Pay at table (QR)

The bill shouldn't be the slowest part of the meal.

Scan the QR on the table, see the live bill, split it by item or by headcount, tip and pay — typically under a minute. Stripe-powered. Apple Pay and Google Pay in one tap. No app to download.

The last ten minutes of a meal is where turns die. The group finishes, someone looks for a server, the portable card reader arrives, it fails on one of four cards, the split takes a re-key, the tip box gets mumbled through. An entire turn of a table, lost on the bill. Pay-at-table gives those ten minutes back.

Live bill, tip presets, split options, and Apple / Google Pay in a single tap. The server doesn't walk a card machine across the floor.

Guests pay when they're ready — not when the server is free.

Every table has a QR code. Phone camera, tap, bill loads in the browser. Split by item, split equally, split custom — the remaining balance updates live as each guest pays. Apple Pay and Google Pay take one tap. Tip presets lift average tip percentage versus the awkward write-it-in moment on a card machine.

The staff keep the floor on their time, not the guest's. The guest leaves when they've paid, not when they've caught someone's eye. Every minute saved is a minute sold.

Seven ways QR pay changes the back end of a meal.

Scan, see, pay — under a minute

No app download, no account. Camera, QR, browser, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Typical pay-at-table transaction completes in 40–60 seconds — versus 4–7 minutes for traditional portable-card service.

Split any way guests want

By item — everyone picks what they had. Equal split — divide by headcount. Custom — pay any amount on account. Remaining balance updates live; no-one under- or over-pays by accident.

Tips go up

Clean on-screen tip presets (10%, 12.5%, 15%, custom) consistently lift average tip percentage. Servers keep the tip; the Portal gives you a transparent breakdown for distribution.

Extra turn on a Friday

Save four to six minutes per table on the bill. On ninety covers that's often a full additional turn on some tables. Straight-line revenue without another pair of hands.

Stripe-powered & PCI-safe

Payment is processed end-to-end by Stripe — card details never touch Andromeda. Apple Pay and Google Pay use device biometrics. Same PCI posture as the Stripe-powered website and app.

Tab-friendly for pubs

Open a bar tab, tie it to the table, and let guests settle it themselves at the end. No more awkward "who's on the tab" at last orders.

The tradition still works

Guests who prefer to be brought the bill still can be. Server runs it on OrderPad or a standard reader. Pay-at-table is always available, never forced.

Why restaurants and pubs keep the QR on the table.

Capability Traditional portable card reader Generic third-party QR pay Andromeda pay at table
Typical bill-to-paid time 4–7 minutes ~2 minutes 40–60 seconds
Split by item Server re-keys Sometimes Built in
Apple Pay & Google Pay Contactless only One tap
Live bill on guest's own phone No app, no account
Works with the same till & KDS Usually a separate system One platform
Tip uplift Often dropped Varies Preset-driven
Pricing Often per-reader Often per-transaction fee on top Low transparent fees
"We were sceptical — our guests are a bit older and we thought they'd want the card machine. Eighty per cent of tables scan. The thing that actually changed us was the tip box on the phone. Average tip went from about 8% to nearly 13%. That's life-changing for my servers."
JP
Jamie Pearson — Owner, independent pub & dining room
Harrogate · 1 site

Pay-at-table, answered.

How does pay-at-table with a QR code work? +

Each table has a small QR code — usually on the table card or printed on the bill. A guest scans with their phone camera, the live bill loads in the browser, they choose to pay all of it or split it by item or by headcount, add a tip, and pay. No app download. No account to create. Apple Pay and Google Pay are one tap.

How much faster is it than waiting for the card reader? +

Pay-at-table is typically four to six minutes faster than the traditional "wave at the server, wait for the portable, split the group, tap the cards" flow. On a Friday night with ninety covers that can be an extra turn on each table — straight-line revenue.

Can guests split the bill any way they like? +

Three ways. By item — everyone picks what they had. Equal split — divide by headcount. Custom amounts — pay any specific amount on account. The remaining balance updates live as each guest pays, so no-one under- or over-pays.

Do tips go up when guests pay on their phone? +

Yes. On-screen tip presets (10%, 12.5%, 15%, custom) consistently lift average tip percentage versus writing-in on a card machine. Servers keep the tip, and the breakdown is visible in the Portal for transparent distribution.

What about guests who don't want to scan a QR code? +

Nothing is forced. Guests who prefer to pay the traditional way simply ask the server, who runs the card on OrderPad or a standard card reader. Pay-at-table is an option that's always there — most tables will take it, some won't, and that's fine.

Is pay-at-table PCI-compliant and safe? +

Yes. The payment is processed end-to-end by Stripe — card details never touch Andromeda's systems. Apple Pay and Google Pay use device biometrics. You get the exact same PCI posture and fraud protection as Stripe-processed online payments.

What pay-at-table connects to.

Ten minutes back on every table. An extra turn on a Friday.

Book a 30-minute demo and we'll walk you through pay-at-table end-to-end — scan, split, tip and pay — on a sample bill, in your brand, with Apple Pay live.

Book a demo