Ordinami.itWith table orders, the customer scans the QR code, browses the menu, and sends the order from their phone, without waiting for someone to take it. For some venues, it's an operational game-changer; for others, it's a forced fit. As a consultant, my advice is to beware of those who sell it as mandatory and those who dismiss it as a trend: it depends on your service format. Let's weigh the pros and cons.
The pros, when the format is right
- No waiting to order. The most frustrating moment for the customer isn't waiting for food: it's waiting to order. The QR code eliminates this, along with a significant number of negative reviews about slow service.
- The second round starts automatically. Another beer, another round of fries: orders that often don't happen because the waiter doesn't pass by at the right moment. Orders from the phone do happen, and the bill appreciates it.
- No order errors. The order comes written by the customer: no "actually, I asked for no onion".
- More efficient staff. With the current difficulty in finding waiters, removing the order-taking task frees up the floor staff to deliver plates and care for tables.
The cons, honestly stated
- Less human contact. If your strong point is tableside advice and guided sales by the owner, phone orders cut out that moment.
- Not all customers appreciate it. Some customers, especially older ones, want to order verbally. You should always maintain the alternative.
- The kitchen must keep up with the pace. Orders arrive more smoothly and sometimes more frequently: if the kitchen struggles on Friday evenings, fix that first.
Where it works better
Pizzerias with large tables, pubs and breweries where reordering is the heart of revenue, beach establishments and outdoor seating where staff cover a lot of ground, venues with informal service and high turnover. Where it's less convincing: fine dining and venues where the story behind the dish is part of the experience. In the middle is the majority of venues, where the hybrid formula — QR code active, waiter always available — satisfies both audiences.
How to try it risk-free
The sensible approach is to test it: activate it as an option alongside the classic service, explain it with a line on the menu, and look at the numbers for a month. With Ordinami, table orders are included in the MEDIUM plan from 49.90 euros per month — you can find the plan comparison on the pricing page — and customers order from the same QR code as the menu, so you don't change anything in the dining area. If after a month the average bill and service speed don't improve, you'll at least have hard data instead of an opinion. Involve your staff before the launch: if the floor staff see the tool as an ally that saves them unnecessary trips, they'll offer it to the tables; if they see it as a control, they'll silently boycott it.