QR Code Ordering & Self-Pay

Allow customers to scan a QR code at their table, browse your menu, place orders, and optionally pay — all from their own phone. This guide covers everything from initial setup to daily management of QR ordering and self-pay workflows.

Overview

Flip POS offers two complementary self-service features that work together to reduce friction for your guests and your staff:

QR Code Ordering

Each table gets a unique QR code. When a customer scans it, they are taken to a mobile-optimized storefront for your restaurant where they can browse your menu and submit orders directly to your staff or kitchen — no app download required.

QR Code Self-Pay

After placing an order (or independently), customers can pay their tab directly from their phone via Shopify Checkout. You control whether payment is disabled, optional, or required before the order is sent to the kitchen.

Self-Pay (Staff-Initiated)

Staff can generate a payment link at any time for a table's order, allowing a customer to pay from their own device without involving the POS terminal. This is configured separately from QR Code Payment and is useful for tables that were not using QR ordering.

These features are designed to work alongside your existing table service workflow — they supplement, not replace, your servers.

Prerequisites

Before setting up QR ordering, ensure the following are in place:

• 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

Setting Up QR Codes

Generate unique QR codes for each of your tables from the Flip POS admin.

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 will 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 will update to "Active" and the "View QR" button will appear

Storefront Branding

Customize the customer-facing QR ordering storefront to match your restaurant's brand. Branding settings are configured in the Flip POS admin and appear immediately on your customers' ordering pages.

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 color code (e.g., #2C7A4B) to apply your primary brand color to buttons, accents, and highlights on the ordering page
4. Upload a Restaurant Logo — this appears at the top of the ordering page to greet customers when they scan a QR code
5. Save your settings — changes take effect immediately for all future QR ordering sessions

Tip: Use a brand color with sufficient contrast against white backgrounds so buttons and text remain legible on all screen types. Test the ordering page on your own phone after saving to confirm the branding looks as expected.

QR Ordering Settings

Configure how customer QR orders are handled when they arrive in your system.

1. Navigate to Settings → QR Code Ordering
2. Find the "Automatically approve and send QR orders to kitchen" toggle:
   • Enabled (Auto-Approve): When a customer submits an order, it is automatically sent to the Kitchen Display System and/or kitchen printer without any staff action. Orders appear in Table Service just like regular server-entered orders.
   • Disabled (Manual Approval): Customer orders arrive with a "Pending Approval" status. Staff must review and approve each order in the Table Service app before it is sent to the kitchen. This is useful when you want a server to verify the order before it is prepared.
3. Save your settings

QR Code Payment Settings

Control whether and when customers are asked to pay from their phone as part of the QR ordering flow.

1. Navigate to Settings → QR Code Ordering
2. Find the "QR Code Payment" section and select a payment mode:
   • Disabled: No payment is collected via QR. Customers order from their phone and staff handles payment at the table using the Shopify POS terminal as normal.
   • Optional: After the customer submits their order, a "Pay Now" link to Shopify Checkout is shown on their confirmation screen. The order goes to the kitchen immediately (or to staff approval if auto-approve is off). The customer may choose to pay from their phone or wait for staff to bring the check.
   • Required: The customer must complete payment via Shopify Checkout before their order is sent to the kitchen or staff approval queue. Orders will not appear in the kitchen until payment is confirmed.

Self-Pay Settings

Self-Pay allows customers to pay their bill from their own phone at any point — even if they did not use QR ordering to place their order. Staff can generate and share a payment link for any table.

1. Navigate to Settings → Table Service
2. Find the "Customer Self-Payment" toggle
3. Enable it to allow staff to generate Shopify Checkout payment links for customer tables
4. When enabled, a "Send Payment Link" option appears in the Table Service app for occupied tables
5. Staff can share the link with the customer (via text, email, or by displaying a QR code) so they can pay from their own device

Download & Print QR Codes

Get your QR codes ready to display at your tables.

1. Navigate to Settings → QR Code Ordering
2. Find the table you want to print a QR code for and click "View QR"
3. A modal will open showing:
   • The QR code image for that table
   • The direct ordering URL customers will be taken to
4. Click "Download PNG" to save the QR code as an image file 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

QR Code Placement Tips

• Use laminated cards or table tents for durability — these get wet and handled frequently
• Place QR codes at eye level when seated (center of table or menu holder) for easy scanning
• Include simple instructions: "Scan to order from your phone"
• Ensure QR codes are large enough to scan easily — at least 2" × 2" when printed

Customer Ordering Experience

Here is the complete experience a customer has when using QR Code Ordering.

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 for your restaurant, showing your 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 their 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)
9. Customer taps "Place Order" to submit
10. A confirmation screen displays their order number, items ordered, and submission time
11. From the confirmation screen, customers can return to the menu to place additional orders

Customer Self-Pay Experience

When QR Payment is enabled (optional or required), here is what the customer sees.

Optional Payment Mode

1. Customer submits their order
2. The confirmation screen shows their order details and a "Pay Now" button
3. Their order has already been sent to the kitchen (or staff approval queue)
4. If the customer taps "Pay Now", they are taken to Shopify Checkout to complete payment securely
5. If they choose not to pay now, their server will handle payment at the table as normal

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. The customer completes payment via Shopify's secure checkout (credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.)
4. Once payment is confirmed by Shopify, the order is created and sent to the kitchen or staff approval queue
5. Customer sees an order confirmation screen with their order details

Managing QR Orders (Manual Approval)

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

1. Open the Table Service app in Shopify POS
2. Tables with pending QR orders will be visually indicated — 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 its details, including the customer's name, items ordered, customizations, and any notes
5. To accept the order, tap "Approve & Send to Kitchen":
   • 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 to reflect it was sent to kitchen
6. To decline the order, tap "Reject":
   • A confirmation dialog appears asking you to confirm the rejection
   • Once confirmed, the order is marked as cancelled
   • If the customer paid via Shopify Checkout, a refund will need to be processed separately through Shopify

Refreshing for New QR Orders

The Table Service app does not update in real time automatically. To check for new QR orders:

1. In the Table Service app, tap the "Refresh" button in the top navigation
2. All table and order data is fetched from the server
3. New QR orders will appear immediately after refreshing

Auto-Approve Mode

With Auto-Approve enabled, QR orders flow directly to the kitchen with no staff action required.

1. Customer submits their order from their phone
2. The order is immediately created in Flip POS on the correct table
3. Items are sent to the Kitchen Display System automatically
4. Kitchen tickets print immediately (if printers are configured)
5. Staff can see the order in the Table Service app with the "QR Order" label and the customer's name
6. No manual approval step is required — the order is handled just like a server-entered order

When to Use Auto-Approve

• During peak hours when staff are too busy to review every incoming QR order
• For restaurants with simpler menus where order accuracy is less of a concern
• When QR Payment is set to Required — since payment is collected first, you can trust the order is intentional
• Fast-casual environments where speed of service is the priority

Payment Mode Comparison

Use this table to choose the right configuration for your restaurant:

Best Practices

• Test before launch: Scan QR codes and place test orders end-to-end before enabling for real customers. Test each payment mode you intend to use.
• Train your staff: Ensure servers understand how to identify, approve, and reject QR orders in the Table Service app. They should also know how to assist customers who have trouble scanning or navigating the menu.
• Use clear signage: Add a short instruction near the QR code, such as "Scan with your phone camera to order". Many customers are not yet familiar with QR ordering.
• Laminate or protect your QR codes: QR codes placed on tables are subject to spills, wear, and damage. Use laminated cards or durable table tents.
• Monitor during peak hours: If using Manual Approval, assign one staff member to monitor and approve incoming QR orders so orders aren't delayed.
• Start with Optional payment: If you're new to self-pay, begin with Optional mode so customers can choose while you get comfortable with the workflow.
• Keep menus current: The QR ordering menu reflects your published Flip POS menu. Update item availability and pricing in Flip POS as needed — changes appear immediately on the customer-facing page.
• Communicate to customers: Consider adding a note on your physical menus or a table card explaining that QR ordering is available for convenience.

Troubleshooting

QR code does not scan

• Ensure the QR code image is large enough and not damaged or obscured
• Try a different phone camera — most modern smartphones can scan QR codes natively
• 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 QR code status
• Regenerate the QR code for that table and reprint it

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
• Ensure the table belongs to a Service Area with a Service Location assigned

Customer cannot complete payment

• Verify that your Shopify products are published to the Online Store channel — draft orders require products to be available for checkout
• Check that your Shopify store has checkout enabled and payment providers 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, the order is waiting in the Table Service app for staff to approve — open the table and look for "Pending Approval" orders
• If using Auto-Approve, check your Kitchen Display System connection and printer configuration
• If QR Payment is Required, confirm the customer completed payment — unpaid orders are not forwarded to the kitchen