QR code menu for cafés and restaurants in Australia
Updated October 19, 2026
A QR code menu lets guests scan the code on the table, order from their phone and pay, so staff spend less time taking orders. In Australia the menu also has to get prices right: the ACCC expects one total price including GST, weekend and public holiday surcharges need set wording, and card surcharges on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa end on 1 October 2026. Menuthere shows GST-inclusive prices in Australian dollars, takes cards through your own Stripe account and charges 0% commission. The menu, table codes and 50 orders a month are free.
In short
- Price = what the guest pays. Mark dishes as GST inclusive and checkout shows a "GST (included)" line without adding to the total.
- No card surcharges from 1 October 2026 on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa, under the RBA's decision. Build card costs into your prices instead.
- Public holiday or Sunday surcharge? The menu must say "a surcharge of [x]% applies on [days]", as prominently as your most prominent price.
- Stripe in Australia: 1.65% + A$0.30 per domestic card payment (Stripe's fees include GST), paid into your own account. Lite, US$17 a month.
- Free plan: digital menu, table QR codes and up to 50 orders a month.
The three price rules an Australian QR menu must follow
1. Show the total price, including GST
The ACCC's general rule is one total price that includes taxes and unavoidable fees, including any surcharge that applies every day. In Menuthere:
- Set Charge tax on orders to 10% under
Settings → Payments & tax. - Switch on Tax Inclusive on each dish, so A$24.00 on the menu is A$24.00 at checkout.
- Checkout then shows a GST (included) row with the GST inside the price, for information only.
See tax-inclusive prices.
2. Weekend and public holiday surcharges need the exact wording
Restaurants, cafés and bistros may skip a single total price on the menu for a surcharge on particular days, but only if the menu says "a surcharge of [percentage] applies on [the day or days]", displayed at least as prominently as the most prominent price. The exemption covers menus only, so other advertising must still show the full price.
Menuthere doesn't add a percentage surcharge on chosen days. Two ways to handle it:
- Show the wording in your announcement bar (Lite) on the days it applies, and adjust prices for that day. See fonts and announcement bar.
- Use a separate table price: Menuthere's dine-in price adjustment adds a fixed dollar amount per item at the tables you choose, and guests see the final price.
The ACCC says its card-surcharge changes don't apply to hospitality weekend or public holiday surcharges, so those stay allowed with the right wording.
3. Card surcharges end on 1 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of Australia decided that card surcharging on debit and credit cards should end on 1 October 2026, covering eftpos, Mastercard and Visa. Menuthere never adds a card surcharge at checkout, so nothing changes in your QR menu. If you used to add 1.5% for cards at the counter, put that cost into your menu prices instead.
Worked example: Sunday brunch in Melbourne
Two smashed avo at A$24.00 and two flat whites at A$5.50, GST included. Your café adds a 10% surcharge on public holidays, and today isn't one.
| Line | Normal day | Public holiday (10% surcharge, shown on the menu) |
|---|---|---|
| Menu prices, GST included | A$59.00 | A$64.90 |
| GST inside the price (1/11) | A$5.36 | A$5.90 |
| Guest pays by card on their phone | A$59.00 | A$64.90 |
| Stripe fee (1.65% + A$0.30) | A$1.27 | A$1.37 |
| Menuthere commission | A$0.00 | A$0.00 |
| You receive | A$57.73 | A$63.53 |
The holiday total is only lawful on the menu if the surcharge wording is shown as described above.
Kilojoules and allergens
NSW's kilojoule labelling rules apply to chains with 20 or more outlets in NSW or 50 or more nationally: they must show the average kilojoules of each standard item and the statement "The average adult daily energy intake is 8,700 kJ".
Menuthere's nutrition field is in calories (kcal), with caffeine and sodium for drinks. A chain that must show kJ should write the kJ figure in the dish description. Any café can tag allergens and add a halal mark on every plan. See allergens and nutrition.
Paying at the table in Australia
| Payment | With Menuthere | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Visa, Mastercard and other cards | Stripe Checkout on your own Stripe account | Lite |
| Apple Pay, Google Pay | Shown by Stripe on supported phones and browsers | Lite |
| Pay after the meal | Dine-in orders go to the kitchen unpaid; the guest presses Pay now within an hour of completion, or pays at the counter | Lite |
| Pay at the counter on your EFTPOS terminal | Guest orders by QR, pays at the till, you mark it paid | Free |
See connect Stripe.
Keep the QR on the delivery bag too
On a A$40 delivery order through Uber Eats or DoorDash, the commission is:
| Channel | Commission on A$40 |
|---|---|
| Uber Eats, its courier (30% + 10% GST on the fee) | A$13.20 |
| Uber Eats, pickup (8% + GST) | A$3.52 |
| DoorDash Marketplace, its driver (30% + GST) | A$13.20 |
| Your own Menuthere link (Stripe fee) | A$0.96 |
Rates are from our pages on Uber Eats and DoorDash in Australia. A QR sticker on each bag, "Order direct next time", sends regulars to your own link. For delivery from your own site, see the online ordering system for Australia.
Set up in an afternoon
- Sign up at /get-started and find your café on Google.
- Import the menu from a photo or PDF and check prices in Australian dollars.
- Set GST to 10% and mark dishes Tax Inclusive.
- Add your tables, download the codes and make tent cards with the table QR card maker. Add a Wi-Fi QR code beside it.
- Turn on geo-lock so only guests in the venue can order. See stop orders from outside.
- Connect Stripe on Lite, or start on Free and take payment at the counter.
Plans are billed in US dollars: Free US$0, Lite US$17, Pro US$39 a month, no contract. See pricing or the best online ordering systems in Australia.
FAQs
Do prices on an Australian QR menu have to include GST?
Yes. The ACCC expects a single total price that includes GST and unavoidable fees. In Menuthere, mark dishes as tax inclusive so the menu price is the price the guest pays.
Can I still charge a card surcharge on QR orders?
From 1 October 2026 the RBA has ended card surcharges on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa. Menuthere's checkout never adds a card surcharge, so build card costs into your prices.
How do I show a public holiday surcharge on a QR menu?
The menu must say "a surcharge of [percentage] applies on [the day or days]", at least as prominently as the most prominent price. Put it in your announcement bar or menu header on those days.
What does Stripe charge Australian cafés?
Stripe's standard price is 1.65% + A$0.30 per domestic card payment, and its fees include GST. Menuthere adds no commission.
Can my QR menu show kilojoules?
Menuthere's nutrition field is in calories. If your chain must show kilojoules, write the kJ figure in each dish's description.
Is a QR code menu free in Australia?
Yes. The Free plan includes the digital menu, table QR codes and up to 50 orders a month, with no card needed.
Sources (6)
- ACCC, Price displays (single total price; restaurant and café surcharge exemption and wording; card-surcharge changes don't apply to hospitality day surcharges): accc.gov.au/business/pricing/price-displays (accessed 19 Oct 2026)
- ACCC, Advertising and selling guide, Component pricing: accc.gov.au/publications/advertising-selling/advertising-and-selling-guide/pricing/component-pricing (accessed 19 Oct 2026)
- Reserve Bank of Australia, Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging, conclusions (surcharging to end 1 October 2026): rba.gov.au/payments-and-infrastructure/review-of-retail-payments-regulation/2026-03/non-tech-summary.html and rba.gov.au/media-releases/2026/mr-26-10.html (accessed 19 Oct 2026)
- NSW Food Authority, Fast Choices kilojoule menu labelling (20 or more outlets in NSW or 50 or more nationally; 8,700 kJ statement): foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/retail/cafes-restaurants-and-retail-outlets/kJs-on-menus (accessed 19 Oct 2026)
- Stripe Australia pricing (1.65% + A$0.30 for domestic cards; fees include GST): stripe.com/au/pricing (accessed 19 Oct 2026)
- Menuthere commission pages: menuthere.com/en/delivery-app-commission/uber-eats-australia, /doordash-australia (accessed 19 Oct 2026)