EveryoneCore Concept

How MesaFlow Works: The Tap-to-Table Loop

A step-by-step breakdown of how an order moves from a customer’s phone to the kitchen pass and the floor plan.

Who can do thisWaiters, Managers, Kitchen Staff, and Owners.

Steps

Guest taps the table card
The customer holds their phone against the NFC card located on their table.
Their browser opens the verified table menu at `/c/[cardId]`, which identifies the table label (e.g., Table 4 or Terrace 2). If their phone lacks NFC, scanning the printed QR code opens the exact same session.
Browsing and customized ordering
The customer browses categories, customizes ingredients, chooses combo options, and adds items to the cart.
Prices and item availability are kept in sync live. Once submitted, the guest sees a 60-second cancellation window before the ticket becomes immutable.
Real-time kitchen and waiter dispatch
The order instantly lands on the Waiter Dashboard (`/waiter`) and Kitchen Screen (`/kitchen`).
The ticket displays table label, order timestamp, customized modifications, and prep timer indicators. Waiters can accept the ticket or edit quantities before kitchen acceptance.
Service, table calls, and bill settlement
During the meal, guests can press "Call Waiter" or "Request Bill" directly from their phone.
Staff receive notifications in the waiter calls drawer. When ready, the waiter brings the bill or payment terminal, marks the table bill as paid, and clears the table session.

Staff understand the lifecycle of an order and how customer actions correlate with screen updates.

Orders are categorized on the floor boards by timing thresholds: New (0–5 min), Cooling (5–15 min), and Critical (15+ min), which can be customized per restaurant.