Ordering · 8 min read
How customers order: browse, cart, and checkout
The full self-ordering flow from a guest’s perspective — landing on your menu, building a cart, and checking out for dine-in, takeaway, or carside.
Who this is for
Owners and managers training staff or answering customer questions.
Browsing and picking items
- Categories show as a horizontal scroll near the top. Tapping one jumps to that section.
- Items appear as cards with image, name, short description, and price. Discounted items show the original price struck through and the new price highlighted.
- Out-of-stock (86’d) items are hidden — customers never see "sold out" labels.
- Tapping an item opens a detail sheet with the full description, a larger image, and any modifier groups. Required groups show a clear prompt; optional groups can be skipped.
- A quantity stepper lets the customer pick more than one before adding to the cart.
Managing the cart
When at least one item is in the cart, a cart bar pins to the bottom of the screen showing the running total and a Checkout button. Tapping it opens the cart sheet — items, quantities, modifiers, and the total — where the customer can adjust quantities or remove lines before checkout.
Each item carries its own modifier choices. Adding the same item twice with different modifier combinations creates two cart lines, not one line with quantity two — the kitchen needs to know each combination. Discounts re-evaluate on every change; if a discount required a minimum subtotal that no longer applies, it disappears.
Dine-in checkout
- 1
The customer taps Checkout in the cart and picks Dine-in as the order type.
- 2
If they scanned a table-specific QR, the table number is filled in automatically and read-only. If they scanned the storefront QR or opened the menu link, they type the table number themselves.
- 3
They add a phone number for verification.
- 4
They submit. The order arrives on the kitchen and runner screens with the table number prominently displayed.
Takeaway checkout
Takeaway is the simplest flow: the customer picks Takeaway as the order type, enters a phone number (and optionally a name), and submits. It suits drive-by customers stopping for a few minutes, office pre-orders placed twenty minutes before walking in, and quick coffee or pastry runs.
At the counter, call out the order reference rather than the customer name — references are unique, names are sometimes shared. There is no time-slot booking: customers submit when ready and the order starts immediately.
Carside checkout
- 1
The customer picks Carside as the order type.
- 2
A vehicle picker appears: they pick a colour, type the model, and enter the last three or four digits of the plate.
- 3
They add a phone number and any special instructions.
- 4
They submit, see an order reference within a second, and the live tracking page opens automatically.
Visual picker with eight common car colours. The runner reads this first when looking for the car.
Free text with autocomplete suggestions for popular models (Land Cruiser, Patrol, etc.).
Last three or four digits only. Full plates are not collected — they are personal data and not needed to find a parked car.
Used by staff if the runner cannot find the car.
Optional — allergies, location notes ("under the tree"), or extra requests.
Coaching first-time carside customers
- Most customers use the last three plate digits. Four is fine if their plate has more.
- For the model, "Land Cruiser" beats "LC" — runners scan many cars and specific names are easier to match.
- A name in the special instructions helps when several similar cars are parked nearby.
- The phone number must be reachable now — staff use it when the colour-model-plate combination is ambiguous.
Frequently asked
Do customers need to download an app?
No. The ordering experience runs in the phone browser as a web app. Customers can optionally add it to their home screen for an app-like reordering experience, but nothing is required.What happens if an item sells out while a customer is ordering?
If an item is marked out of stock while it sits in a cart, the cart shows a soft warning and the line is disabled at checkout. The customer can remove it or wait — they cannot submit an order containing an unavailable item.Can a customer order in Arabic?
Yes. The customer-facing ordering flow supports multiple languages, including Arabic with full right-to-left layout. A language toggle in the header lets guests switch at any time.Can customers pick a pickup time slot?
Not yet. Orders start as soon as they are submitted, so customers should order when they are ready for the kitchen to begin.