QR Code Ordering & Self-Pay

Flip POS lets customers scan a QR code, browse your menu, and place orders from their own phone — no app download required. This guide covers both QR ordering use cases, their settings, and the day-to-day staff workflows for each.

Overview — Two QR Ordering Use Cases

Flip POS supports two distinct types of QR ordering, each designed for a different part of your operation. Understanding which applies to your setup is the first step.

What Both Use Cases Share

• No app download required — customers scan with their phone camera and order in their mobile browser
• Same customer ordering experience — browse menu, add items with modifiers, submit order
• Storefront branding — your logo and brand colors appear on the ordering page for both code types
• Approval control — you choose whether orders go to the kitchen automatically (Auto-Approve) or wait for staff review (Manual Approval)
• QR payment options — optionally collect payment via Shopify Checkout before or after the order is submitted

Prerequisites

What you need to have set up depends on which type of QR ordering you are enabling.

For Table Service QR Codes

• Table Service enabled — Go to Settings → Table Service and turn on Table Service mode
• Service Areas configured — At least one Service Area with a Service Location assigned
• Tables created — Tables must exist in Flip POS before QR codes can be generated for them
• Menu published — Your menu must be set up and published so it appears on the customer-facing ordering page
• Shopify Checkout (for self-pay) — Your Shopify store must have checkout enabled; products must be published to your online store channel

For Walk-Up QR Codes

• Quick Serve app active — The Quick Serve tile must be added to your Shopify POS
• Service Location configured — At least one Service Location must be set up in Flip POS settings
• Menu published — Your menu must be published for items to appear on the ordering page
• No tables or Service Areas required — Walk-up QR codes are location-level and do not depend on table setup

Table Service QR Codes

Table Service QR codes give each dining table its own unique ordering link. When a guest scans the code at their table, they land on your branded menu page pre-loaded with that table number. Their order flows directly into the Table Service app, where it appears alongside server-entered orders for that table. Staff can review and approve QR orders, send them to the kitchen, and manage them as part of the normal table workflow.

Setup & Generation

Generate QR codes for your tables from the Flip POS admin. Each table gets one unique code.

1. In the Flip POS admin, navigate to Settings → QR Code Ordering
2. You will see a list of all your tables grouped by Service Area
3. Tables without a QR code show "No QR Code" in the Status column
4. To generate QR codes for all tables at once, click "Generate All" at the top of the page
5. To generate a QR code for a single table, click the actions menu (⋯) next to the table and select "Generate QR Code"
6. Once generated, the table's status updates to "Active" and a "View" button appears

You can also deactivate a QR code (the link stops working without deleting the code), reactivate it, or delete it entirely from the actions menu. The scan count for each table is shown in the Status column so you can see which codes are being used.

Approval & Kitchen Settings (Table Service QR)

This is the most important setting for your daily workflow. It controls whether incoming QR orders go to the kitchen immediately or wait for a staff member to review them first.

Navigate to Settings → QR Code Ordering and find the "Automatically approve and send QR orders to kitchen" toggle.

Manual Approval (toggle OFF — recommended for full-service restaurants)

When this toggle is disabled, QR orders arrive with a "Pending Approval" status. The table in the Table Service app is flagged to indicate a QR order is waiting. A staff member must open the table and approve the order before anything is sent to the kitchen. This gives your team full control — servers can verify the order, confirm with the guest, and decide when to fire it.

• Use this when servers are responsible for managing guest interactions end-to-end
• Use this when your menu has many customizations that may need clarification
• Use this when you want to prevent accidental or duplicate orders from going straight to the kitchen
• Requires staff to check the Table Service app and tap Refresh to see new incoming orders

Auto-Approve (toggle ON — recommended for high-volume or fast-casual)

When this toggle is enabled, a customer's order is immediately created on their table and every pending item is automatically sent to the Kitchen Display System and kitchen printer — no staff action required. The order appears in Table Service with a "QR Order" label so staff know it came from the customer's phone, but it is already in the kitchen.

• Use this during peak hours when staff cannot monitor every incoming QR order
• Use this for simpler menus where order accuracy is less of a concern
• Use this when QR Payment is set to Required — since payment is already collected, the order is always intentional
• Staff still see the order in Table Service and can manage the table normally after it fires

QR Payment Settings

Control whether customers are asked to pay from their phone as part of the QR ordering flow. Navigate to Settings → QR Code Ordering and find the "QR Code Payment" section.

Disabled (default)

No payment is collected via QR. The customer places their order from their phone and your staff handles payment at the table using the Shopify POS terminal as normal. The order still appears in Table Service — only the payment step is unchanged from a normal server-entered table.

• Best for full-service restaurants where the server always closes the check
• No Shopify Checkout setup required for QR ordering to work

Optional

After the customer submits their order, a "Pay Now" button appears on their confirmation screen. The order has already been sent to the kitchen (or to Manual Approval, depending on your approval setting). The customer can choose to pay immediately from their phone or wait for the server to bring the check — their choice does not affect whether the order was sent to kitchen.

• Best for offering self-pay as a convenience without requiring it
• Allows the restaurant to transition gradually toward self-pay workflows

Required

The customer must complete payment via Shopify Checkout before their order is created in Flip POS. When they tap "Place Order," they are immediately redirected to Shopify Checkout. Once payment is confirmed, the order is created and follows your approval setting (Auto-Approve fires it to the kitchen; Manual Approval puts it in the queue).

• Best for high-volume, minimal-contact, or prepay models
• Eliminates the risk of orders being placed without payment
• Works well with Auto-Approve — since payment is guaranteed, orders can go straight to the kitchen

Download & Print (Table QR Codes)

Once QR codes have been generated for your tables, download or print them to place at each table.

1. Navigate to Settings → QR Code Ordering
2. Find the table you want to print a QR code for and click "View"
3. A modal opens showing the QR code image and the direct ordering URL for that table
4. Click "Download PNG" to save the QR code as an image to your device
5. Click "Print" to print directly from your browser
6. Place QR codes on your tables using table tents, laminated cards, or adhesive stickers

Placement Tips

• Use laminated cards or table tents — table surfaces get wet and QR codes are handled frequently
• Place at eye level when seated (center of table or in a menu holder) for easy scanning
• Include a short instruction: "Scan to order from your phone"
• Print at least 2" × 2" — smaller codes can be hard to scan in low light
• Each table's QR code is unique — do not reuse the same code at multiple tables

Customer Ordering Experience (Table QR)

Here is the complete experience a customer has when they scan a table QR code.

1. Customer scans the QR code at their table using their phone camera — no app required
2. They are taken to a mobile-optimized menu page showing your restaurant's branding and their table number
3. Customer enters their name (required) and optionally a phone number or email address
4. They browse your menu categories and tap items to add them to their cart
5. For items with variants or modifiers, a customization screen appears where they make selections
6. Required modifiers must be selected before the item can be added to the cart
7. The customer reviews their order in the cart, including all customizations and pricing
8. Optionally, they can add a note to their order (e.g., allergy information or special requests)
9. Customer taps "Place Order" to submit
10. A confirmation screen shows their order number, items ordered, and submission time
11. From the confirmation screen, customers can return to the menu to place additional orders (e.g., adding desserts later)

Customer Self-Pay Experience

When QR Payment is set to Optional or Required, customers can pay directly from their phone via Shopify Checkout.

Optional Payment Mode

1. Customer submits their order — it is sent to the kitchen (or approval queue) immediately
2. The confirmation screen shows a "Pay Now" button alongside their order summary
3. If the customer taps "Pay Now", they are taken to Shopify Checkout to complete payment securely
4. If they skip it, their server will handle payment at the table as normal — there is no penalty for not paying via phone

Required Payment Mode

1. Customer reviews their cart and taps "Place Order"
2. They are immediately redirected to Shopify Checkout before the order is submitted
3. Customer completes payment via Shopify Checkout (credit/debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay, etc.)
4. Once Shopify confirms payment, the order is created and sent to the kitchen or approval queue
5. Customer sees a confirmation screen with their order details

Staff Workflow: Manual Approval (Table Service)

When Auto-Approve is disabled, staff must review and approve each incoming QR order in the Table Service app before it goes to the kitchen.

1. Open the Table Service app in Shopify POS
2. Tables with pending QR orders are visually flagged — tap the table to view it
3. QR orders appear in the table's order list labeled "QR Order" with a "Pending Approval" status badge
4. Tap the order to review the customer's name, items, customizations, and any order notes
5. To accept the order, tap "Approve & Send to Kitchen":
   • All items are sent to the Kitchen Display System
   • Kitchen tickets print automatically (if printers are configured)
   • A toast notification confirms the order was sent
   • The order status updates and the table proceeds normally
6. To decline the order, tap "Reject":
   • A confirmation dialog asks you to confirm before cancelling
   • Once confirmed, the order is marked as cancelled
   • If the customer already paid via Shopify Checkout, a refund must be processed separately through Shopify

Checking for New Orders

The Table Service app does not update automatically. To see new incoming QR orders, tap the "Refresh" button in the top navigation. All table and order data is re-fetched from the server, and any pending QR orders appear immediately.

Staff Workflow: Auto-Approve Mode (Table Service)

When Auto-Approve is enabled, no staff action is needed — QR orders go straight to the kitchen the moment they are submitted (or paid, if QR Payment is set to Required).

1. Customer submits their order from their phone
2. Flip POS immediately creates the order on the correct table in Table Service
3. All items are sent to the Kitchen Display System automatically
4. Kitchen tickets print immediately (if printers are configured and category routing is set up)
5. Staff see the order in Table Service labeled "QR Order" with the customer's name — the table is now active and can be managed like any other
6. No approval action is needed — the order is handled like a server-entered order from this point forward

Walk-Up QR Codes

Walk-up QR codes are a single QR code per service location — not tied to any specific table. Any customer can scan and order without being assigned a seat. Their order flows directly into the Quick Serve app. The Quick Serve app automatically polls for new walk-up QR orders every 20 seconds, so staff are always up to date without manual refreshing.

Walk-up QR codes are ideal for:

• Lobby or bar areas where customers are not seated at a specific table
• Takeout counters and pick-up windows
• Food trucks, pop-ups, and events with no fixed seating
• Any location where you want QR ordering without table management

Setup & Generation

Walk-up QR codes are generated per service location — one code covers all customers scanning at that location.

1. In the Flip POS admin, navigate to Settings → QR Code Ordering
2. Scroll to the Walk-Up QR Codes section, which lists each of your service locations
3. Find the location you want to create a walk-up code for and click "Generate Walk-Up QR"
4. Once generated, click "View" to open the QR code modal

Note: Each service location supports one walk-up QR code. If a code already exists, the Generate button will be disabled — use the existing code or delete it first to regenerate.

Approval & Kitchen Settings (Walk-Up QR)

The same "Automatically approve and send QR orders to kitchen" toggle in Settings → QR Code Ordering controls walk-up QR orders as well as table QR orders. The behavior is the same — the difference is where the order appears and which app staff use to manage it.

Manual Approval (toggle OFF)

Walk-up QR orders arrive in the Quick Serve app with a "Pending Approval" status. A "QR Orders" button appears at the top of the Quick Serve main screen showing the number of pending orders. Staff must tap into the QR Orders screen and approve each order to send it to the kitchen. The Quick Serve app polls every 20 seconds, so new orders appear automatically without refreshing.

Auto-Approve (toggle ON)

Walk-up QR orders are created in Quick Serve and all items are fired to the Kitchen Display System and kitchen printer immediately — no staff action required. Staff can see the completed order in Quick Serve labeled with the customer's name, but it is already in the kitchen. The QR Orders button will show the order as active rather than pending.

Download & Print (Walk-Up QR Codes)

1. Navigate to Settings → QR Code Ordering and scroll to the Walk-Up QR Codes section
2. Click "View" next to the service location
3. The modal shows the QR code image and the ordering URL
4. Click "Download PNG" to save the image, or "Print" to print from your browser
5. Display the QR code at your counter, on a sign, or on table cards in the relevant area

Include a short label so customers know what to do: "Scan to order" or "Order from your phone." Because walk-up codes are not table-specific, the same printed code works for everyone at that location.

Customer Experience (Walk-Up QR)

The customer ordering experience for a walk-up QR code is nearly identical to a table QR code. The key differences are:

• No table number is shown or assigned — the ordering page displays the location name instead
• The customer still enters their name and optionally contact information
• Menu browsing, modifiers, cart review, and order submission are the same
• The confirmation screen shows their order number and items — customers can return to the menu to place additional orders

Staff Workflow: Quick Serve (Walk-Up QR)

Walk-up QR orders appear in the Quick Serve app. The app checks for new orders every 20 seconds automatically — no manual refresh needed.

Recognizing Incoming Orders

• When QR orders are present, a "QR Orders" button appears at the top of the Quick Serve main screen
• If orders are pending approval, the button is highlighted and shows the count — e.g., "QR Orders (3 pending)"
• If all orders have been approved and are active but not yet complete, the button shows in a standard style — e.g., "QR Orders (2 active)"

Approving and Rejecting Orders (Manual Approval Mode)

1. Tap the "QR Orders" button to open the QR Orders screen
2. Pending orders are listed first, showing the customer's name, items ordered, total amount, and time since submission
3. Tap "Send to Kitchen" on a pending order to approve it:
   • All items are sent to the Kitchen Display System
   • Kitchen tickets print automatically (if printers are configured)
   • The order status updates to confirmed
4. Tap "Reject" to decline an order:
   • A confirmation dialog appears — tap to confirm
   • The order is cancelled and removed from the queue

Auto-Approve Mode

When Auto-Approve is on, walk-up QR orders are sent to the kitchen the moment they are submitted. The QR Orders screen in Quick Serve will show these orders as active (not pending), so staff can track what is in-flight. No approval action is needed.

Storefront Branding

The customer-facing ordering page can be branded to match your restaurant. Branding settings apply to both table QR codes and walk-up QR codes.

1. Navigate to Settings → QR Code Ordering in the Flip POS admin
2. Find the Storefront Branding section
3. Set a Brand Color — enter a hex code (e.g., #2C7A4B) to apply your primary color to buttons and accents on the ordering page
4. Upload a Restaurant Logo — appears at the top of the ordering page when customers scan any QR code
5. Save — changes take effect immediately for all future QR ordering sessions

Tip: Choose a brand color with good contrast against white backgrounds so buttons remain legible. Test the page on your own phone after saving to confirm it looks right.

Staff-Initiated Self-Pay

In addition to QR Code Payment, Flip POS supports staff-initiated self-pay — staff can generate a Shopify Checkout payment link for any table at any time, even if the customer never used QR ordering. This is useful for tables that ordered through the server but prefer to pay from their own device.

1. Navigate to Settings → Table Service
2. Find the "Customer Self-Payment" toggle and enable it
3. When enabled, a "Send Payment Link" option appears in the Table Service app for any occupied table
4. Tap it to generate a Shopify Checkout link for the table's active check
5. Share the link with the customer by texting it, emailing it, or displaying it as a QR code on screen
6. The customer pays via their phone using any standard Shopify payment method

Note: Staff-initiated self-pay is only available for Table Service. It is a separate feature from QR Code Payment and is configured in Table Service settings, not QR Code Ordering settings.

Settings Reference

Use these tables to choose the right configuration for your setup.

Approval Mode

QR Payment Mode (Table Service QR only)

Best Practices

• Test before launch: Scan QR codes and place test orders end-to-end before enabling for real customers. Test both Manual and Auto-Approve modes, and each payment mode you intend to use.
• Train your staff: For Table Service, make sure servers know how to find and approve pending QR orders and how to use Refresh. For Quick Serve, make sure counter staff know to watch for the QR Orders button.
• Use clear signage: Add a short instruction near the QR code — "Scan with your phone camera to order." Not everyone is familiar with QR ordering yet.
• Laminate or protect your table QR codes: Table codes get wet, handled, and worn. Laminated cards or durable table tents last much longer.
• Match the mode to the moment: Use Manual Approval for slower, personal service and Auto-Approve when you need speed. You can change the setting at any time.
• Start with Optional payment: If you're new to self-pay, begin with Optional mode so customers can choose — this lets you learn the workflow before committing to Required.
• Keep menus current: The QR ordering storefront reflects your published Flip POS menu in real time. Update item availability and pricing in Flip POS and changes appear immediately.
• Assign someone during peak hours: If using Manual Approval, designate one staff member to monitor and approve incoming QR orders so nothing sits waiting during a rush.

Troubleshooting

QR code does not scan

• Ensure the QR code image is large enough and not damaged or obscured by glare
• Try a different phone — most modern smartphones scan natively via the camera app
• Download and reprint the QR code if the printed version is faded or damaged

Customer sees "QR Code not found" error

• The QR code may have been deactivated — go to Settings → QR Code Ordering and check the table's or location's QR code status
• Regenerate the QR code for that table or location and reprint it

Table QR orders not appearing in Table Service app

• Tap the Refresh button in the Table Service app — data does not update automatically
• Confirm the QR code is linked to the correct table in Settings → QR Code Ordering
• Ensure the table belongs to a Service Area with a Service Location assigned
• If using Auto-Approve and the order still isn't showing, check your Kitchen Display System connection and printer configuration

Walk-up QR orders not appearing in Quick Serve

• The Quick Serve app polls every 20 seconds — wait a moment and the order should appear automatically
• If orders still don't appear, close and reopen the Quick Serve app
• Confirm the walk-up QR code is set to Active in Settings → QR Code Ordering
• Ensure the service location for the walk-up code is correctly configured in Flip POS settings

Customer cannot complete payment

• Verify that your Shopify products are published to the Online Store channel — Shopify Checkout requires products to be available online
• Check that your Shopify store has checkout enabled and at least one payment provider configured
• If QR Payment is set to Required and payment fails, the order will not be created — the customer should retry or speak to a staff member

Kitchen not receiving QR orders

• If using Manual Approval with table QR codes — the order is waiting in Table Service. Open the table and look for "Pending Approval" orders. Tap Refresh if the order doesn't appear.
• If using Manual Approval with walk-up QR codes — the order is waiting in Quick Serve. Tap the "QR Orders" button on the main screen. The app polls every 20 seconds so it may take a moment to appear.
• If using Auto-Approve — confirm your Kitchen Display System is online and your printer is connected and polling
• If QR Payment is Required — confirm the customer completed payment. Unpaid orders are never forwarded to the kitchen.