[tuffacton]

Some coffee shops/cafes make it central to the overall experience and I love it. You can order directly from the QR code and the code is tied to your table so they bring the food and coffee directly to you. Split the bill directly in the app when you close out to pay.

If a restaurant isn’t going to really invest in an experience like that then they absolutely should go back to paper menus.

[dmitriid]

It's... Not an experience.

Don't know about countries, but in Sweden it's never been a problem to split the bill when you're paying. The waiter will just input whatever's needed into the PoS they bring to the table.

Why the hell would I need to download and install the restaurant's app for that and trust it with my payment details? All while I'm trying to just have a meal

[thewebcount]

So much this! I want to enjoy a meal with my friends and/or family. I don’t want to play tech games. I’ve been to a few restaurants that have an iPad at the table where you can order additional items, refills, dessert, and pay. Those were fine (so long as you turn them around when eating because they have distracting animations on them). But having to download someone else’s code to my phone. Fuck that.

[jdminhbg]

> Why the hell would I need to download and install the restaurant's app for that and trust it with my payment details?

This is why Apple’s “App Clips” functionality is so great. You get a small app-like piece of functionality that you’re not installing or keeping, it works while you’re at the restaurant, then you check out with Apple Pay (or equivalent) so you don’t have to input payment details and don’t have to worry about usable payment details being stored by a potentially-insecure website.

[dmitriid]

This assumes:

- there's internet

- internet is good and unmetered

- the phone is readily available

- ...

vs.

You pay with card/cash at the end of the meal

[jdminhbg]

I've never been somewhere that won't let you fall back to some kind of manual method if something is wrong with the internet. But as long as it's up, it's nice to just pay on your own rather than flag down a server.

This is especially the case if you have kids. You don't have total control over when a meltdown is going to happen, so it's nice to be able to pay quick and bail. If you're just a couple adults, the extra time isn't as big a deal.

[dmitriid]

> I've never been somewhere that won't let you fall back to some kind of manual method if something is wrong with the internet.

So why go through all the extra steps with internet?

> This is especially the case if you have kids. You don't have total control over when a meltdown is going to happen

Ah yes. And having to deal with QR codes, the restaurant app etc. is helping how exactly?

[jdminhbg]

It helps because you don’t have to wait on another person who may or may not be busy doing something else. I can scan the code while my wife grabs the kid, and I can double tap to pay while walking out the door.

[kjkjadksj]

If the kid is having a meltdown in the restaurant just leave bills on the table and get out of there