A QR menu is a fast web page that opens when a guest scans the code on their table. It shows items with photos and prices in Arabic and English, lets guests order straight to the kitchen screen, and then pay by mada, Apple Pay or at the counter. Each table has its own code so orders carry the table number. You can build one with AI without coding, including a dashboard to edit items and prices and pause sold-out dishes instantly.
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How do you build a QR menu with table ordering?
A QR code menu is a fast web page that opens on a guest's phone as soon as they scan the code on the table, with no app to download. It shows items with photos, prices and descriptions in Arabic and English, lets the guest order from their seat so the order lands on the kitchen screen with the table number, and then lets them pay online or at the counter.
To build one without coding, describe three parts to an AI builder such as Fanann: the menu and ordering page for guests, an order screen for the kitchen or barista, and an admin dashboard for items and tables. The agent builds, tests and deploys all of it, and generates a QR code for every table.
- Needs pinching and scrolling on a phone
- A price change means a new file and new codes
- No way to order from it
- No idea what guests view or order
- Usually one language
- Designed for phones, with photos and filters
- Instant price edits and sold-out switches
- Orders go straight to the kitchen by table
- Reports on best-selling items
- Arabic and English with the right direction for each
The best menu sells the dish before the waiter arrives.
Table ordering is one part of a bigger restaurant tech picture: pickup and delivery ordering, loyalty and WhatsApp replies. For the full picture, read AI for restaurants and cafés, and if you want an ordering channel outside the restaurant that does not depend on delivery apps, see your own restaurant ordering app.
What features does a QR menu with table ordering need?
| Feature | Why it matters | First version? |
|---|---|---|
| A unique QR code per table | Tags each order with its table automatically | Yes |
| Categories and items with photos and VAT-inclusive prices | Photos sell; clear prices prevent surprises | Yes |
| Item options and add-ons | Cup size, milk type, doneness | Yes |
| Cart and send to kitchen | The heart of the experience | Yes |
| Kitchen screen with order statuses | New, preparing, ready, served | Yes |
| Call waiter or request the bill | Faster service without waving | Yes |
| Pay at table with mada and Apple Pay | Cuts the wait for the bill | Soon after launch |
| Split the bill between people | Common for groups of friends | Later |
| Allergen and calorie labels | Trust, and compliance where required | Depends on your country |
| Loyalty points linked to a phone number | Turns visitors into regulars | Later |
The guest journey and the kitchen journey
- 1Scan the code
The guest scans the code on table 7 with their phone camera, and the menu opens in their phone's language with a switch button.
- 2Browse and choose
They move between categories, open an item to see the photo, description and options, and add it to the cart.
- 3Send the order
They review the cart, add a note like 'no sugar', and send. The order appears instantly on the kitchen screen with the table number.
- 4Prepare and serve
The kitchen moves the status to preparing then ready, and the waiter sees what to serve and to which table.
- 5Order more
The guest adds dessert or coffee later from the same page, and it joins the same session's bill.
- 6Pay
They pay on their phone with mada or Apple Pay, or request the bill to pay at the counter, and the session closes.
Note the idea of a session: each table opens a session on its first order, and every order collects there until payment. That is what makes follow-up orders, a single bill and bill splitting possible. Say so explicitly in your prompt so the database is designed correctly.
Payments, VAT and invoices
In Saudi Arabia guests expect mada and Apple Pay; in the UAE, cards and Apple Pay; in Kuwait, KNET. Show prices including VAT (15% in Saudi Arabia, 5% in the UAE) so the total is never a surprise.
- In Saudi Arabia, invoices fall under ZATCA's e-invoicing (Fatoora) rules, including the QR-coded simplified tax invoice for sales to consumers. If your restaurant is in one of the integration waves, check the notification you received from ZATCA.
- In the UAE, e-invoicing starts with a voluntary pilot in 2026 and then phases in by revenue size, with B2C transactions out of scope for now; verify with the Ministry of Finance and the FTA.
- An order counts as paid only after the payment gateway confirms it, not when the guest taps 'pay'.
- If you have a POS, decide whether the menu replaces it or integrates with it.
Fanann issues QR-coded invoices with VAT calculated and connects local payments to the menu. If you want a full cashier POS, read build a restaurant POS and orders screen.
Design a menu that sells more
- Real photos of your dishes in good light, not stock images.
- Highest-margin items first in each category, with a 'most ordered' or 'new' badge.
- Add-on suggestions when adding to the cart: 'add fries?' or 'coffee with your dessert?'.
- Short, clear descriptions in both languages, written by someone who knows the dish, not a machine translator.
- Seasonal sections: suhoor and iftar menus in Ramadan, winter and summer items, shown and hidden on a schedule.
- Load speed: a light page that opens within two seconds on mobile data, with a responsive design and correct right-to-left layout.
If your café also does pickup orders, see build a coffee shop ordering app with pickup and loyalty.
A ready prompt to build your QR menu in Fanann
Build a QR code menu for a café in Jeddah with 15 tables, Arabic first with English, as a fast web app with no download. Each table has a unique QR code that opens the menu and tags orders with the table number. Menu: categories (coffee, cold drinks, desserts, breakfast); each item has a photo, description, price including 15% VAT, options (size, milk type, extra shot) and allergen and calorie labels. Guests order without signing up, add a note, and send. Each table has a session that collects orders until payment. The first order in each session needs waiter confirmation. A barista and kitchen screen shows new orders with a sound alert and statuses: new, preparing, ready, served. Guest buttons: call waiter and request bill. Payment on the phone with mada or Apple Pay, or choose to pay at the counter, with a QR-coded simplified tax invoice. Admin dashboard: edit items and prices, pause a sold-out item in one tap, categories shown at set times, manage tables and print their codes, and a daily report of sales and best-selling items. Show me the plan before you build.
Try it in FanannLaunch checklist and common mistakes
- Print QR codes large enough on water-resistant material, with the table number and 'Scan to order'.
- Test scanning on iPhone and Android in your real evening lighting.
- Run a trial day where staff order from every table as guests.
- Make sure the kitchen screen alert is audible in a busy room.
- Prepare a fallback for internet outages: a printed backup menu and a manual ordering method.
- Menu prices that differ from the till: an awkward argument at payment.
- Forgetting to pause sold-out items: the guest orders and hears about it 15 minutes later.
- Forcing sign-up before browsing: many guests just close the page.
- Machine-translated item names: strange names cost you trust.
Key takeaways
- A real digital menu is an interactive page that updates instantly, not a PDF you pinch and zoom.
- A QR code per table sends orders to the kitchen with the table number, no waiting for a waiter.
- Start with the menu and table ordering, then add pay-at-table and bill splitting.
- One-tap sold-out switches, VAT-inclusive prices and correct invoices save you costly mistakes.
- Check your food authority's rules on showing calories and allergens.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a QR code menu for my restaurant?
Do guests need to download an app to order from the table?
Can guests pay at the table with mada or Apple Pay?
How much does a digital menu for a restaurant cost?
Do I have to show calories on my menu?
Ask your AI assistant about this
Copy this prompt into the AI assistant you use, then add the details of your own case.
I am reading this guide: “Build a QR menu and table-ordering app for your restaurant or café” https://fanann.com/en/blog/build-qr-menu-app/ My question: qr code menu for restaurant Use that page as a source and explain the answer step by step for my situation, tell me what to check before I start, and cite the page link.