Wait, an actual QR code use case? TGI Friday's builds techno-restaurant

Wahaca has had something similar for the last few months. Each table has a QR code which will let you check and pay your bill. It too needs an app installed though

Never mind fast food

Some clueless politician who didn't even know what they were has already decided that the unloved QR codes should be used for, your energy bills:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/qr-codes-on-energy-bills-put-consumers-in-control

The larger player in this sector are resigned to idiotic and all pervasive government interference, but the smaller suppliers are less than happy about this idea about kick starting competition, because redesigning bills, and making the QR code do something useful isn't cheap. And despite all of the polticos' vacuous thinking about "competition", this won't make any difference because the real driver of higher costs is global markets, and interventions by governments as they conduct their ongoing War on Climate Change (at our expense). But luckily your gran will be getting a QR code on her energy bill, and she can use her Hudl to move to a new supplier and she can pretend that she's saved money.

On the other hand, if the Rt Honourable Ed Davey really wants to help my household cut energy bills, perhaps he could stop passing new legislation, statutory instruments, regulatory guidelines, and launching market reviews, competition enquiries with the frequency of somebody enjoying norovirus, and then he could shove his beloved renewables and EU-directed energy policy up his @rse.

TGI Fridays, badly mitating Applebees *again*

My local Applebees has had a table-side device for nearly a year now that allows you to order (both initially and during the meal for more drinks / appetizers), pay, and even summon a server without the need for QR codes or even a smartphone.

Ages old

We've been using them for donkey's years for warehouse logistics - their original concieved use.

The QR Code celebrated its 20th birthday a couple of years ago.

Bogus QR stickers

I was bored enough to scan the QR sticker on a bottle of ketchup in a restaurant, and it came up with a .ro address. I went to it on a VM at home, and it was quite the malware nest.

Why is an app needed?

With an integrated billing system,

all the QR code needs is http://tgi.com/payment/<restaurant- nmber>/<bill-or-table-number>

and it will take you directly to a payment site, with the correct amount, and inform the restaurant that you've just paid. A smart site will allow you to under-pay the bill, aslong as someone else pays the rest of it, thus allowing splitting.

Use Scenarios

(not use cases)

Actually, I find QR codes quite handy to transfer info quickly from my computers to any phone with a barcode reader. In KDE, the clipboard tool has a "Show barcode" option which allows you to do this very painlessly.

To be fair though, I have less of a need for that since KDE Connect came out, as it does automatic clipboard sharing between all interconnected devices.

I like the idea of paying this way (and their provision of power+USB) - and yes, electronic ordering would be a very welcome addition.

Last time I was in a Harvester restaurant, the waitress entered the order on some form of smartphone (looked like an iPod Touch from what I could see, maybe an Android device though). Clever: she could see all the options at a touch (no more coming back later when the kitchen asks which dressing you wanted, or whatever) and no time wasted carrying a paper order back to the kitchen: she could go straight on to clearing another table or taking another order instead. Of course, better still if I could have entered the order myself.

Yes, it does reduce the workload, hence potentially cutting the number of staff employed. That's not a bad think for everyone: how do you think those staff get paid?!

If only Clive Pounds were alive to see his dream of a fully automated restaurant come true.

That's nice. Is the food any good yet?