Self-ordering kiosk vs QR ordering: which is right for your UK venue?

A self-ordering kiosk is a touchscreen in your venue where guests order and pay without queuing at the till. In the UK, kiosk software starts at about £35 a month per screen, plus hardware from £99 (plus an iPad) to £499 for an all-in-one unit, more for a floor-standing kiosk, plus card fees. QR ordering does the same job on the guest's own phone, with no hardware, and can start free. Kiosks suit busy counter-service venues. QR ordering suits table service, pubs and smaller sites.

Menuthere sells QR ordering, not kiosks. Below are the published UK prices for both, so you can compare fairly.

What is a self-ordering kiosk?

A self-service kiosk is a touchscreen, usually 15 to 32 inches, on a stand, a wall or a counter. Guests browse the menu, add extras, pay by card or phone, and get a ticket number. The order goes to the kitchen. Fast-food chains made them familiar. Now smaller UK venues use iPad-based kiosks too.

A kiosk ordering system usually needs:

• the screen (an iPad in a stand, or an all-in-one unit)
• a card reader built in or attached
• often a receipt or ticket printer
• kiosk software, which is usually tied to an EPOS system

What is QR ordering?

QR ordering puts the same ordering screen on the guest's phone. Each table, or the counter, has a QR code. Guests scan it, the menu opens in their browser, and they order and pay. The order arrives on your tablet, phone or kitchen printer. There's nothing to buy or install. Read more about QR code ordering systems.

Self-ordering kiosk prices in the UK

Published prices as listed on 11 October 2026 (before VAT where the provider says so). Check each provider before you buy.

Square's free 30-day trial applies to new kiosk customers using its EPOS. Most kiosk software only works with the same company's till system, so changing kiosk often means changing EPOS too.

QR ordering prices

Menuthere plans are billed in US dollars; your bank converts it. Menuthere takes 0% commission on every order. Stripe charges its own fee. Premium and international cards cost more.

Year-one cost: one kiosk vs QR ordering

An example for a café taking 1,000 orders a month at an average of £12. That's £144,000 of card sales a year.

Look closely at the card fees. On small orders, Stripe's fixed 20p per payment costs more than a percentage-only rate. At a £12 average, the kiosk card fee in this example is lower. On bigger orders (£30 or more), the gap closes. The fair conclusion: QR ordering wins on upfront cost and space. A kiosk can win on card fees for high-volume, low-value orders. Run the numbers with your own average order. And remember: one kiosk serves one guest at a time. QR ordering serves every table at once.

Kiosk vs QR ordering: side by side

Which should you choose?

Things to check before buying a kiosk

• Accessibility. Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled customers, and the EHRC says you should think ahead about what disabled customers will need. A kiosk at standing height can be hard to use from a wheelchair. Keep staff or a till available, and check the screen height and text size.
• Allergens. The kiosk must give guests a way to see allergen information before they order, or tell them to ask staff. Test this yourself. (On a Menuthere QR menu, you tag allergens and calories on each dish, on every plan, and guests see them when they open the dish.)
• Contract length. Some kiosk deals need 12 months or more. Ask what happens if you change EPOS.
• Printer. Does the price include a ticket printer? Some setups don't.
• Peak times. Two kiosks can still build a queue at lunch. A QR code beside the kiosk gives guests another way to order.

Getting started with QR ordering

1. Sign up free. Upload a photo or PDF of your menu. AI reads the dishes and prices; check them before saving.
2. Add sizes, add-ons, photos and allergens. Sizes, add-ons and photos do the upselling a kiosk would do. Allergen and calorie tags show when a guest opens a dish.
3. Print the QR codes. One per table, or one at the counter. Our free table QR card maker makes them print-ready.
4. Take orders. Orders arrive with a ringing alert on the partner app and can print in the kitchen.

Running several sites?

Create your free ordering pageBook a demo (opens in a new tab)

Comparing screens instead of kiosks? Read digital menu boards vs QR menus.