Entrepreneur from Stowmarket creates new app to enable 'table service only' at the click of a button

A young entrepreneur is hoping to help pubs, bars and restaurants through coronavirus crisis with an ingenious new app.

Stowmarket -based Ellis Heighes, has this week launched Queue Pay, which allows customers to order, and pay for food and drinks from their table, without having to place an order face-to-face.

Ellis had already been developing and testing the app over the past few months when Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced last week that the hospitality industry would be ‘table service only’.

The app is now ready to go live and is already receiving positive feedback from businesses.

“The app is web-based so that when you go into a restaurant or bar, there will be a plaque on the table, with a QR code or URL, over which you scan your phone.

“This will then open a bespoke branded website for the venue through which you can order and pay for your food and drink.

“It means you can order straight from the table and the only interaction involved is when the waitress or waiter brings over your order.

“When Boris Johnson made his table service only announcement, it was certainly good timing for us.”

Mr Heighes developed the web-app at the Innovation Labs in Stowmarket, with his team of five.

Previously he had run a successful drop-shipping business called TheTechShop and also a business-to-business product sourcing platform, called Dilato.

Queue Pay developed an earlier e-commerce idea which cut down the number of steps it takes to buy an item on the internet

“The coronavirus pandemic has shone a spotlight on the importance of digitalising businesses,” said Ellis.

“Being a white label product, businesses using Queue Pay can design their own user interface using their own branding.

“It’s also packed full of features, such as age verification, discount codes, scheduled collection, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

“Payments which are processed by Queue Pay are all handled by Stripe, ensuring a secure, affordable and smooth transaction for both the business and the consumer.

For more information, visit www.queuepay.co.uk

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