How to Set Up Dine-In QR Table Ordering (Step by Step)

Katalo's Dine-In feature is built for restaurants, cafés, and food stalls: each table gets its own unique QR code. Guests scan it, your menu opens on their phone, they order — no queuing at the counter, no missed notes. Orders land straight on your kitchen board the moment they're placed.

This guide explains how to set up and receive dine-in orders via QR table codes, from creating your first table to closing the bill.

Before You Start

The dine-in feature (Tables, Sessions, and dine-in orders) is part of the Dine-In add-on — activate it first from the Add-on menu. Also make sure your products are already in your catalog; if not, start with how to add products.

Steps to Set Up Dine-In QR Ordering

1Activate the Dine-In add-on

Open the Add-on menu and activate Dine-In. Once active, the Tables and Dine-In Sessions menus appear in your dashboard and the feature is ready to use.

2Create your tables

Open the Tables menu and click Add table. Enter a Table name (e.g. Table 5) and save. Repeat for every table in your venue. Each table shows a status of Available or Occupied, and can be set to Active or Inactive.

3Print the QR code and place it on the table

On the table you just created, click Print QR to display the Table QR code. Print it and place it at the matching table. Every table has a unique QR, so orders are automatically linked to the right table.

4Guests order from their phone

Guests scan the QR at their table. Your store menu opens on their phone instantly — no app download needed. They add items to the cart, tap Order now, and can add a note per item (e.g. "no ice"). After submitting, they see an Order sent confirmation with their order number.

5Process orders on the Order Board

Dine-in orders appear instantly on the Order Board in the Waiting column. Advance each order through the kitchen flow: Start preparing → Mark ready → Mark served.

6Close the bill in Dine-In Sessions

Dine-in payments are managed per table session. Open Dine-In Sessions, select the active session to see the Session bill — every order from that table in one consolidated tab. Accept payment via Pay (partial payments are supported if guests are splitting the bill). Once fully paid, click Close bill to end the session and free up the table.

Note: paying and closing the session are two separate actions — you can collect payment first, then close the bill when guests actually leave.

Tips for Dine-In

• Use clear table names. Use names your staff recognise (Table 1, A1, Outdoor 3) so they can match orders to tables when serving.
• Reprint damaged QR codes. A torn or smudged QR is hard to scan — replace it quickly so guests don't struggle to order.
• Watch the "Occupied" status. The table list shows which tables have an active session, helping you manage seating during a rush.
• Encourage item notes. Guests can add special requests per item, which go straight to the kitchen and reduce order errors.

What's Next

Already receiving orders? See how to use the POS register for walk-in or takeaway orders alongside dine-in. To review completed transactions, check your Order History in the POS menu.