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How to allow customers to order at the table via QR Code

In this article, we explain how table orders via QR Code work: your customers will be able to send their order directly from their seat.

⚠️ If you want to include the table ordering feature in your subscription, you will need to purchase a Premium or EVO plan in Subscription > Upgrade ⚠️

🔹 Prerequisites

Before using this feature, make sure you have:

  1. Properly configured the seating areas and tables of your restaurant

  2. Created at least one Digital Menu

  3. Enabled the option “Allow ordering from the table QR code” and selected any required “Mandatory fields to be filled in” in: Configuration > Services/Shifts > Pencil icon of the service for which you want to enable table ordering

📌 Please note
Mandatory fields must be configured so that, when a customer scans the QR Code of a free table (i.e., with no reservation associated for that time slot and service), they are asked to enter certain information in order to create the reservation.

You can choose whether to make the following fields mandatory:

  • Last name

  • First name

  • Email

  • Phone number → this field is always mandatory, as it allows the system to retrieve the reservation and the order if the customer scans the table’s QR Code again.

🔹 Printing QR Codes

Once the configuration is complete, you can proceed to print the QR Codes for each table.

Go to:
Configuration > Seating Areas/Tables and click Edit next to the room for which you want to print the QR Codes.

Click on “Print QR Code” to generate and print all the QR Codes for the tables in the selected room.

Alternatively, if you click on Edit next to a single table, you will be able to:

  1. Print the table’s QR Code

  2. Simulate a scan from the browser to place a test order (by clicking the dedicated button, you will be redirected to the order-taking page)

  3. Scan the QR Code with a mobile device to simulate a test order

What happens if a customer scans the QR Code of a table without an associated reservation?

If the table has no associated reservations, once the QR Code is scanned the customer will be redirected to the reservation page. From there, they will need to click the button showing the table number, accompanied by the label “(Free)” in parentheses.

If multiple Menus are available for the seating area and service, the customer can select their preferred Menu before proceeding with the order.

They can then start ordering from the Digital Menu, using:

  • the “Add to the order +” button to insert a new order

  • the cart icon to view and complete the order

By clicking on the cart icon, the customer can:

  • View the summary of the order to be sent

  • Check the history of orders already placed

  • Add or remove the quantity of a dish or a drink

If the customer selects a dish or a drink that includes:

  • the option to choose a variant (e.g., Large portion), or

  • the addition of an extra ingredient (e.g., Cheddar sauce),

a dedicated screen will be displayed to make the selection.
(Click here to learn how to create an extra ingredient or a variant).

A configuration window will open, where the customer can:

  1. Select the quantity of the dish/drink

  2. Choose a variant (if available)

  3. Add an extra ingredient (if offered)

  4. Enter an optional note

  5. Confirm the order

Finally, since the reservation has not yet been created for that table/service/time slot, the customer will be redirected to the reservation page, where they will also find the order summary.

To confirm, they must:

  • Fill in any mandatory fields required for the reservation

  • Accept the privacy policy

  • Click on Confirm Reservation

Once the reservation is confirmed:

The table will be assigned to the reservation, which will be linked to the active service at that time, and the order will be received in OctoTable.

And it can be managed by following the guidelines in the following article:

What happens if a customer already has a reservation and scans the table’s QR Code?

If the customer has already made a reservation, by scanning the table’s QR Code they will simply need to select their reservation, which will be displayed in the list.

Since the same table may be booked in consecutive time slots, the system will display the two closest reservations, allowing the customer to identify and choose the correct one.

Once the customer has selected their reservation, the system will request verification via the phone number (which is why this field must always be mandatory) provided at the time of booking.

After entering the number and clicking Verification, the customer can proceed with selecting dishes and drinks, exactly as they would for an order without a reservation.

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