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QR code table ordering: what changes for waiting staff, the kitchen and guests

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QR code table ordering means that guests scan the code on the table, choose from the menu on their phone and send the order themselves, without waiting for a waiter to come over. With ARIVA Table QR, the order reaches SELIO POS at the table it was sent from, and the SELIO KDS screen in the kitchen, with the same items, quantities and extras. ARIVA is free for the restaurant, with no subscription and no commission, and works together with SELIO POS and SELIO KDS.

Why does table ordering matter now?

In 2025–2026, Romania's hospitality employers' federations and HORA name staff shortages among the sector's biggest problems. At the same time, costs have risen: VAT on restaurant services went up from 9% to 11% on 1 August 2025, and the gross minimum wage reached 4,325 lei from 1 July 2026.

QR ordering does not replace waiters. It does take away the part of their work that can be done without them:

  • walking to a table only to take the order;
  • writing the order down and keying it into the POS;
  • going back to the table when something was misheard.

The time left over goes into service, which is exactly where a person counts.

How does QR code table ordering work?

Every table has its own QR code. The code identifies the restaurant, the point of sale, the section and the table, which is why an order sent from table 7 appears in SELIO POS at table 7.

The steps, from the guest's side:

  1. Scan the QR code with the phone camera and open the table's menu.
  2. Choose items, extras and quantities.
  3. Check the order summary and send it.
  4. The order appears in SELIO POS, at the guest's table, and in SELIO KDS, in the kitchen.

The menu comes from the catalogue set up in SELIO for your point of sale, and guests can browse it without an account. For now, ARIVA Table QR sends the order without in-app payment.

You can also turn on the distance check. Orders can then be sent only from the restaurant's area, and the browser asks the guest for location permission. Without a location, or outside the set radius, the order is not sent.

What changes for waiting staff and the kitchen?

Waiters no longer write down orders sent by QR or key them into the POS. They see them in SELIO POS, at the guest's table, and spend the time on:

  • welcoming guests and explaining the QR code to first-time users;
  • recommendations and answers about dishes, ingredients and allergens;
  • serving on time, especially when several tables order at once.

The kitchen receives the order on the SELIO KDS screen exactly as the guest sent it, with no handwritten tickets and no second round of typing:

  • orders appear in real time at the prep station they are assigned to and are grouped by table;
  • each new order plays a sound, and tickets that have been waiting a long time turn yellow, then orange, then red;
  • orders are shown oldest first, and an urgent one can be moved to the front with the Prioritize Orders feature;
  • when the kitchen marks an order DONE, waiting staff can be notified that it is ready to serve.

Keep one effect of QR ordering in mind: guests send their order when they are ready, not when a waiter comes by. At peak times several orders can arrive at once, and the kitchen needs to be able to sequence them.

A practical tip: decide for each shift who watches new orders in the POS, and keep the classic option for guests who prefer to order through a waiter.

What changes for guests?

Guests order at their own pace. They read the menu on their phone, take the time they need and send the order without having to catch a waiter's eye.

A few things are up to you:

  • Menu information. Guests read the menu on their own, so descriptions, ingredients and allergens need to be complete.
  • Notes. A note for the kitchen helps, but it does not guarantee that a special request can be met. For allergies, guests must be able to ask the restaurant directly.
  • Help at the table. Guests who do not want to use their phone must be able to find an available waiter.

What to prepare before putting QR codes on the tables

  • Systems and cost: SELIO POS and SELIO KDS. ARIVA is free for the restaurant, with no subscription and no commission, and guests pay no Service at the table. For SELIO terms, write to hello@ariva.food.
  • Menu: items, descriptions, extras, ingredients and allergens up to date in the SELIO catalogue.
  • Opening hours and availability: for orders at the table, opening hours and item availability can be checked, so keep both up to date.
  • QR codes: one per table, linked to the right table.
  • Distance check: decide whether to turn it on.
  • Kitchen: prep stations created in SELIO KDS and every item assigned to a station. An order with no matching station does not appear on any screen.
  • Team: who watches orders in the POS and how waiters explain the QR code to guests.

On ariva.food you can follow an order from the table: from the guest's phone to SELIO POS and the kitchen screen. For questions about your restaurant, write to hello@ariva.food. You create the experience. ARIVA makes ordering simple.