For cafés, restaurants, takeaways & food courts
The restaurant pager your guests already carry in their pocket.
The guest holds their phone to the counter, gets their pick-up number – and their phone rings as soon as the food is ready. No app, no radio pagers that go missing.
- No app
- No phone number
- Servers in Germany
Pagers cost money
Purchase, batteries, replacements for broken and missing devices – every year.
Pagers go missing
Taken home, flat, mixed up. And in the end numbers get called out anyway.
Pagers pass through many hands
Shared devices have to be cleaned. The phone belongs to the guest alone.
Why HelpYa for Food service
Fewer staff for ordering and the till – guests order and pay themselves.
Fewer staff per guest
Taking orders, collecting payment, handing out pagers: the guest's phone takes care of it. Your team focuses on the kitchen and the pass.
Faster turnover
No queue at the till, no waiting for service – especially at lunchtime, every minute counts.
No pager costs
No purchase, no batteries, no replacing devices that go missing.
Convenience for your guests
Menu in 7 languages with allergens, payment with Apple Pay or Google Pay – and the phone alerts them when the food is ready.
You decide
Pager only – or ordering at the table too.
You don't have to offer table ordering. HelpYa also works simply as a pager – just like your radio pagers, only without devices.
Pager only
- Guest orders at the counter as usual and pays at your till.
- They hold their phone to the contact point at the counter and get their pick-up number.
- Food ready? You tap Ready – their phone alerts them.
No menu needed. Nothing changes at your till. Ideal for takeaways, bakeries, food courts.
Pager + ordering at the table
- Guest holds their phone to the contact point on the table.
- They choose something from the menu and pay on their phone – or later on site.
- The kitchen sees the order instantly. The phone alerts them when everything is ready.
An add-on you can switch on and off at any time in your account. Ideal for cafés, restaurants, beer gardens.
Option 2 in detail · Order & Pay at the table
How your guest orders. In 5 steps.
No waiting for service. No paper slips. No app. Just their own phone.
- 1
Hold phone to the table
Every table has a small HelpYa contact point. Hold the phone to it – done. Also works via QR code.
- 2
Choose food
The menu opens by itself. Tap + and it’s in the basket. With pictures, allergens and in 7 languages.
- 3
Pay
With Apple Pay, Google Pay or card. Or simply later on site as usual. You decide what you offer.
- 4
The kitchen sees it instantly
The order appears on the tablet in the kitchen and at the bar – with the table number. When it’s ready: tap Ready.
- 5
The guest is notified
Their phone alerts them: “Ready!”. Then you bring it to the table – or the guest collects it at the counter.
Bring to the table
For restaurants, cafés and beer gardens. Your team sees which table it goes to.
Guest collects
For takeaways, bars and food courts. The phone lets them know when it's ready.
For you as the owner
Set up in 3 steps. In one afternoon.
- 1
Import your menu
Already have a menu? Then there's nothing to type. Just choose a way:
- Take a photo of the menu
- Upload a PDF
- Enter your website – we fetch the menu from there
HelpYa imports dishes and prices. All you do is check them.
- 2
Contact points on the tables
Attach one contact point per table and tap it once with your phone. The first one is free, more are available at cost price (currently €5 plus VAT, including shipping) – in your own design if you wish. Or free: print table cards with a QR code yourself.
- 3
Set up payments
Choose a way:
- Create a Stripe account directly in HelpYa – in 10 minutes, with Apple Pay, Google Pay and card
- Connect your POS – orders go straight into your POS with a receipt (ready2order, more to follow)
The money goes straight into your account, not through us.
What does it cost? Contact points: the first one free, more at cost price (currently €5 plus VAT, including shipping). Paying on site: nothing extra. Paid online: 1% per order – minimum 10 cents, maximum 50 cents. You pay your payment provider's fees there as usual.
Features for Food service
What HelpYa brings to the table
You see whether the alert arrived
The team view shows for each number whether the phone was notified – and tells you when it's better to call it out.
Pick-up display included
A tablet shows “Being prepared” and “Ready for pick-up” – also for guests without a smartphone.
Short advance notice
“Ready in about 5 minutes” – with one tap if it takes longer.
No app, no hardware
Your first NFC contact point is free, plus a tablet or phone you already have – that's all you need.
Data-minimal
No names, no phone numbers, servers in Germany.
New at HelpYa
Live waiting time on their phone. Safety included.
Live waiting time on their phone
After tapping, the estimated waiting time appears below the number – with a digital menu, it already shows in the menu and basket. Calculated from previous orders, preparation time, staffing and time of day; HelpYa learns with every order.
Safety for guests and team
Guests can discreetly call for help via the contact point if they feel threatened or harassed – your team sees the alert instantly on all screens and phones. If someone on your team feels threatened, a silent alarm is triggered: nothing visible happens in the venue, colleagues and the owner are notified quietly, the owner and security service by text message. The emergency number is always one tap away. Included at no extra cost.
For your business
From snack bar to food court
Whether it's a self-service café, a burger joint, a bakery serving lunch, a canteen or a food court: wherever guests order at the counter and pick up later, HelpYa replaces the classic pager system. Instead of handing out a radio pager, your team simply notes the pick-up number on the receipt – the guest's phone does the rest.
Anyone without a smartphone gets a number “without phone”. The pick-up display on a tablet shows all ready numbers, so nobody is left out.
More than a pager
Ordering via the contact point at the table
Once your guests are seated, the same contact point (a small NFC sticker with QR code) can do more: placed on the table, it opens your digital menu. The guest orders and pays on their phone, the kitchen sees the order with the table number, and the phone alerts them when everything is ready. Learn more under Order & Pay at the table and in the pager system cost comparison.
Price
Simple and predictable
You start on the free plan: 20 numbers per month, free for good – nothing becomes chargeable without your consent. Unlimited costs €15 plus VAT per month per location and can be cancelled monthly – each branch needs its own plan, and there are framework agreements for chains. The first NFC contact point is free, more are available at cost price (currently €5 plus VAT each, including shipping), in your own design if you wish. The counter sign and the table cards with QR code for printing yourself remain free.
Ready to go in 5 minutes
Sign up today, start right away
No technician, no POS integration, no minimum term. All you need is a tablet or phone and a printer – we'll post you your first NFC contact point free of charge. More are available at cost price (currently €5 plus VAT each, including shipping), in your own design if you wish.
- Create accountBusiness name, email, password – no payment details
- Sign in a tablet or phonescan a QR code at the counter once, stays signed in permanently
- Put up the counter signprint it, set it up – customers scan; with the NFC contact points a tap is enough
- Start for free on the free plan
- Can be tested alongside your current process
- Cancel at any time
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers
What about guests without a smartphone?
Issue a number “without phone” and call it out as usual – the pick-up display shows all numbers that are ready.
Can guests also order directly at the table?
Yes. With the free Order & Pay module, the contact point on the table opens your menu. Fees only apply to online payments: 1%, minimum €0.10, maximum €0.50 per order.
How far does the digital pager reach?
As far as your guest's phone has reception – there is no radio range like with classic pagers.
Does my customer have to install an app?
No. HelpYa uses features already built into iPhone and Android – holding the phone to the contact point or scanning the QR code is all it takes.
Do I need new hardware?
No. Your first NFC contact point for the counter is free, additional ones at cost price (currently €5 plus VAT). For the overview, an existing tablet or phone with a browser is enough – it is signed in with a single QR scan.
What data does HelpYa store?
No names, no phone numbers – only a random identifier, the number and timestamps. The servers are located in Germany.
More industries
HelpYa for your industry
Food service & hotelsRestaurant, bar, bakery, hotel
HealthMedical practice, vet, hospital
Services & retailHair salon, precious metals dealer, trade fair stand
Garages & tradesCar repair shop, repair & pick-up trades
Your industry isn't listed yet?
We develop a tailor-made solution for your industry – built around your processes. Drop us a short note on what you need.