Idle session expiry

If a table sits idle for the set window, the QR cart clears so the next party starts fresh. MobiTaste defaults to 30 minutes of inactivity, configurable per restaurant from 5 to 240 minutes.

What it means in operation

The clock starts on the last guest action: a tap on the menu, a cart change, an order send. While the window runs, anyone at the table can keep adding items. If nothing happens for the configured period, the session closes. The next phone that scans the QR sees an empty cart, the table marked available, and no history from the previous party. Staff can also force a session close from the dashboard when they clear the table between covers. The expiry is the safety net for when staff forget.

Why it matters

Without idle expiry, the next party scans and sees the previous party’s order history, which is both a privacy issue and a billing one. A guest could accidentally re-trigger an old item, or worse, pay for someone else’s tab. The expiry also keeps the table state machine clean: a table marked occupied for two hours after the guests left blocks the floor manager’s view of capacity. Picking a window is a judgment call. Cafes with fast turnover run shorter windows (15 minutes). Full-service venues run longer (60 minutes) so a long dinner does not get cut off between courses.

Related terms

• Table session: the broader concept this expiry bounds.
• Table token: the id that scopes the expiry to one table.
• QR menu: the surface guests use while the session is alive.