# Restaurant in the app - tables, open tabs and kitchen > Run a restaurant from phones: floor plan, open tabs where guests eat first and pay later, rounds to the kitchen, kitchen display and bills. Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-app/restaurant-in-the-app/ Last updated: 2026-10-30 Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com) SmartPOS Business turns waiters' and cooks' phones into a restaurant system: a live floor plan of tables, open tabs where guests eat first and pay later, rounds sent to the kitchen, a kitchen display and an orders board for dine-in, takeaway and delivery. This page is for restaurant owners, waiters, cashiers and kitchen staff. > **How to turn it on** > 1. **Plan:** A plan with the Restaurant module (and Open tabs) > 2. **Switch:** Settings › Business Settings › Modules › Restaurant (tables, kitchen) and Open tabs; tables and areas set up on the web > 3. **Permission:** Waiter / cashier: sell and tables; kitchen: kitchen view; owner: all > - **Mobile app:** Restaurant tab (waiters), Kitchen tab (kitchen staff) ## Before you start - Tables and areas are set up on the web. See [Restaurant setup](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/restaurant/) and [Open tabs](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/open-tabs/). - Menu items with options (size, crust, extras) are set up as modifiers. See [Modifiers](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/modifiers/). - Waiters and kitchen staff each have their own login with the right role. ## Floor plan and tables **Restaurant** (or **Floor** in **More**) shows every table with its state: **Free**, **Busy** (guests seated, with time and running total), **Reserved** (with the booking time) and **Cleaning**. Filter by area. The tabs at the top switch between **Floor**, **Orders**, **Kitchen** and **Open tabs**. Tap a free table to start an order there; tap a busy table to open its tab. ![Floor plan with tables B1 to T3 showing free, busy with timers and totals, reserved and cleaning states](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/app-floor-plan.Dcp6HO5-.png) ![Orders board with tabs New, In kitchen, Ready and orders for dine-in, takeaway and delivery with Served and Delivered buttons](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/restaurant-orders.jfeVvgXR.png) *The floor plan and the orders board.* ## Open a tab: eat first, pay later 1. Tap **New order** on **Open tabs** (or tap a free table). 2. Choose the table (or **No table** – then **Name this tab**, for example *Ali – blue shirt*), the number of **Guests** and an optional phone. 3. Add dishes from the menu. Dishes with options open a sheet with photos or icons for each choice (for example size, crust, extras). 4. Tap **Send to kitchen**. *Round 1 sent to the kitchen.* The tab stays open (**Keep tab open** – the guests pay later). 5. Guests want more? Open the tab, tap **Add items**, add dishes (*Adding to …*, *New items go to the kitchen as round 2*) and tap **Send new items**. Each round shows **Sent**, then **Ready** as the kitchen works. If someone else added items at the same time, the app reloads the tab and asks you to check and send again. ![Open tabs list with Still to pay total, tabs with rounds, status, guests and Add items, Bill and Pay buttons](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/open-tabs-list.CfSmQG3j.png) ![Tab detail for Ali – blue shirt at table F2 with Round 2 and Round 1 items, Sent and Ready marks, total and Amount due](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/open-tab-detail.kHwoZSyD.png) *Open tabs waiting to be paid, and one tab with two rounds.* ## The kitchen display Kitchen staff open **Kitchen**. Each round is a ticket with the table or customer, order type, time waiting and items with their options and notes. 1. Tap **Start** when cooking begins. 2. Tick items as they are done, tap **Cooked / baked** and then **Ready**. 3. The waiter gets a notification that the order is ready; on **Orders** it moves to **Ready** and then **Served**. Filter by **New** or **Cooking**; late tickets are flagged. Use the recall button to bring back a ticket from the last hours. For a paper ticket, choose a **Kitchen ticket printer** (**Off – kitchen screen only**, **Same as the receipt printer** or **Another Bluetooth printer**). ![Kitchen display with tickets for table T3 and a takeaway order, items with options, Start, Cooked / baked and Ready buttons](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/kitchen-display.DRQPB6k9.png) *Tickets on the kitchen display.* ## Bill and pay 1. Open the tab and tap **Bill** to show or print the pre-bill (**Not a receipt**) – **Share bill** or **Print bill**. 2. When the guests pay, tap **Pay**. Choose the method, enter the cash received and tap **Pay** to complete the sale. 3. A walk-in guest must pay in full. To leave a balance, choose the customer (a name and phone are enough) – the rest goes on their account. ![Bill for table F2 marked Not a receipt with items, subtotal, tax, total and Share bill and Print bill buttons](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/open-tab-bill.CxEVn3kF.png) *The pre-bill is shown or printed before payment.* ## Tips - Use **Move table** or **Edit details** on the tab when guests move or the count changes. **Cancel tab** deletes the order and returns the items to stock. - Only the waiter who opened a tab (or a manager) can change it. - Delivery orders go to riders in **Deliveries**. See [Deliveries and shipping](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-app/deliveries-and-shipping/). ## Related pages - [Restaurant setup guide](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/restaurant/overview/) - [Restaurant module](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/restaurant/) - [Open tabs module](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/open-tabs/) - [Screens and displays](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/screens-and-displays/) ## Frequently asked questions ### Can guests order first and pay at the end? Yes. Start a New order and send it to the kitchen; the tab stays open. Add more rounds with Add items and Send new items, print the Bill, then tap Pay when the guests are done. ### How does the kitchen see orders? Kitchen staff open Kitchen in the app (or the web kitchen screen). Each round appears as a ticket that they Start, mark Cooked / baked and Ready. You can also print kitchen tickets on a Bluetooth printer. ### Can a tab have no table? Yes. The app asks you to Name this tab, for example Ali – blue shirt, so everyone can find it later. ### Can I move guests to another table? Yes. Open the tab and use Move table. ### Can I split or merge tabs? Not yet. Splitting and merging tabs is not available in the app or on the web. ### Does sending to the kitchen work offline? No. It needs an internet connection. Your cart is kept on the phone until you are back online. ### Does the waiter get told when food is ready? Yes. When the kitchen marks an order Ready, the waiter gets a Kitchen ready notification, and guests or staff can use Call waiter.