Is it time to move to QR code ordering? | Here’s how the best bars in London are doing it
Once upon a time (okay, about five years ago), QR codes in bars were a novelty. They popped up during the pandemic as a quick fix, a way to get orders in without face-to-face contact. Some bars ripped them straight back out when things “went back to normal.” Others never looked back.
Fast forward to today, and London’s best bars aren’t using QR code ordering because it’s trendy, they’re using it because it works. They have seen the benefit they can bring and know how to manage a hybrid bar.
Here’s what’s actually happening behind the bar.
Why some bars are making the switch
Faster ordering = more rounds
Customers can order the second they’re ready, no flagging someone down, no waiting for menus. The quicker you get drinks in, the higher your spend per head.
Staff freed up for better service
Instead of scribbling orders and running to the till, your team can spend more time upselling, chatting, and keeping the vibe alive.
Reduced order errors
Guests tap in exactly what they want. Fewer “Oh, I thought you said…” moments, fewer comped drinks.
What the best bars are doing differently
QR codes are just a tool, what matters is how you use them. Here’s what top-tier London bars have nailed:
They don’t go 100% QR - There’s still a bartender or server ready to take an order the old-fashioned way. The tech is an option, not a replacement.
They make it part of the brand - Instead of a sad black-and-white square stuck to the table, leading to a black and white menu page, the QR is designed to match the venue’s look. It's an extension of the brand, and another way you can market and upsell to your customers.
They make it frictionless - There is nothing worse than having to connect to wifi, to then download an app, enter your mums brothers first dogs name, to order a pint. We will die on this hill. No app downloads. No 5-step sign-up. Just scan, browse, order, pay. Done.
They keep staff in the loop - Every QR order pops up where it needs to, in the bar POS, on the service screen, so there’s no “mystery ticket” confusion.
Look, there are some downsides too, we get it!
QR ordering isn’t perfect.
Some guests hate it and will stubbornly refuse to scan. They much prefer the experience of going up to the bar, waiting in line, seeing whats on tap, and chatting with the bartender, and there is nothing wrong with that. You do run the risk of losing those little service moments where someone orders a pint and leaves with a cocktail because the bartender upsold them. Also, If your WiFi is dodgy, you’re in for a bad time.
That’s why the best venues treat QR ordering as an extra tool, and bring Preshift in to help them manage changing to a hybrid bar, and making sure they have all their pints in a row to be able to do it (see what we did there... ;)
So… should you switch?
If you’re a busy venue struggling with order wait times, staff capacity, or tech that feels like it’s from 2009, then yes, it’s worth exploring.
But do it like the best bars in London:
Make it optional
Make it on-brand
Make it frictionless
Train your team to work with it, not around it
That way, you’re not just adding another gadget to your tech stack, you’re improving service, speeding up orders, and in turn, making more money. Which is what we love to help businesses do.
