Set Up Self-serve Ordering and QR Codes with Square Online
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Self-serve ordering through Square Online offers a contactless, in-person ordering experience that increases safety and workflow efficiency. Instead of browsing a paper menu and placing orders with a staff member, customers use their mobile devices to scan a QR code at their table, seat, parking spot, or anywhere you want them to order from. You can automatically tie each QR code to a specific ordering station – great for smaller food venues and restaurants – or require customers to enter their location manually when they order – best for large-scale events and stadiums.
In order to better prepare for your self-serve operations, take a look at best practices for self-serve ordering through Square Online for helpful tips.
Here's a general overview of how self-serve ordering works:
- QR codes are automatically generated when you set up self-serve ordering. You’ll have a unique code for every table, seat or any other station. Print and place an ordering card wherever you want customers to order from.
- Guests scan the QR code to open your online ordering page using their mobile device. They can select items, add special requests, place their order and pay directly from their mobile device. Since everything’s processed online, there’s no need to handle credit cards or cash.
- Once your customer completes their order, the order will appear on your Square POS, and feed directly to your kitchen ticket printer or kitchen display system (KDS). Since each QR code is connected to a specific ordering station, your staff can see exactly where each order came from.
- Fulfil the self-serve order in whatever way works best for your business. Customers will see instructions and other information on your online ordering page that let them know what to expect.
Self-serve Ordering Setup
You can set up self-serve ordering for one or more locations. In your Square Online Overview page, go to Fulfillment > Self-Serve Ordering and select Set up QR codes.
- QR codes are automatically generated when you set up self-serve ordering. You’ll have a unique code for every table, seat or any other station. Print and place an ordering card wherever you want customers to order from.
- Guests scan the QR code to open your online ordering page using their mobile device. They can select items, add special requests, place their order and pay directly from their mobile device. Since everything’s processed online, there’s no need to handle credit cards or cash.
- Once your customer completes their order, the order will appear on your Square POS, and feed directly to your kitchen ticket printer or kitchen display system (KDS). Since each QR code is connected to a specific ordering station, your staff can see exactly where each order came from.
- Fulfil the self-serve order in whatever way works best for your business. Customers will see instructions and other information on your online ordering page that let them know what to expect.
Here are a few things you need to know before getting started with self-serve ordering:
- Your website must be published to use self-serve ordering. The QR codes send customers to your website, so it won’t work if the site isn’t published. You can publish your website in your Square Online site editor by selecting Publish.
- Self-serve ordering only works with the Order Online ordering page template. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to create or switch to the Order Online template.
- If you have more than one website, make sure you’ve selected the site you want to link the QR codes to. You can switch sites using the site switcher menu in the Square Online Overview page.
After you select Set up QR codes, proceed using the following steps.
Choose Items
Items must have self-serve ordering selected as a fulfillment method. Select the items you'd like to make available for self-serve ordering using the check boxes, then select Continue.
Note: You can also update fulfillment settings later for multiple items at once in your Square Online Overview page in Items > Site Items by using the bulk editing method.
Learn more about adding items and categories to Square Online.
Add Customer Instructions
Enter any information your customers need to know when placing or receiving orders. These instructions are shown after customers scan a QR code and after they submit an order.
You can see a preview for each set of instructions during setup. Select Continue when you’re finished adding instructions.
Add Ordering Stations
Select Add ordering stations to start creating ordering stations that match with the setup of your business. Add details for your stations such as a group name, a name for each individual station, and the number of total stations. Select Save when complete and select Add ordering stations again to add additional ordering stations as needed.
Select Continue to complete final steps and preview your QR codes.
Get QR Codes
To preview and download your QR codes, select Get QR code on the Self-Serve Ordering page.
Start by choosing one of the following options:
Customers are automatically assigned an ordering station: Unique QR codes must be placed at each ordering station. This is best for smaller establishments like restaurants.
Customers manually enter their ordering station: Use the same QR code and place it throughout your business. This is best for larger establishments like stadiums or large-scale events.
Next, choose your design with one of the following options:
Ordering card with QR code: Pre-designed cards with instructions. Great for quick and easy printing and setup.
QR code only: QR codes to place on your own designs. You can also hire an expert to create custom ordering cards through our partnership with 99designs.
Lastly, choose the stations you want to download and select Download. Print your downloaded document as needed and place your QR codes where they’re needed.
Note: To try out the live ordering process, you can use your phone to scan a QR code from your screen and place a test order to see it in action.
Edit Self-serve Ordering Settings
Self-serve ordering has additional settings you can edit or enable after setup.
You can edit your ordering stations at any time by selecting Edit from the Self-Serve Ordering page and selecting Edit under “Ordering stations.”
Note: If you choose to edit your ordering cards by reducing the number of stations you have, you’ll also end up disabling the QR codes you’ve already created. For example, if you lower the number of stations from 12 to 10, then the existing ordering cards for stations 11 and 12 will no longer work.
With self-serve ordering, you can allow your customers to place alcohol orders online while dining at your restaurant or attending your event. You can also place a limit on how many alcoholic items a customer can order.
To allow alcoholic items for for self-serve orders, select Edit from the Self-Serve Ordering page and select Edit under Alcohol. Toggle this feature on and set an optional limit. Select Save to apply the changes.
Learn more about selling alcohol with Square Online for additional details specific to self-serve ordering.
You can also use these other optional features with self-serve ordering.
You can let your customers leave you a note when placing an order. Turning this feature on makes it available for any type of online order.
To enable customer notes:
- In your Square Online Overview page, go to Settings > Checkout or Shared Settings > Checkout.
- Select Edit customer inputs.
- Under ‘Checkout fields’, tick the box to allow notes from customers.
- Select Save when finished.
Turn on tipping to let your customers leave a tip on their order. You can set a default tip percentage or leave it blank. Customers can change the amount or opt to not leave a tip when they check out.
To enable tipping:
- In your Square Online Overview page, go to Settings > Checkout or Shared Settings > Checkout.
- Select Edit customer inputs.
- Select the toggle under ‘Order tipping’ and select a default amount from the menu.
- Select Save when finished.
Note: If you offer pickup and/or local delivery, tipping settings will also apply to those fulfilment types.
If you don't need a QR code mapped to each ordering station, Square Online also generates a single QR code for every site. Visit Website > Site Preferences to access the QR code. Place this QR code on marketing materials to point directly to your site. Read more about setting up QR code payments with Square.