Open the waiter app, choose the table, tap the menu items and send them to the kitchen. The order starts as a Draft, becomes Ordered when it's sent, the kitchen marks it READY and the waiter marks it Served. That's your first order on qmen.us, from start to finish.
What an order from start to finish looks like
Your first order on qmen.us is a tab's complete journey: it starts as a Draft in the waiter app, becomes Ordered when it's sent, shows as Preparing to the people at the table, reaches Ready when the kitchen releases it and ends as Served when the waiter brings the dish.
Each of these stops is the same information seen from three different screens: the waiter app on the phone, the kitchen display on the tablet and the table's public page on the guest's phone. We don't duplicate work — the waiter taps once and the other two screens update on their own, without anyone having to reload anything.
Why this changes table service
- Nobody shouts orders into the kitchen anymore. The item lands on the display with the table, the quantity and the note highlighted, exactly as the waiter typed it.
- Guests stop asking how much longer. The table QR code opens a page that shows the order's stage and a time estimate based on the restaurant's own history.
- Nobody installs anything. Waiters, the kitchen and guests open a link in the browser of a device that's already in the dining room — a phone, an old tablet or a TV.
- Order-taking mistakes become the exception. The waiter checks the list and the total before sending, and anything not yet sent can still be edited.
- No commission per order. It's free for the restaurant and we stay out of the payment: PIX (Brazil's instant payment system) is arranged directly between the guest and the restaurant.
Your first qmen.us order, step by step
Six stops, and from the fourth on everything happens in real time on the other screens.
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Open the waiter app
Each waiter has their own address, in the format qmen.us/your-restaurant/w/waiter-name. They open that link in their phone's browser and sign in with their password — there's nothing to download from an app store. The home screen shows the shift greeting and the restaurant's list of Active orders.
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Choose the table and open the tab
Tap New order, choose the table in the grid and confirm — tables that already have an open order appear grayed out. If your restaurant works with Tabs instead of Tables, we switch the word across the whole screen. The Order name field is optional and is for splitting two bills at the same table, handy when each friend pays for their own.
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Build the Draft by tapping the menu
The tab already exists as a Draft. Tap menu items to add them and build up the quantity; items with a size or flavor open a setup screen first, before they join the list. If the guest asked for something that isn't on the menu, use Add custom item, type the name and, if you like, the price. Any line can take a note.
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Review and send it to the kitchen
Tap Review order to check the list with the total, and only then Send to kitchen. At that moment the Draft becomes Ordered, the time it was sent is recorded and the items can no longer be edited. If that kitchen has printing turned on, the ticket joins the printer's queue too.
Tip: The kitchen display already shows the Draft while the waiter is building it, with the notice "Waiting for the waiter to send…". It helps the kitchen get ready, but only what's been sent counts. -
In the kitchen, tap READY
The display stays open on a tablet or a TV, at qmen.us/your-restaurant/k/kitchen-name, protected by a display password. Each card shows the table, the items and the highlighted note. Depending on how the restaurant is set up, the kitchen taps READY? on each item or ORDER READY? to release everything at once. When the last item is ready, the order moves to Ready and the card leaves the queue.
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Serve and mark it Served
The waiter app lights up the ready items. Tap Serve on the line or Serve order to mark everything at once; when the last line is served, the order moves to Served and the table's page shows "All served — enjoy your meal!". The bill stays open for new items until you use Close bill — R$ 42,00, and the table only frees up for the next guests when you tap Free table.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install an app?+
No. Waiters, the kitchen and guests use the browser on the phone or tablet that's already in the dining room. qmen.us works like an app on your phone's screen, but there's nothing to download from a store.
Does the guest need to create an account to follow their order?+
No. They point the camera at the table QR code and land on a public page with the items, the order's stage and a time estimate. The page updates on its own, with no sign-in and no reloading.
Can I add items after the order has been sent?+
Yes. New items are held in the waiter app and only show up for the kitchen when you tap Send to kitchen again. After Close bill, the tab is locked.
How do I cancel an order entered by mistake?+
Before sending, use Discard draft. After it's sent, the waiter app has Cancel order. If you only want to remove the additions that haven't gone to the kitchen yet, use Discard new items.
Does qmen.us charge a commission per order?+
No. It's free for the restaurant and qmen.us isn't a marketplace: it doesn't receive the customer's money. Payment by PIX or on delivery is arranged directly between the customer and the restaurant.
Glossary
- Draft
- An order's first status, while the waiter is still putting the list together and nothing has gone to the kitchen yet.
- Custom item
- An item the waiter types in on the spot, picking its prep station by hand.
- Table QR code
- The code printed on the table that guests scan with their phone, no sign-in needed.
- Preparing
- The stage the guest sees on the table page while the kitchen works on the order.
- Served
- The order's status once every item has been served; the bill can still stay open.
Related resources
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