Frequently asked questions

No. The phones of a team connect directly over a phone hotspot or a local Wi-Fi, also one without internet (a router without cable is enough). Only installing the app and buying a plan need the internet once.

In the same Wi-Fi they find each other by themselves. With a hotspot, one phone opens it and the invitation QR code contains the access, so the others join with one scan. If a network blocks that (guest Wi-Fi), a direct connection by QR code always works.

It keeps working. Every tap is saved on the phone first and sent automatically when it is back in range – no order gets lost. Mesalo shows which devices are up to date, what is still on its way, and ticks on every order once kitchen or bar have it.

On Android yes: Mesalo keeps syncing in the background with a small notification. The readiness check tells you if a battery setting could stop it. On iPhone the app needs to stay open during service (iOS pauses apps in the background).

As far as your Wi-Fi or hotspot. A phone hotspot typically covers a terrace or a small beach bar; for bigger areas use a router or an access point.

No – bring your own device. Mesalo runs on the phones your team already has and any old Android tablet as kitchen or bar display. No POS terminals, no kitchen printers, no server. A helper for the festival weekend joins with their own phone by scanning a QR code.

Android phones and tablets, iPhone and iPad – at launch Android first. Mixed teams are fine. Old devices make good kitchen displays.

Service (takes orders, serves), kitchen and bar (display with tickets), counter (takeaway without tables) and admin (sets up the venue, menu, tables and devices).

On the admin phone: More → Add device. The new phone scans the QR code. Or send the invitation by message; the 6-digit code to open it is shown on your screen, to pass on separately. An invitation works for 24 hours.

Remove it under More → Team devices. It can no longer connect, and all other devices get a new key. If it was the admin phone, a recovery file (More → Save a recovery file) lets a new phone take over.

Yes. The pickup list shows every dish that is ready, for all tables or just yours. Whoever is free serves it.

Yes. A counter phone takes orders without a table and hands out pickup numbers. A tablet facing the guests can show which numbers are being prepared and which are ready.

Yes, from a spreadsheet (CSV from Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers): category, name, price, and optionally station (kitchen or bar).

Yes. Mark a seat's allergies and diet; dishes that don't suit are shown in red when ordering, and the kitchen sees the warning on the ticket.

No. Mesalo does not take payments, record payment methods or print receipts. It shows the bill per table and helps split it, and you mark a table as settled once guests paid at your own till or card terminal. That keeps Mesalo outside cash-register rules – your till stays as it is.

Free for 2 devices, 1 room, 60 dishes and 4 takeaway orders at a time. Pro S (up to 5 devices) CHF 9.90 per month or 99 per year, Pro M (up to 15 devices) CHF 19.90 per month or 199 per year, event pass (Pro M for 7 days) CHF 14.90 once. Google Play shows prices in your currency. Try Pro M free for 30 days.

No. The admin phone buys the plan and it counts for every device of the venue.

Only on the devices of your team. There is no server, no account and no cloud. Connections are encrypted with your venue's key, and every entry is signed by the device that made it.

Only anonymous crash reports (no orders, menus, table or device names), and you can switch them off per device. See the privacy policy.