QR Code Ordering in Breweries: A Case Study in Efficiency and Satisfaction

Breweries across the U.S. and Europe are increasingly adopting QR code-based ordering systems in their taprooms and beer gardens. These systems enable customers to scan a code at the table with their phone, browse the menu, and order food or drinks without waiting for a server. The shift to QR code ordering, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic’s emphasis on contactless service, has proven to be more than just a safety measure—it offers significant business benefits and enhances customer satisfaction. This case study examines how QR code ordering is transforming brewery operations, focusing solely on its advantages. We will look at real-world examples of breweries that have implemented QR ordering and analyze key metrics such as revenue growth, order efficiency, customer retention, and labor cost savings. We also compare QR code ordering to traditional ordering methods to highlight improvements in speed, accuracy, and overall customer experience.

Faster Ordering and Improved Efficiency

One of the most immediate benefits of QR code ordering is the dramatic increase in speed and service efficiency. In a traditional brewery setting, customers often have to flag down a busy bartender or wait in line at the bar to place an order. This can lead to delays and frustration—in one UK survey, 50% of pub-goers said waiting for a server was a major pain point, and 51% were frustrated by queuing at the bar. QR code ordering virtually eliminates these wait times. Customers can place an order the moment they decide, straight from their table.

Several breweries have reported significantly faster service after introducing QR codes. At Evil Genius Beer Company in Philadelphia, the taproom adopted a QR-based system (through the GoTab platform) during the pandemic, enabling what they called “a beer to the table in two minutes.” In practical terms, once a customer submitted an order from their phone, a fresh beer would often arrive within mere minutes. This is a stark improvement compared to the traditional model, where a customer might wait ten minutes or more to catch a server’s attention on a busy night. Similarly, Stone Brewing’s large brewpub in San Diego found that with QR code ordering, patrons could receive their next drink in as little as four minutes after tapping the order on their phone – a turnaround time that’s hard to achieve with conventional ordering.

The faster cycle of ordering and delivery means higher throughput: more orders can be processed in the same amount of time. For the business, this translates to more sales during peak periods, since customers are not idly waiting. For customers, it means less time without a drink or food in front of them, which keeps the experience enjoyable. A fast, efficient service is especially crucial in beer gardens and outdoor brewery spaces where people come to relax, not stand in lines. As one taproom manager observed after implementing QR codes, “People are so excited that they don’t have to wait to order anymore. Whether they want another round or forgot a food item, the convenience is next-level.” In other words, guests notice and appreciate the ability to get service on demand.

Anheuser-Busch’s flagship St. Louis Biergarten (a large brewery-owned beer garden) experienced efficiency gains on both sides of the counter. Before QR ordering, bartenders were juggling multiple tasks: taking orders, processing payments, pouring beer, and running to the kitchen with food tickets. This often created bottlenecks and long lines. After introducing QR code ordering in 2022, the Biergarten radically streamlined this process. Customers now scan the code and order from their phones, freeing up bartenders to focus on pouring and fulfilling orders instead of manual order entry. Orders go directly to the kitchen printers, so no time is lost transmitting orders, and no tickets go missing. The Biergarten’s director of services estimated that the staff saves about 2.5 hours of work every day on order-taking tasks thanks to the new system. That’s time reclaimed for actually making drinks and interacting with guests. The venue even found that training new staff became faster and easier, since there’s less complex POS usage to learn—formal training for new hires dropped from two hours to just 30 minutes after the switch. In short, QR codes made the whole service flow more efficient, solving the earlier problems of slow, manual ordering.

Higher Order Accuracy and Upselling Opportunities

QR code ordering not only speeds up service, it also tends to improve order accuracy. In a lively, noisy brewery taproom, it’s easy for a server to mishear a beer name or for an order slip to get lost in the shuffle. With a QR system, the customer enters their order directly into the system, which virtually eliminates transcription errors. The kitchen and bar receive a clear, digital ticket of exactly what was ordered. For example, the Anheuser-Busch Biergarten noted that prior to QR codes, their process of printing tickets at the bar and walking them to the kitchen sometimes failed — orders didn’t always reach the kitchen, leading to mistakes and reorders. After implementing QR code ordering, that issue disappeared because orders went straight to the kitchen display, and nothing was left to human error or delay.

Digital menus also ensure that customers have the most up-to-date information (such as which beers are on tap or items that are sold out), further reducing mis-orders. If an item is unavailable, the system can instantly flag it or suggest alternatives, something a paper menu cannot do in real-time. The result is that patrons get exactly what they wanted, prepared how they wanted it, without the hiccups that sometimes occur with verbal orders. Greater accuracy means higher customer satisfaction and less waste for the business.

Another big advantage of QR menus is the ability to encourage extra spending through smart menu design and prompts, effectively upselling in a consistent way. Traditional servers might forget to mention that new seasonal beer or inquire if you’d like to add fries with your sandwich, especially when things are hectic. QR ordering systems, by contrast, can be programmed to gently upsell every time. Many brewery QR menus will showcase featured brews or suggest food pairings and add-ons during the ordering process. For instance, when a customer adds a beer to their cart, the app might suggest a popular snack to go with it, or after a guest selects an entrée, the system can prompt: “Would you like to add a dessert or another round?”.

This automated upselling has yielded impressive results. Square, a major provider of QR ordering tech, found that businesses saw about a 32% higher average order value after implementing QR code self-serve ordering. In practice, that means people are ordering more items per transaction than they did with traditional ordering. It makes sense: when browsing a digital menu at their own pace, customers often discover additional items to try. They don’t feel rushed by a waiter waiting on their decision, so they may take that extra moment to add a side or upgrade to a flight of beers. One QR platform vendor reported that venues using their system enjoyed on average 23% larger check sizes after switching from manual ordering, attributing it to the combination of fewer missed orders and consistent prompts for extras.

Real-world brewery experiences back this up. The AB Biergarten in St. Louis noted a boost in per-order spending once customers started self-ordering. Likewise, Evil Genius Brewing reported that guests ordering through the app often added merchandise or additional to-go beers to their carts—purchases that might not have happened via a simple verbal order—thus increasing the total sale. The Junction Beer Garden in California found that over half of their orders came through QR codes once implemented, and that the convenience led to patrons ordering more freely (contributing to a 35% jump in sales in the first month). In summary, QR code ordering not only makes orders more accurate, it often leads to customers spending more, thanks to built-in upselling features and the relaxed decision-making it affords. Every brewery wants to boost the average spend per guest, and QR codes have proven to be an effective tool for doing exactly that.

Revenue Growth and Increased Sales

The combined effects of faster service, greater efficiency, and subtle upselling all feed into one critical business outcome: higher revenue. Many breweries that have switched to QR code ordering have observed notable growth in sales and overall revenue, sometimes far exceeding expectations. By reducing friction in the ordering process, these establishments can serve more customers (and serve each customer more items) in the same amount of time, directly impacting the bottom line.

A striking example comes from a small pub in Huddersfield, U.K., which isn’t a large brewery but operates similarly to a taproom. After introducing a QR code table-ordering system at every table, the pub saw an 80% increase in order revenue. This huge boost was partially due to the pub’s ability to double its usable space with outdoor seating during COVID restrictions and still serve everyone efficiently via QR codes. Even with limited indoor capacity, they maximized sales by ensuring every patron could order instantly without crowding the bar. The owner noted that turnover (sales) was up dramatically and credited the QR system for enabling that surge. Such numbers underline how digital ordering can unlock revenue potential that traditional service might leave on the table (quite literally).

Even large, well-established breweries have seen significant revenue gains. The Anheuser-Busch Biergarten mentioned earlier reported that QR code transactions quickly grew to account for 35% of all their food and drink orders once the system was in place. In other words, over a third of their business was now flowing through the self-service channel. This not only reflects customer adoption, but it also contributed to overall sales growth — by streamlining the ordering, they could handle more volume, especially during peak tourist seasons. The Biergarten also maintained healthy tip levels on those self-service orders, showing that customers were still appreciative of the service (tips averaged around 18–20% even on QR code orders, comparable to traditional service). Stable tips meant staff were on board with the new system, which helped reinforce the revenue gains as everyone worked together to serve more guests.

During the pandemic, Evil Genius Beer Company leveraged QR code ordering in a creative way to generate new revenue streams. They set up “pop-up” beer shops in vacant spaces, where customers could scan a code to order packs of beer or merchandise for pickup. This pivot was so successful that in the very first weekend, Evil Genius doubled their current revenue compared to what they had been making before. While this was a unique scenario (using QR codes for takeout retail during lockdowns), it demonstrated the flexibility and scalability of QR ordering: the brewery could quickly expand into new sales channels without heavy investment in counters or staff. Even in their taproom, as normal service resumed, Evil Genius continues to use QR codes because “guests gravitate towards the QR codes as they know it will get a beer to them much faster.” Happier customers ordered more, which has a direct link to sales.

Another U.S. craft brewery, Stone Brewing, saw a measurable uptick in sales after moving to a hybrid model with QR ordering. They noticed an increase in the average number of drinks per guest once customers could easily reorder from their phones. Faster drink reorders (that 4-minute refill time) meant people bought that extra pint they might have skipped if they had to wait long. More drinks per guest = higher revenue per guest. Stone’s management also reported that despite having fewer staff running orders, the improved service speed helped recover revenue that might have been lost in slower times; in fact, they partially offset pandemic losses by serving more efficiently and cutting waste.

Overall, whether it’s a small neighborhood brewpub or a large brewery-owned beer hall, the story is consistent: QR code ordering tends to drive double-digit percentage growth in sales. Commonly cited figures range from ~13% sales increases in the months post-implementation (as seen at one Texas brewery), up to 30-35% increases in average sales shortly after launch, and even cases of doubling sales under special circumstances. These gains far outpace typical year-over-year growth in the industry, indicating that the technology itself unlocked new revenue opportunities. By enabling quick service, encouraging extra orders, and allowing venues to handle more customers, QR code ordering has proven to be a powerful catalyst for revenue growth in breweries.

Labor Cost Savings and Staff Optimization

For brewery owners and managers, labor is a major operational cost and, lately, a major challenge due to staffing shortages in hospitality. QR code ordering offers a way to serve the same number of customers (or more) with fewer front-of-house staff, which can significantly cut labor costs or allow staff to be redeployed to other tasks that add value. By putting ordering in the hands of customers, a brewery can operate with a leaner team without sacrificing service quality.

Many breweries have found that after adopting mobile ordering, they could rethink their staffing model. Stone Brewing’s experience is telling: by incorporating QR code ordering and equipping their remaining servers with handheld devices for monitoring and assistance, Stone was able to reduce labor expenses by roughly 8%. They no longer needed as many roving order-takers, because guests were largely self-sufficient in placing orders. Those labor savings directly improve profit margins, an important consideration for any business. In the case of Stone, they used some of those saved hours to introduce new roles like a roaming beer expert (cicerone) who talks to guests about the beers, enriching the experience. So instead of staff being busy scribbling orders, they were now engaging more meaningfully with customers. This is a more efficient use of labor that simultaneously cuts cost and boosts guest satisfaction.

At Altstadt Brewery in Fredericksburg, Texas, the introduction of a QR ordering system allowed them to manage a sprawling 50,000 sq. ft. facility with relatively few staff. They deployed unique QR codes for their beer garden tables and let guests open digital tabs and share them, which was perfect for accommodating large groups. The result was that servers could handle many more tables at once. In fact, Altstadt’s team noted they could easily serve groups of 20–30 people with minimal hassle, something that would have been very demanding under a traditional model. After implementing QR ordering, Altstadt saw labor productivity translate into financial gains: sales went up about 13% even with fewer staff hours, because employees were able to cover more ground efficiently. Notably, the staff didn’t lose out—in fact, because each server could attend to more orders and tables, tips per staff member rose (by up to 50%). This improved morale and meant that even with a leaner team, employees were happy and earning more. In essence, the technology allowed a smaller team to punch above its weight, handling high volumes that would normally require a much larger crew.

Even smaller operations have reaped labor benefits. The Junction Beer Garden example from California shared that their labor cost for running their outdoor beer garden dropped dramatically with QR ordering—one quote indicated their labor cost percentage was far lower than it had been in a comparably sized operation without QR codes. By letting customers self-serve on ordering, they didn’t need to hire as many servers, which was crucial during a time when finding staff was difficult. They could operate at full capacity despite a tight labor market.

From a cost perspective, fewer staff taking orders means lower payroll expenses during each shift. Some breweries have been able to reduce or reassign about 1/3 of their front-of-house staff after implementing these systems, especially during weekday or slower shifts, because the technology handles much of the routine work. During peak times, the existing staff can focus on expediting food, running drinks, and cleaning up, rather than spreading themselves thin taking orders from dozens of tables. This not only saves money but also helps avoid service breakdowns. If a brewery is short-staffed on a given day, the QR system acts like an extra team member that never gets overwhelmed. Managers can also schedule fewer people without fearing a drop in service quality. In times when minimum wage increases or labor shortages squeeze the industry, this efficiency is a significant relief.

To be clear, the goal isn’t to replace staff entirely or remove the human element; it’s to let the staff-to-customer ratio be more favorable. Labor saved can be labor better spent: greeting customers, guiding them through the beer list, or maintaining quality. Several breweries used the savings to enhance roles like floor managers or beer ambassadors who circulate and interact with guests, something that was previously a luxury when every staffer was busy taking orders. Therefore, QR code ordering helps breweries lower their labor costs while actually increasing the level of hospitality in some cases. It’s a smarter allocation of human resources, with the transactional parts automated and the personable parts amplified.

Enhanced Customer Experience and Retention

Beyond the operational and financial metrics, QR code ordering has a profound positive effect on the customer experience in breweries. A great experience is what brings customers back (customer retention) and generates word-of-mouth. By most accounts, letting guests control their ordering via QR code has led to higher satisfaction and loyalty.

One of the biggest wins for customers is simply convenience. Brewery patrons can relax at their table with friends and order another round whenever they’re ready, without interrupting their conversation or getting up. This on-demand service model aligns perfectly with modern expectations. People have grown used to doing things on their own schedule (think of streaming a movie instantly rather than waiting for a TV program) – similarly, being able to order a beer the moment you decide to, rather than waiting for a waiter, feels liberating. It keeps the good times flowing with minimal disruption. As a result, customers tend to stay longer at the venue, because there are fewer annoyances to drive them away. If it’s easy to get one more drink, why not hang out for another half hour? For the brewery, that means not only more sales but also a happier guest who doesn’t leave prematurely due to frustration.

Customer feedback on QR code ordering at breweries has been overwhelmingly positive, especially among younger demographics who are very comfortable with smartphone-based services. In the UK consumer study mentioned earlier, a remarkable 70% of guests across age groups expressed positive feelings towards QR order & pay technology, and notably 78% said that a smooth QR ordering experience would make them more likely to revisit a pub or venue. Repeat visits are the lifeblood of taprooms – you want locals to keep coming back weekly – so this is a crucial endorsement. It implies that many customers now see QR code ordering not as a gimmick, but as an improvement to the venue’s service that factors into their choice of where to go.

Why does it influence retention so much? Think about the contrast in experiences: In a traditional setting, a customer might leave after one drink if the bar is too crowded or it’s hard to get service. With QR codes, that barrier is removed; they can order three or four drinks over a leisurely afternoon without ever feeling ignored. The flow of the visit is smoother. When people have a seamless, enjoyable time, they remember it and want to return. Additionally, QR systems often allow customers to store their info or preferences (especially if the system ties into a user account or loyalty program). This can enable a more personalized touch on repeat visits, like recalling a favorite order or applying loyalty discounts automatically, further encouraging return business.

Another aspect of enhanced experience is the reduction of errors and disputes. Getting the wrong beer or an incorrect bill can sour a visit. With digital ordering, such incidents drop dramatically, which means fewer customer complaints. And when it comes to splitting bills or paying, QR code platforms usually offer integrated payment at the table. Guests can pay on their phone the moment they’re done, even split the bill digitally with friends, and simply walk out when ready. This is far more convenient than the traditional end-of-meal ritual of waiting for the check and dealing with credit cards or cash change. It ends the visit on a high note of efficiency, which is what customers remember.

Crucially, QR ordering does not remove human hospitality – it reallocates it. Breweries pride themselves on friendly, knowledgeable staff who can talk about the brewing process or flavor notes. With less time spent on order logistics, staff have more availability to chat with customers, make recommendations, and foster a personal connection. Some breweries, like Stone, took advantage of the freed-up time to have beer experts swing by tables and engage with guests. So customers still get plenty of interaction; in fact, those interactions are more meaningful now because they’re not just “What can I get you?” but rather “How do you like that IPA? If you enjoy hoppy beers, you might love our double IPA on tap.” This kind of attention elevates the experience beyond what a rushed server taking orders could usually provide.

The net effect on customer satisfaction has been very positive. Patrons feel more in control and less rushed. They get their orders faster and exactly as requested. They also perceive the venue as being innovative and attentive to their needs. Many breweries have noted that after introducing QR ordering, their customer feedback improved. People often specifically mention the convenience in online reviews, which attracts new visitors who read those. In essence, QR code ordering helps breweries deliver on the core promise of hospitality—prompt, attentive service—by leveraging technology. Satisfied customers are far more likely to become regulars and to recommend the brewery to others, driving retention and new patronage through positive buzz.

Comparing QR Code Ordering to Traditional Methods

Speed: Traditional ordering in a brewery involves several time-consuming steps: waiting for a server to notice your table, or moving through a line at the bar, placing the order, then waiting again for the server to bring it out. It might also involve waiting to get the check and pay at the end. QR code ordering compresses or eliminates these waiting periods. The customer places the order as soon as they’re ready, and the preparation starts immediately. The difference is evident during a rush: with traditional service, a crowded taproom means longer waits to order and many thirsty patrons; with QR codes, every patron can order simultaneously without delay. The result is that orders are delivered faster on average. As noted earlier, some breweries measured just a 2–4 minute turnaround for drink orders with QR codes, which is far quicker than typical wait times with conventional ordering in a busy bar. Simply put, QR ordering dramatically increases the speed of service compared to the traditional model.

Accuracy: In-person orders are prone to human error – perhaps the staff member misheard “Stout” as “Scout” in a noisy room, or wrote down the wrong table number. Traditional methods also rely on memory or hastily scribbled notes, which can lead to mistakes. By contrast, QR code orders are digitally exact. The customer selects the precise item from a menu (often with modifiers like size or flavor clearly indicated), and that exact request goes to the production side. There’s no intermediary reinterpreting the order. This leads to far fewer incorrect orders. Traditional paper menus can be outdated or a server might not know a keg just kicked; a QR menu is easily updated in real time, preventing someone from ordering something unavailable. So accuracy and consistency are improved with QR code ordering, ensuring customers get what they intended to order without the common mix-ups that happen the old way.

Customer Autonomy and Experience: Traditional service often operates on the server’s schedule – you order when they come by, you pay when they bring the bill. With QR codes, the power shifts to the customer. This autonomy is a huge experiential upgrade. Want to browse the menu for 15 minutes? You can, without feeling any pressure. Want to order two more beers over the next hour? Go ahead and do it at your leisure. For the customer, it feels like a more continuous and fluid experience, rather than a series of stop-and-go interactions with staff. There’s also a privacy or ease aspect: some patrons feel more comfortable ordering via phone than calling a waiter over repeatedly. It can be less intrusive, which in a casual brewery setting, many appreciate. When it’s time to leave, the traditional method might involve flagging the staff for the bill and waiting—whereas with QR systems, you often can check out on your phone and depart on your own terms. This kind of frictionless experience is something today’s consumers value highly.

Table Turnover and Volume: From the business perspective, QR code ordering can increase how quickly tables turn over or how many customers can be served in an evening. Traditional table service can become a bottleneck; if a table has finished but is still waiting to pay, new guests can’t sit. QR payments speed that up. Additionally, because service is faster overall, a table might place more orders (e.g. dessert or an extra drink) in the same dining period, or they might finish and free the table sooner, allowing another group to be seated. A busy beer hall benefits from this efficiency. One could say QR ordering combines the throughput advantages of bar service (many orders at once) with the comfort of table service. Traditional bar lines handle volume but at the cost of customer effort; table service is comfortable but limited by server availability. QR codes strike a balance by enabling high volume without making customers leave their seats.

Staff Interaction: There is a qualitative difference in how staff interact with guests between the two methods. Traditional ordering means a lot of the staff’s face time with guests is transactional – taking orders, bringing checks. With QR ordering, those transactional moments are reduced, but it doesn’t mean staff disappears. Instead, staff focus on hospitality – delivering orders with a smile, checking in on how people like their beer, and being available for questions or recommendations. Some patrons initially worry that QR codes will make service feel impersonal, but many breweries have found the opposite: because staff aren’t tied up taking orders from table to table, they can actually engage more deeply when they do interact. In essence, QR code ordering removes the mundane parts of the server’s job and preserves (or even enhances) the interpersonal parts. For traditionalists who enjoy chatting with bartenders or servers, those opportunities are still there; you can always wave someone over if you want a recommendation or just to talk beer. The main difference is that you aren’t forced to interact for routine ordering if you’d rather not.

In summary, compared to traditional ordering methods, QR code ordering in breweries offers faster service, greater ordering accuracy, and a more convenient customer-driven experience. It addresses many of the pain points of the old model while retaining the essence of hospitality. Traditional ordering relies heavily on staff availability and is susceptible to human error and delays, whereas QR ordering leverages technology to make the process nearly instant and error-free. For customers, the ability to control their experience leads to higher satisfaction; for businesses, the efficiency and sales benefits are substantial. While there will always be a place for human service, the QR code model clearly demonstrates superior performance in key aspects of speed, precision, and guest enjoyment in the brewery context.

Conclusion

The use of QR codes for ordering at breweries has proven to be a game-changer, delivering notable benefits for both business operations and customer satisfaction. This case study explored how breweries in the United States and Europe have successfully implemented QR code ordering and reaped rewards in terms of revenue growth, efficiency, loyalty, and cost savings. From faster service speeds that keep beers flowing, to higher check averages and reduced strain on staff, the advantages are compelling. Real-world examples like Anheuser-Busch’s bustling Biergarten and independent craft taprooms alike have shown that embracing this digital ordering trend can boost order volumes and streamline service without sacrificing the personal touch. Customers enjoy a quicker, smoother experience – they get to spend more time savoring the beer and atmosphere, and less time waiting or waving for attention. In turn, these satisfied patrons are coming back more often, driving customer retention for the business.

When comparing QR code ordering to the traditional way of doing things, the benefits become even clearer. Speed and accuracy are improved, leading to more orders filled correctly in less time. The customer experience is enhanced through convenience and control, all while staff are freed up to provide better hospitality rather than chase order tickets. Importantly, the focus here has been solely on the positive outcomes: QR code ordering, as demonstrated, can be implemented in a way that complements and elevates the brewery experience. It’s not just a pandemic-era novelty, but a genuine upgrade to how breweries can operate efficiently and delight their guests. As these technologies continue to evolve, we can expect even more integration of features like loyalty rewards, personalized recommendations, and data insights, further benefiting businesses and beer lovers alike. For breweries considering the next step in improving service and growing sales, the case studies make a strong argument that QR code ordering is a worthwhile investment with enduring benefits.

Sources

1. Square Case Study (May 2023) – “How QR Code Ordering Helped Anheuser-Busch’s Biergarten Boost Order Value by 32%.” 

2. Breweries in PA (Oct 2021) – “GoTab: The Future Of Buying Beer (Evil Genius Case Study).” 

3. Craft Brewing Business (Apr 2021) – “Contactless beer and food commerce platform GoTab is helping breweries boost safety, speed and profit.” 

4. Restaurant Dive (Sept 2022) – “How QR code ordering is improving guest experience and your bottom line” (Square Sponsored Content, The Junction case). 

5. GoTab Case Study (2023) – “Increased Profits and Seamless Hospitality at Altstadt Brewery.” 

6. me&u UK Survey (Apr 2024) – “QR code order & pay: UK guests have their say.” 

7. Flipdish Customer Story (2021) – “Beaumont Arms pub sees 80% increase in order revenue with Flipdish Table Ordering.”