Checkmate 2022
Scan Order Pay – QR Code Ordering & Fast Checkout
Scan Order Pay is a mobile ordering experience for restaurants. Guests scan a QR code to browse the menu, customize items, add to a floating cart, and pay—all from their phone. The product was built for speed, guest clarity, and broad POS compatibility. In 2023, Checkmate acquired Open Tender, and Scan Order Pay's core features were integrated into their platform (news coverage).
Role
Product Designer (solo)
Team
1 Designer (me), 2 PMs, 2 Engineers
Platform
Mobile Web (PWA)
Scan Order Pay lets guests scan a QR code, order from a custom menu, and pay right at the table—no server required
Project Summary
Goal: Enable guests to scan, order, and pay at the table—speeding up service, increasing upsells, and reducing staff workload.
Impact: Faster table turnover, higher average check, positive guest feedback, and less time spent by staff on routine orders.
Business Impact: Broadened Checkmate's product suite, improved client retention, attracted new restaurants, and enabled adoption with any POS system.
Innovation: Introduced a floating cart for always-accessible checkout—before similar UI patterns emerged in major delivery apps.
The Problem
Restaurant teams struggled to keep up with guest requests during peak hours, resulting in slow service and missed upsell opportunities. Most QR solutions were unreliable or tied to specific POS platforms, making them difficult to adopt at scale.
"During busy shifts, our staff just can't keep up with all the table requests. Sometimes guests get tired of waiting to order or pay." —Restaurant owner, pilot partner
Key Features
Floating cart button keeps checkout visible, making it easy to add items and complete orders
Guests can browse and customize menu items with real-time pricing and clear options
Instant payment confirmation reassures guests that their order is complete
Solution
We designed the full guest journey for maximum speed and clarity:
Scan QR code to open the digital menu
Browse and customize items with clear choices and real-time updates
Add to cart via a floating checkout button always visible on the screen.
Pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or card—no server needed.
Get confirmation and estimated order status instantly.
Floating cart ensured a seamless checkout, while full POS compatibility enabled easy rollout. MVP focused on single-table orders for reliability; group orders, order status tracking, and open tab were planned for future phases.
Guest journey: Scan → Order → Pay → Confirmation, all in one smooth mobile flow
Step-by-step visual map of the Scan Order Pay guest experience
Design Exploration & Iteration
Early wireframes exploring overall order flow and structure
We iterated on key flows for maximum clarity and conversion:
Floating cart design increased visibility and checkout completion
Refined customization and add-to-cart flow for faster ordering
Streamlined review and editing to reduce user friction
Split payment and confirmation screens for less clutter and better guest confidence
User research and iterative testing guided every decision, making the final flow fast, intuitive, and guest-centric.
Outcomes
Guests placed orders ~30% faster compared to traditional dine-in.
Average check size increased after launch; staff saved time on routine tasks.
Solution worked with any POS system—enabling rapid adoption by a wide range of restaurants.
Features like group orders and order status tracking were planned for the next phase.
In 2023, Checkmate acquired Open Tender to expand its offering, gain existing Open Tender customers, and save significant time and resources on backend development and go-to-market. Scan Order Pay's features and design patterns were integrated into Open Tender's platform post-acquisition. Read the acquisition news.
Scan Order Pay inspired new mobile ordering features that were later adopted by Open Tender after Checkmate's acquisition in 2023
Business Impact
By acquiring Open Tender, Checkmate expanded into first-party ordering, gained access to Open Tender's customer base, and avoided the high costs of building a full backend and marketing from scratch.
My work on Scan Order Pay was directly integrated into the new platform—accelerating time to market and amplifying product reach.
What I Did
Led end-to-end UX: journey mapping, wireframes, interface design, prototyping, and usability testing.
Conducted onsite research with guests, restaurant staff, and stakeholders.
Delivered MVP focused on single-table ordering for speed and reliability.
Created and shipped the floating cart checkout pattern—now a standard in mobile food ordering.
What I Learned
Prioritizing core needs—speed, clarity, and reliability—drives real-world impact, even with a limited MVP. A strong initial product can shape the roadmap for future features and influence broader industry adoption, as shown by Scan Order Pay’s integration into Open Tender’s platform post-acquisition.