What is a table menu?
A table menu is a digital menu used inside the restaurant. The guest is seated, scans a QR code on the table, browses the menu on their phone and can send an order request to the team.
It is different from a simple online menu. An online menu is mainly for browsing remotely. A table menu is part of service, with a table number and a staff workflow behind it.
One QR code per table
With Modern Resto, you can generate QR codes for your tables. Table 1 has its QR code, table 2 has its QR code, table 3 has its QR code, and so on.
When the guest scans the QR code on their table, the menu opens with that table context. If they send an order request, the team knows where the request came from.
What the guest does
- The guest sits at the table.
- They scan the table QR code.
- They browse the digital menu.
- They add dishes to their selection.
- They send an order request from the menu.
The guest does not replace the team. They send a request. The restaurant keeps control: accept, prepare, serve, cash out or cancel.
Why this requires order management
The option "Let guests send an order request from the menu (table menu)" works only when order management is active.
That is because once a guest sends a request, the team needs a place to receive it. The restaurant also needs to know which table is involved, who follows the order and what the chef must prepare.
Order management unlocks the real service workflow: tables, order taking, team access and the kitchen dashboard. For the full explanation, read our guide to restaurant order management software.
A concrete example
You have 12 tables. In the Modern Resto dashboard, you set 12 tables. Modern Resto generates one QR code per table. You print the QR codes and place them on the tables.
During service, a request arrives from table 7. The order taker sees the request, accepts it, and the kitchen follows preparation from the kitchen dashboard.
Table menu vs online ordering
- Table menu: the guest is inside the restaurant, scans the table QR code and sends a request linked to that table.
- Online ordering: the customer is remote, opens the menu link and can send an online order request.
- Simple digital menu: the customer only browses the menu, without sending a request.
When should you activate the table menu?
Activate the table menu when your team is ready to watch incoming requests during service. If nobody watches the dashboard, keep the digital menu published and activate ordering later.
The simple path is: publish the digital menu first, print the QR code, then activate the table menu once service is organized.