6 QR Code Ordering Solutions for Restaurants

QR codes aren’t new. Here at Street Fight, we’ve been talking about how businesses have been using QR codes to merge digital and traditional marketing since as far back as 2012. At the time, 24% of U.S. consumers were using the technology.

Nearly a decade later, QR codes are finding new life as businesses adapt to the ongoing pandemic. Consumers seeking out touchless payment opportunities and businesses wanting the ability to integrate more tools for tracking and analytics are embracing the technology with a level of enthusiasm we haven’t seen before.

Coupling QR codes with business analytics tools, consumer-facing businesses in nearly every vertical are finding innovative ways to collect information about their customers and refine their marketing strategies. Restaurants and retailers are also finding that by implementing QR codes for menus and touchless transactions, they can eliminate the need for employees to take orders and process payments and significantly cut down on labor costs.

Here are six companies selling technology for creating QR code menus for retailers and restaurants.

1. Cheqout 

Cheqout is a QR ordering system for brick and mortar businesses. Businesses that add Cheqout’s QR codes to their tables, kiosks, or cash wraps can enable guests to browse menus and order from their own devices in a seamless way. Employees can also take orders from their own devices, or add, edit, and close out tabs that have been started by guests on their phones. Cheqout stands apart from less sophisticated mobile ordering solutions by aggregating orders into single tickets, so kitchens aren’t flooded with multiple tickets from large tables. Customers that want to split their bills at the end of the meal can rescan the tableside QR code and pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay, card, cash, or Cheqout Pay.

2. Barpay

Bars, restaurants, hotels, and coffee shops can all use Barpay’s QR code ordering system to make it easier for customers to place orders and pay for services from their mobile phones. Once Barpay has been integrated with the business’ POS, customers can place orders from their tables without standing in line or waiting for a server. Barpay’s web-based interface enables businesses to accept takeout orders from their websites and social media channels. Interestingly, businesses can also use Barpay for contact tracing by presenting guests with a QR code to scan and asking them to enter their information privately on their own devices before entering the facility. Personally identifiable information (PII) can then be stored, and securely retrieved, if required, in the event that a Covid outbreak occurs.

3. Mr Yum

Mr Yum bills itself as a more sophisticated and flexible alternative to standard QR ordering solutions. Developed for the hospitality and entertainment industries, Mr Yum’s QR code mobile ordering system is completely web-based, so customers aren’t expected to download an app to place their orders. Instead, guests can scan a tableside code to bring up a menu and place orders from their seats. Customers receive an automated SMS when their orders are ready for pickup, or orders can be delivered to the customer’s table. Mr Yum integrates into most top payment solutions, include Stripe and Square, as well as third-party marketing platforms, like Instagram, Facebook, and Sprout.

4. Clover

For small businesses that use Clover’s point-of-sale system, the company is now offering a QR ordering feature, so guests can look at menus, place their orders, and pay their bills all from their mobile phones. The Scan to Order feature is a new addition to Clover’s contactless commerce software. Guests initiate contactless ordering directly from the QR code menu on their mobile devices, and servers can deliver food to the correct table thanks to the table number being listed on the order receipt. Whoever prints the Scan to Order QR code receives the tips, so tips are attributed to the correct servers.

5. Square

For businesses that already use Square’s point-of-sale system, the easiest way to get started with QR code ordering might be to use the company’s integrated software. Added early on in the pandemic, Square’s QR codes can be used to pull up menus, order, and pay from any mobile phone. Restaurant workers are notified which table placed the order, so servers can bring over the food to the right table when it’s ready. Square’s system is more flexible than some, which means it can be used equally well by a full-service restaurant or a quick-service coffee shop.

6. UpMenu

With table ordering via QR codes, restaurants that use UpMenu’s online food ordering system can quickly accept orders placed by customers at their tables. Like most similar systems, customers are prompted to scan a QR code to open a menu at their table. They can then place orders through their phones and specify their table number. The kitchen staff gets orders like any other online order, but with reduced staff demand and lower risk of mistakes. UpMenu says new customers can get started in as little as five minutes, with a 7-day free trial period. The platform integrates with most major POS, payments, CMS, and marketing channels.

Stephanie Miles is a senior editor at Street Fight.