Restaurant pagers
A restaurant pager system with no pager hardware: your customer’s phone is the pager
Traditional restaurant pagers have to be bought, charged, cleaned and replaced. Pager App is an electronic restaurant paging system that does the same job on the customer’s own phone: they scan a code, wait anywhere, and get a sound and notification the moment their order is ready.
What is a restaurant pager?
A restaurant pager is a small device handed to customers after they order. It buzzes or lights up when the order is ready, so they don’t have to crowd the counter or listen for their number. The idea works — the hardware has become the problem.
The problem with hardware pagers
- High upfront cost for a set of pagers and a charging base, multiplied by every branch.
- Lost and broken devices that need replacing again and again.
- Limited range — customers who step away lose the signal.
- Daily charging and maintenance, and batteries that wear out.
- Hygiene — one device passed between hundreds of hands a day.
- No data on average wait times or peak hours.
How the Pager App restaurant pager works
- The cashier creates a codeThey type the invoice number from your POS, or tap “Auto number”. A QR code appears on the receipt or the front display.
- The customer scans itWith their phone camera — no app, no sign-up — and follows their order live.
- They’re called instantlyWhen kitchen staff tap the order number, the phone plays a sound, shows a notification and flashes, with automatic repeat alerts if they’re late.
Hardware pagers vs. phone-based paging
| Hardware pagers | Pager App | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Buy and replace devices | One annual subscription |
| Maintenance | Daily charging, spare parts | None |
| Range | Around the restaurant | Anywhere |
| Hygiene | Shared device | Customer’s own phone |
| Data | None | Wait times, peak hours, pickup rate |
| Reviews | None | Google Maps review invite after each order |
What you need in your restaurant
A tablet, or your POS customer-facing screen if you have one, to show the customer’s code — and a smartphone or tablet in the prep area to call customers. It works with any POS because staff type the invoice number, and with no POS at all thanks to automatic numbering.
Who it’s for
Fast food, counter-service restaurants, food courts, food trucks, bakeries and dessert shops — any restaurant where customers wait for their order. Restaurant groups get an owner overview that compares every branch side by side.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an electronic restaurant pager cost?
Pager App starts at SAR 799 per year for one branch, and from SAR 1,398 for 2 branches to SAR 2,695 for 5 branches, with no setup fee and a free 7-day trial. There is no pager hardware to buy and no maintenance fee.
Do customers need to download an app?
No. It runs in the phone’s browser right after scanning the QR code — no download, no sign-up.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. On Android the notification arrives even with the screen locked. On iPhone the page keeps the screen on so the tone plays, and customers can add it to their home screen for lock-screen notifications too.
What if the customer doesn’t notice the alert?
The alert repeats automatically every 2 minutes, up to 3 times, the late order turns red on the staff screen, and staff can send an urgent alert with one tap.
Does it work with my current POS?
Yes. Staff type the invoice number from any POS. Without a POS, Pager App generates a sequential number that restarts at 1 every day.