How to Set Up QR Code Ordering for Your Restaurant

Why QR code ordering is becoming standard in Australian restaurants

If you have eaten at a restaurant in the last two years, chances are you have scanned a QR code at the table. What started as a pandemic workaround has become what customers expect. According to the Restaurant and Catering Industry Association of Australia, over 60% of diners now prefer scanning a code over waiting for a server to take their order.

The reason is simple: people do not like waiting. They want to sit down, look at the menu on their phone, order when they are ready, and pay without flagging down a waiter. For you, the restaurant owner, this means faster table turnover, fewer ordering mistakes, and less pressure on your front-of-house staff during busy periods.

Here is exactly how to set it up.

Step 1: Choose a QR code ordering system

You have three broad options:

Delivery apps with QR features (UberEats, DoorDash). These let you generate a QR code, but customers order through the delivery app. You pay 25-35% commission on every order. On a $50 order, that is $12.50-$17.50 going to the platform. If you are doing $5,000 a week in orders, that is $1,250-$1,750 per week in commission.

Enterprise ordering platforms (me&u, Bopple, Mr Yum). These are built for large venues and chains. They come with monthly fees, often starting at $200-$500 per month, plus setup costs and contracts. They work well for a 200-seat venue with a dedicated operations manager. For an independent restaurant doing $5,000-$10,000 a week, the maths does not add up.

Direct ordering pages like Windsor Digital. You get your own branded ordering page at your-restaurant.windsordigital.com.au. Customers scan a QR code at the table and order directly from your page. You pay 2% per transaction. No monthly fee, no contract, no setup cost. On that same $50 order, you pay $1.

Step 2: Set up your menu

This is where most platforms lose you. Enterprise systems want you to manually type every item, add descriptions, assign categories, upload photos, and configure modifiers. It takes hours.

With Windsor Digital, you can photograph your existing printed menu. The AI reads every item, price, and category automatically. You review the import, make any corrections, and your digital menu is ready. Most restaurant owners complete this step in under five minutes.

If you prefer manual entry, that works too. Either way, you can update your menu anytime. Run out of the lamb shanks? Toggle the item off from your phone. New special? Add it in 30 seconds.

Step 3: Print and place your QR codes

Once your menu is live, you generate QR codes from your dashboard. Windsor Digital creates print-ready QR codes at 600x600 resolution with your restaurant logo in the centre.

Print them and place one on every table. Some restaurants also put them at the counter, on the window, and on takeaway bags for pickup ordering.

A few tips for placement:

• Table tents work best. A small folded card that stands upright. Customers notice them immediately.
• Include a short instruction. "Scan to order" is all you need. Do not overthink it.
• Laminate or use waterproof material. Tables get wet. Paper QR codes last about three days in a restaurant.
• Test the code yourself before printing 50 copies. Scan it with your phone, place a test order, confirm it appears on your dashboard.

Step 4: Configure your settings

Before you go live, set up a few things in your dashboard:

Operating hours. Set when customers can order. If you are closed on Mondays, the ordering page will show that you are closed. No orders come through when you are not there to fulfil them.

Order types. Dine-in, pickup, or both. If you only want table QR ordering for now, turn off pickup.

Time slots. If you get slammed at 12:30pm on Fridays, set a cap on how many orders each 15-minute slot can accept. When a slot is full, customers see "Full" and pick the next available time. This prevents your kitchen from drowning.

Payments. Connect your Stripe account. Money goes directly to your bank account. Windsor Digital never holds your funds.

Step 5: Go live and train your staff

Staff training takes about 10 minutes. Show them:

• The orders dashboard on the tablet or computer behind the counter
• The audio chime that plays when a new paid order comes in
• How to mark orders as preparing, ready, and completed
• How to toggle a menu item off if you run out of something

That is it. No complex POS integration, no hardware to install, no IT consultant to hire.

Step 6: Promote it to your customers

Most customers will figure out the QR code on their own when they see it on the table. But you can speed adoption:

• Add a small sign near the entrance: "Order from your phone. Scan the QR code at your table."
• Have your servers mention it when seating customers: "You can order from the QR code on the table whenever you are ready."
• Post about it on your socials. A quick photo of the QR code on the table with "Scan to order" is enough.

Within a week, most regulars will be using it. New customers usually try it on their first visit because they are used to it from other restaurants.

What it actually costs: a real comparison

Let us say your restaurant does $5,000 per week in orders.

Platform	Weekly cost	Annual cost
UberEats (30%)	$1,500	$78,000
me&u (monthly fee + %)	~$150-$300	~$7,800-$15,600
Windsor Digital (2%)	$100	$5,200

The difference between UberEats and Windsor Digital on $5,000/week is $72,800 per year. That is a full-time employee. Or a kitchen renovation. Or just profit in your pocket.

Common concerns (and honest answers)

"What if the internet goes down?" Your customers are ordering on their own phones using their own mobile data. Your WiFi does not matter. As long as you have some form of internet to receive orders on your dashboard, you are fine.

"What about older customers who do not use phones?" They order the traditional way. QR ordering is an extra channel, not a replacement. You do not lose anything by offering it.

"Is 2% going to add up?" On $5,000 weekly revenue, 2% is $100. Compare that to what you currently pay for order mistakes, slow table turnover, or lost customers who leave because the wait is too long. The 2% pays for itself.