QR code ordering in restaurants: what does the law say in 2026?
Between certified POS requirements, the end of automatic receipt printing and GDPR compliance, here are the concrete rules to know before digitizing your orders without any nasty surprises.
Since the widespread adoption of smartphones, QR codes on tables and counters have become commonplace in many restaurants. Yet independent restaurant owners regularly ask the same questions: Do I need to change my certified POS? How do I handle VAT and payments? What about customer data?
1. Fiscal certification (French anti-fraud law and NF525 standard)
Since January 1, 2018, any VAT-registered merchant recording customer payments through a POS system must use certified, tamper-proof software (NF525 standard or LNE certification), guaranteeing the inalterability, security, retention and archiving of data.
The key distinction: Ordering vs Payment processing
An order-taking tool (such as a digital order pad or kitchen display) is not subject to the same requirements as payment processing software, provided that the actual payment is recorded on your usual certified POS terminal.
By choosing a model where the customer places their order on their phone but pays directly at the counter (card, cash, meal vouchers), you keep your existing accounting process without having to replace your current POS.
2. The end of automatic receipt printing
Since the French AGEC anti-waste law came into effect, automatic printing of till receipts and card payment slips has been abolished for small amounts, unless the customer explicitly requests one.
Mobile ordering fits perfectly into this ecological approach: customers get their order summary directly on their screen without generating unnecessary thermal paper rolls.
3. GDPR: why no app means better protection for the restaurant owner
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) imposes strict requirements on personal data collection (explicit consent, right to erasure, database security).
- Zero account required: Lightweight web solutions let customers order instantly without entering their email or creating a password.
- Zero invasive tracking: The order is linked to a temporary table or pickup number, automatically purged at the end of service.
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