Orders — Dine-in, delivery, takeaway

Overview

The Meni ordering system supports all key restaurant business scenarios:

Dine-in — Table ordering

How it works

1. The guest scans the QR code on the table
2. The menu opens linked to the table number
3. The guest selects items, add-ons, and adds notes
4. Taps Order
5. The order instantly appears for staff (on the kitchen screen / waiter's tablet)
6. The waiter confirms the order → the kitchen starts cooking
7. The guest receives a status notification

Setup

1. In the admin panel → Settings → Orders
2. Enable Dine-in orders
3. Configure the floor plan — add tables, zones, bar counter
4. Assign QR codes for each table (generated automatically)

Table management

• Visual floor plan with drag & drop
• Table statuses: free / occupied / awaiting payment
• Automatic release after payment

Call a waiter

The guest can tap Call a waiter in the menu — the waiter will receive a notification with the table number.

Delivery — Delivery

Setting up delivery zones

1. Go to Settings → Delivery → Zones
2. Draw zones on the map or set a radius from the venue
3. For each zone specify:
   • Delivery fee
   • Minimum order amount
   • Estimated delivery time

Ordering flow

1. The customer opens the menu (via link, from social media, from packaging)
2. Selects Delivery → enters the address
3. The system determines the zone and shows the terms
4. The customer places the order → pays online or on delivery
5. The manager sees the order → assigns a courier
6. The customer tracks the status: accepted → preparing → on the way → delivered

Courier management

• Assign a courier to an order
• Track delivery status
• Delivery time analytics

Takeaway — Pickup

How it works

1. The customer opens the menu → selects Takeaway
2. Places the order → selects pickup time
3. Pays online or chooses pay on site
4. Receives confirmation with the order number
5. Picks up the order at the scheduled time

Setup

1. Settings → Takeaway
2. Enable takeaway
3. Set operating hours for takeaway
4. Configure minimum prep time (e.g., 15 minutes)

WhatsApp orders

A popular ordering channel in Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia.

Setup

1. Settings → WhatsApp
2. Enter your venue's WhatsApp number
3. Enable the Order via WhatsApp button in the menu

How it works

1. The guest builds a cart in the menu
2. Taps Order via WhatsApp
3. A WhatsApp chat opens with a pre-filled message (item list, quantity, total)
4. The manager confirms the order in chat

Telegram orders

Setup

1. Create a bot via @BotFather in Telegram
2. In the admin panel → Integrations → Telegram
3. Connect the bot to your location
4. The menu will automatically become available as a Telegram Mini App

More details: Telegram Mini App — guide

Order management

Orders panel

All orders from all channels (dine-in, delivery, takeaway, WhatsApp, Telegram) are displayed in a single panel:

• New — just received, awaiting confirmation
• In progress — confirmed, kitchen is preparing
• Ready — ready for pickup/delivery
• Completed — customer received the order
• Canceled — order canceled

Notifications

Staff receive notifications about new orders:

• 🔔 Sound notification on tablet/computer
• 📱 Push notification on phone
• 🖨 Automatic kitchen ticket printing (when a printer is connected)

Kitchen Display System (KDS)

The kitchen screen shows the order queue:

• Dish order by time received
• Status: new → cooking → ready
• Color urgency indication
• Sound alert for a new order

Voice order management

With the AI assistant, you can manage orders by voice:

All commands that change status require confirmation. More details — in the voice assistant documentation.

Order settings

7. Floor plan and table management

Floor plan editor

1. Settings → Floor plan → Editor
2. Drag and drop elements: tables (round, square, rectangular), chairs, walls, doors
3. Specify the number and capacity of each table
4. Create multiple zones: main hall, terrace, VIP, bar counter

Table statuses

Linking QR codes to tables

• Each table gets a unique QR code
• When scanned, the system identifies the table number
• The order is automatically linked to the table
• The waiter sees which table the order came from

8. Reservation system

Reservations for guests

Guests can reserve a table:

1. Via the QR menu → "Reserve a table" button
2. Via the venue website
3. Via a Telegram bot
4. By phone (manager enters it manually)

Reservation setup

• Time slots: reservation duration (1h, 1.5h, 2h)
• Guest limit: minimum and maximum per table
• Prepayment: require a deposit to confirm
• Auto-cancel: cancel after 15 minutes if the guest doesn't arrive
• Confirmation: automatic or manual

Notifications

• The guest receives confirmation (email / SMS / Telegram)
• Reminder 2 hours before the visit
• The manager sees all reservations in the calendar

9. Room Service (in-room dining)

For hotels, hostels, and apartments:

Setup

1. Settings → Venue type → Hotel / Room Service
2. Create rooms instead of tables (numbers: 101, 102... or names)
3. Place a QR code in each room

Ordering flow

1. The guest scans the QR in the room → sees the menu
2. Selects dishes → places an order
3. Enters the room number and delivery time
4. The kitchen receives the order → prepares → staff deliver to the room

Additional options

• Ordering additional services (towels, pillows, cleaning)
• Breakfast schedule with dish selection
• Mini-bar: consumption tracking
• PMS (Property Management System) integration

10. Split Bill

For guests

Guests at the same table can split the payment:

• Equally: total amount ÷ number of guests
• By items: each person selects their dishes and pays only for them
• Custom: each person enters their amount

How it works

1. During payment, the guest taps "Split bill"
2. Chooses a method: equally / by items / manually
3. Sends a payment link to other guests (QR, messenger)
4. Each person pays their part
5. The order is closed when all parts are paid

11. Kitchen Display System (KDS) — detailed setup

Hardware

KDS works on any device with a browser:

• Tablet (10–12 inches) — recommended for small kitchens
• Smart TV (32–55 inches) — for large kitchens
• Monitor with a PC — for large venues
• Multiple screens at once — each shows its own station

Connecting multiple KDS screens

A single venue can connect an unlimited number of KDS screens. Each screen is linked to a station and shows only relevant orders.

How to connect

1. Settings → KDS → + Add screen
2. Enter the screen name and station
3. The system generates a unique URL for this screen
4. Open the URL on the kitchen device (tablet, TV, monitor)
5. The screen connects automatically and starts receiving orders

Example setup for a restaurant

Order routing

When a guest places an order:

• Hot dish → KDS-1 (hot kitchen)
• Salad → KDS-2 (cold kitchen)
• Coffee → KDS-3 (bar)
• When all items are ready → KDS-5 (assembly) + guest screen

Each order item is routed automatically to the correct screen based on the dish category.

Linking categories to stations

1. Menu → select a category → KDS station
2. Choose a station from the list (Hot kitchen, Bar, etc.)
3. All items in that category will be sent to the corresponding screen

Guest waiting screen

A separate screen (TV in the dining area or near the pickup counter) shows:

• Ready order numbers in large font
• Orders in progress
• A progress bar for each order
• Sound alert when ready

Setup: KDS → + Add screen → type "Guest screen"

Station setup

Split the kitchen into stations:

Time color indication

• 🟢 < 10 min — within normal range
• 🟡 10–15 min — needs attention
• 🔴 > 15 min — critical, priority

Thresholds can be configured individually for each station (pizza may take longer than salad).

Managing orders on KDS

• Tap a dish → "In progress" (chef started)
• Swipe right → "Ready" (sent to handoff)
• Tap an order → all dishes in the order are ready → notify the waiter
• Sound alert for new orders and when time is exceeded
• Bump bar (optional): a physical button to mark readiness without touching the screen

KDS offline mode

If the internet goes down:

• KDS continues showing current orders
• New orders are cached and appear when the connection is restored
• Statuses sync automatically

12. Order cancellations and refunds

Cancellation policy

Refund process

1. The guest contacts the manager
2. Manager → Orders → selects the order → Refund
3. Selects items to refund (full or partial)
4. Funds are returned via the same payment method (1–5 business days)