Walk into a Perth pub this festive season and there is an increasingly high chance the table you sit down at will contain a little black and white square, ready to take your drink or food order. Love them or hate them — and we will get to that — QR codes have become a fixture of WA pubs, bars and restaurants since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when they effectively became part of the State’s contact tracing regime. They have stuck around but continue to divide both punter and hospitality workers as to whether they represent a win for convenience or the loss of good old-fashioned service.
The West Australian’s unscientific straw poll of pub and restaurant customers and hospitality staff found that, while some enjoyed the convenience of QR codes — particularly those with young children in tow — others resented the fact that it encouraged diners to get their phones out immediately upon sitting down. Anecdotally, older punters were more likely to prefer face-to-face service. Fans said they enjoyed not having to “queue forever to get a drink” or “wait for someone to come to the table”.
Critics said QR code systems that suggested a tip for the venue “when I’ve just taken my own order” were ridiculous and at least one person flagged privacy as a concern. On the flipside Perth economist Conrad Liveris said he had seen an increase in venues taking on staff with disabilities since QR codes had been introduced. “So it’s probably opened up economic oppo.
