QR Code Ordering for Pubs: What Changes When Guests Order From the Table

QR code ordering lets customers scan a code on their table, browse your menu on their phone, then order and pay without queuing at the bar. A third of UK pub-goers now prefer it, but it works best alongside bar service, not instead of it.

When table ordering arrived during lockdown, many operators treated it as a temporary fix. The numbers say it stuck. In the December 2025 GO Technology Report from CGA by NIQ and Zonal, 34% of pub-goers said they prefer to order from their table via an app or website. The other 66% still prefer the bar.

The split by age is sharper. Gen Z are three times more likely than older generations to prefer tech-based ordering, The Morning Advertiser reported. Back in 2014, just 6% of consumers had used a mobile device to pay for food and drink.

So the question for most pubs is not whether to offer table ordering. It is how to offer it to the third who want it without putting off the two thirds who do not.

How does QR code ordering work?

Each table gets its own QR code. A customer scans it with their phone camera and a menu opens in the browser, with no app to download. They choose what they want, pay on their phone and the order goes straight through to the bar or kitchen with the table number attached.

ICRTouch’s order-to-table system, ByTable, works this way. Because it is part of the same ICRTouch system as your tills, it links with:

• TouchPoint, so table orders sit alongside bar sales on the same EPOS software
• TouchKitchen, so food orders land on the kitchen display like any other ticket
• TouchOffice Web, so you can report on table orders separately from bar sales
• TouchReservation, if you also want customers to book a table

The menu can be branded to your pub, and ICRTouch says ByTable charges no commission on orders. That is a real difference from third-party ordering platforms, which our post on delivery app commission looks at in detail.

Where does table ordering make the most difference?

• The second round. Customers who would not go back to a three-deep bar will happily tap “order again” from their seat.
• Busy nights in December. Party bookings and big groups put the most pressure on the bar. Table orders take some of that queue away.
• Far corners and outside space. Beer gardens, function rooms and upstairs areas where staff do not pass often.
• Live sport. Nobody wants to miss a goal while waiting at the bar.
• Large groups splitting the bill. Everyone pays for their own order, so there is no awkward maths at the end of the night.

Where can QR code ordering go wrong?

It can feel cold

Some customers come to the pub for the chat at the bar. If the QR code is the only way to order, regulars may feel pushed away. Keep the bar open and let customers choose.

The menu can go out of date

Nothing frustrates a customer more than ordering something that has run out. Because ByTable draws on the same product data as your tills, stock and menu changes can be kept in step. Our guide to EPOS stock control explains why that link matters.

Allergens still need a conversation

A phone menu can show allergen information, but it does not replace the chance to talk to someone. Make it clear how a customer can ask a member of staff. We covered what the Food Standards Agency expects in our post on allergen information and your EPOS.

Age checks do not go away

Your age verification policy still applies when alcohol is ordered from a phone. Staff who deliver drinks to a table need to check ID in the same way they would at the bar.

Poor signal means no orders

If phones struggle for signal in your cellar bar or back room, the menu will not load. Reliable guest Wi-Fi fixes that, and our post on guest Wi-Fi marketing explains how the same network can help you invite customers back.

QR codes, handhelds or kiosks: which suits your pub?

All three cut queues, but in different ways:

• QR code ordering (ByTable): the customer orders on their own phone. Best where you want to take pressure off the bar without adding staff.
• Handheld ordering (PocketTouch): staff take orders at the table on a handheld device. Best where table service is part of the experience. Our guide to handheld EPOS ordering covers it in detail.
• Self-service kiosks: customers order on a screen near the counter. Best for counter-service and food-led venues.

Many venues use more than one. Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre, for example, uses PocketTouch on handheld devices so front-of-house staff can take orders and payments wherever customers are.

How should you introduce table ordering?

1. Start small. Try drinks only, or one area such as the beer garden, before rolling it out across the pub.
2. Make the codes easy to find. A clear table talker with the table number printed large beats a small sticker on the edge.
3. Tell people it is optional. “Order from your table or at the bar” keeps everyone happy.
4. Brief the team. Staff need to know how table orders arrive, who runs them and how to help a customer who gets stuck.
5. Watch the reports. Compare average spend and repeat rounds on table orders with bar sales after a month, then decide what to expand.

Frequently asked questions

• Do customers need to download an app to order from the table?
  No. With ByTable, customers scan a table-specific QR code and the menu opens in their phone’s browser. A branded app is also available if you want one.
• Does QR code ordering replace bar staff?
  No. Most pub-goers still prefer to order at the bar. Table ordering works best as an extra option that takes pressure off the bar at busy times.
• Is there commission on ByTable orders?
  ICRTouch says ByTable charges no commission on orders. Normal card processing fees still apply to the payment.
• Can table orders go straight to the kitchen?
  Yes. Orders go to your kitchen printer or kitchen display screen with the table number attached, in the same way as orders taken at the till.
• How do age checks work with table ordering?
  Your usual age verification policy still applies. Staff should check ID when they deliver alcohol to the table, just as they would at the bar.

Give customers the choice

Table ordering has moved from a lockdown rule to a genuine preference for a third of pub-goers. Pubs that offer it alongside a friendly bar get the best of both: shorter queues, more second rounds and regulars who can still lean on the bar and chat.

Thinking about table ordering for your pub? Talk to CCR Systems about ByTable and how it fits with your existing ICRTouch tills, or call 0151 644 8296.