure which setup suits you best: QR ordering, a Kiosk or both? Get in touch and we’ll think it through with you.