Full-Stack Developer for SaaS Platform

# Full-Stack Developer / Development Team — QR Digital Menu & Table Ordering SaaS Platform ## PROJECT OVERVIEW I am looking for an experienced senior full-stack developer or development team to design and develop a professional QR-based digital restaurant menu and table ordering platform. The concept is simple: A customer sits at a restaurant table. They scan a QR code. They immediately see the restaurant's digital menu. They can browse food and drinks. They can see descriptions, ingredients, allergens, images, prices and reviews. They can select and customise their items. They can add items to their table order. They can submit the order. The restaurant receives the order digitally. This should reduce the need for a waiter to physically come to the table to take the food and drink order. The platform should be designed as a commercial SaaS product, initially targeting restaurants in Malta, with the possibility of expanding internationally. --- # MAIN OBJECTIVE I do not want a basic QR menu. I want a complete digital menu and table ordering system that can eventually become a platform used by multiple restaurants. The system should provide three main experiences: ### 1. CUSTOMER Scan QR, browse, customise, order and receive order status. ### 2. RESTAURANT Manage menu, receive orders, manage tables, manage availability, manage customers and view analytics. ### 3. SUPER ADMIN Manage restaurants, subscriptions, users, plans, platform settings, analytics and support. --- # CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE The customer should be able to: 1. Scan a QR code 2. Automatically open the restaurant 3. See the restaurant branding 4. Select language 5. Browse the menu 6. View food and drink categories 7. Open individual products 8. View images 9. Read descriptions 10. See ingredients 11. See allergens 12. See dietary information 13. See price 14. See reviews 15. Customise items 16. Add items to basket 17. Review order 18. Submit order 19. Receive order confirmation 20. Track order status The process must be extremely simple. NO APP DOWNLOAD SHOULD BE REQUIRED. The customer should be able to use the platform directly from their phone browser. --- # QR CODE SYSTEM Each restaurant table should have its own QR code. The QR code should identify: Restaurant Branch or location Table number Example: Restaurant: Fortbite Table: 12 Customer scans the QR code. The system automatically knows: Restaurant: Fortbite Table: 12 The customer should not have to manually enter the table number. Restaurants should be able to download QR codes as PNG and SVG and have the option of branded QR designs. --- # MULTIPLE RESTAURANTS The platform should be built as a multi-restaurant SaaS platform. Each restaurant should have its own: * Account * Branding * Logo * Menu * Tables * Orders * Users * Staff * Reviews * Analytics * Settings Restaurant A must never be able to access Restaurant B's information. The architecture should support: 1 restaurant to 10 restaurants to 100 restaurants to 1,000 or more restaurants without requiring a complete rebuild. --- # RESTAURANT DASHBOARD Each restaurant should have its own dashboard. The restaurant should be able to manage: * Restaurant profile * Logo * Cover image * Colours * Opening hours * Contact details * Locations * Tables * QR codes * Menu * Categories * Products * Ingredients * Allergens * Prices * Images * Reviews * Orders * Staff * Promotions * Analytics * Settings --- # MENU MANAGEMENT Restaurant staff should be able to easily create and edit menu items. For each product: * Name * Description * Price * Images * Category * Ingredients * Allergens * Dietary information * Portion information * Preparation time * Availability * Special instructions * Variations * Add-ons * Options * Spicy indicator * Vegetarian * Vegan * Gluten-free * Other dietary tags Example: Beef Burger Price: 14.50 EUR Description: Premium beef burger with cheddar, lettuce, tomato and house sauce. Ingredients: Beef, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion, sauce and brioche bun. Allergens: Gluten, milk and eggs. Image: Product image --- # FOOD AND DRINK CATEGORIES Restaurants should be able to create unlimited categories. Examples: * Starters * Main Courses * Burgers * Pizza * Pasta * Salads * Desserts * Cocktails * Wine * Beer * Soft Drinks * Coffee * Kids Menu * Specials Categories should be drag-and-drop reorderable. --- # PRODUCT CUSTOMISATION Customers should be able to customise items. Example: Burger Choose: * Medium * Well done Add: * Cheese plus 1 EUR * Bacon plus 2 EUR * Egg plus 1 EUR * Extra sauce plus 0.50 EUR Remove: * Onion * Tomato The restaurant should be able to create these options from the dashboard. --- # SPECIAL REQUESTS Customers should optionally be able to add special instructions. Example: No onions please. The restaurant should see this clearly on the order. --- # ALLERGEN INFORMATION Every menu item should be able to display allergens. Potential allergens include: * Gluten * Milk * Eggs * Fish * Crustaceans * Molluscs * Peanuts * Nuts * Soy * Mustard * Sesame * Celery * Sulphites * Lupin The system should allow the restaurant to manage allergen information. The interface should make allergen information easy for customers to understand. The system should also clearly state that customers with allergies should confirm information with restaurant staff, as recipes and preparation conditions can change. --- # CUSTOMER REVIEWS Customers should be able to review menu items and or their restaurant experience. Possible features: * Star rating * Written review * Optional photo * Verified order indicator * Restaurant moderation * Report review * Admin moderation Restaurant owners should be able to respond to reviews. --- # ORDERING SYSTEM The customer adds products to the basket. Example: 2 x Burger 1 x Fries 2 x Cola 1 x Cocktail The customer reviews: * Items * Quantity * Customisations * Special instructions * Price * Total Then they select Place Order. --- # TABLE ORDERING Every order must be associated with: * Restaurant * Branch * Table * Order number * Customer session * Time * Items * Notes * Total * Status Example: Order number 1048 Restaurant: Fortbite Table: 12 Items: 2 x Burger 1 x Fries 2 x Cola Special request: No onions. Status: Preparing --- # ORDER STATUS The customer should be able to see statuses such as: Order Received Accepted Preparing Ready Delivered or Completed The restaurant should be able to update the status. The customer should receive the updated status on their phone. --- # RESTAURANT ORDER SCREEN The restaurant needs a dedicated order management interface. It should show new orders clearly. Example: Order number 1048 Table 12 2 x Burger 1 x Fries 2 x Cola Special request: No onions. Accept Reject There should also be separate sections for: * New Orders * Accepted Orders * Preparing * Ready * Completed * Cancelled The system should provide clear visual and audio notifications for new orders. --- # KITCHEN AND BAR DISPLAY I would like the architecture to support separate preparation areas. For example: Kitchen receives: * Burgers * Pizza * Pasta * Food Bar receives: * Cocktails * Beer * Wine * Soft drinks * Coffee The restaurant should be able to configure which products and categories are routed to which preparation area. --- # MULTIPLE ORDERS PER TABLE A table may place multiple orders during one visit. For example: Order 1001 Drinks Order 1002 Starters Order 1003 Main course Order 1004 Dessert The restaurant should be able to see all orders associated with the table and customer session. --- # TABLE MANAGEMENT Restaurant dashboard should allow staff to: * Create tables * Delete tables * Rename tables * Generate QR codes * Regenerate QR codes * Download QR codes * Mark table available * Mark table occupied * View active orders * View table session --- # TABLE SESSION The system should allow several customers sitting at the same table to order separately. Example: Table 12 Customer A orders Burger Customer B orders Pasta Customer C orders Cocktail All orders are associated with Table 12. The restaurant sees the combined table activity. --- # PAYMENT The platform should be designed to support payments. Potential options: Option A Customer orders and pays at the restaurant. Option B Customer orders and pays online. Option C Customer can choose Pay Now or Pay at Table. Payment integration should be discussed during the technical planning stage. The platform should be designed so additional payment providers can be integrated later. --- # SPLIT BILL Future functionality should support: * Split bill * Pay for own items * Multiple customers * Shared items * Tips This can be included in the MVP if technically and financially practical. Otherwise, the architecture should support it later. --- # TIPS Potential customer option: Add a tip 5 percent 10 percent 15 percent Custom amount This should only be implemented where legally and technically appropriate. --- # PROMOTIONS Restaurants should be able to create: * Special offers * Discounts * Happy hour * Meal deals * Combo deals * Seasonal menus * Featured items Example: Happy Hour 17:00 to 19:00 Selected cocktails 6 EUR --- # MENU AVAILABILITY Restaurants must be able to quickly mark products: AVAILABLE or SOLD OUT If a product is unavailable, customers should immediately see SOLD OUT and should not be able to order it. Restaurants should also be able to schedule availability. Example: Breakfast: 08:00 to 11:30 Lunch: 12:00 to 16:00 Dinner: 18:00 to 22:00 --- # MULTI-LANGUAGE Because the platform is initially intended for Malta and potentially international use, the architecture should support multiple languages. Potential languages: * English * Maltese * Italian * French * German * Spanish The restaurant should be able to decide which languages are available. --- # CUSTOMER MENU FEATURES The customer menu should support: * Search * Categories * Filters * Dietary filters * Allergen information * Popular items * Featured items * Specials * Reviews * Images * Descriptions * Prices * Customisation * Add to basket The interface should be fast and visually attractive. --- # IMAGES Restaurants should be able to upload multiple images for products. The system should optimise images automatically for mobile performance. The original image should be retained where appropriate. --- # RESTAURANT BRANDING Each restaurant should be able to customise: * Logo * Colours * Fonts where supported * Cover image * Menu style * Background * Restaurant description The customer should feel like they are using the restaurant's own branded digital menu. --- # ANALYTICS Restaurant owners should have access to analytics. Examples: * Number of QR scans * Menu views * Most viewed items * Most ordered items * Least ordered items * Average order value * Orders per day * Orders per hour * Revenue * Popular categories * Popular drinks * Customer reviews * Conversion from menu view to order * Table activity This should become a major selling point for restaurants. --- # SUPER ADMIN DASHBOARD The platform owner needs a Super Admin dashboard. It should manage: * Restaurants * Users * Staff * Subscriptions * Plans * Orders * Payments * Reviews * Reports * Platform analytics * Storage * System settings * Support * Suspended accounts --- # RESTAURANT SUBSCRIPTIONS The platform should be designed as SaaS. Potential plans: Basic Digital menu and QR Pro Menu, ordering and analytics Premium Ordering, payments, advanced analytics and promotions The exact pricing can be decided later. The architecture should support: * Monthly subscriptions * Annual subscriptions * Free trials * Upgrades * Downgrades * Cancellation * Invoices * Payment status --- # NOTIFICATION SYSTEM Restaurant staff should receive notifications for: * New order * Cancelled order * Payment received * Customer message * Review Notifications may include: * Dashboard notification * Sound * Email * Browser notification * Future SMS or WhatsApp integration --- # PERFORMANCE AND CONCURRENT USERS This is a major requirement. The platform must be able to handle a busy restaurant. For example, a restaurant has 50 tables. During a busy evening: * 100 to 200 customers may scan QR codes * 50 or more customers may browse the menu simultaneously * Multiple customers may order at the same time * Kitchen staff are receiving orders * Bar staff are receiving orders * Customers are checking order status The system must remain responsive. I do not want a situation where 100 customers are using the platform and the system slows down or crashes. The developer must explain the proposed architecture for: * Concurrent users * Concurrent orders * Database load * API load * Real-time order updates * Caching * CDN * Scaling * Monitoring --- # SECURITY Security must include appropriate: * HTTPS * Authentication * Role-based access * Secure sessions * Input validation * API security * Rate limiting * Secure payments * Audit logs * Admin two-factor authentication * Restaurant data isolation * Protection against common web vulnerabilities A restaurant must never be able to access another restaurant's data. --- # GDPR AND PRIVACY The platform will initially operate in Malta and the EU. GDPR and privacy must therefore be considered from the beginning. The system should support: * Privacy policies * Cookie consent where required * Data deletion * Account deletion * Customer data management * Data retention * Access controls * Appropriate audit trails The developer is not expected to provide legal advice but must build the system so legal and privacy requirements can be implemented. --- # INFRASTRUCTURE OWNERSHIP The final platform must be deployed on my own or company-owned infrastructure. I must control: * Domain * Hosting * Cloud account * Database * Storage * GitHub or GitLab * DNS * Email * Payment provider * API accounts The developer should not retain exclusive control of production infrastructure. --- # FULL SOURCE CODE OWNERSHIP I require complete ownership and delivery of the custom Work Product and source code. This includes: * Frontend * Backend * Database * API * Dashboards * Infrastructure configuration * Deployment scripts * Tests * Documentation The repository should preferably be created under my company account from the beginning. --- # THIRD-PARTY SOFTWARE Before development begins, the developer must disclose: * Frameworks * Libraries * Plugins * APIs * Payment providers * SaaS services * Open-source components * Commercial components For each significant dependency provide: * Purpose * Licence * Cost * Monthly cost * Usage-based cost * Vendor lock-in risk * Alternative options No undisclosed proprietary dependency should be used. --- # NO HIDDEN COSTS This is extremely important. I require a complete breakdown of every cost involved in building and operating the platform. The proposal must clearly separate: Development: * Design * Branding * Frontend * Backend * Dashboards * Testing * Deployment Infrastructure: * Hosting * Database * Storage * CDN * Email * Monitoring * Backups Third-party services: * Payment providers * APIs * Maps * Notifications * Other services Recurring costs: Please provide estimated costs for: * 10 restaurants * 50 restaurants * 100 restaurants * 500 restaurants * 1,000 restaurants I understand actual costs will depend on usage, but I want realistic estimates. NO HIDDEN MANDATORY COSTS. If an additional mandatory cost becomes necessary during development, it must be communicated and approved before it is incurred. --- # MALTA EXCLUSIVITY The initial commercial market will be Malta. I require commercial exclusivity in Malta for the custom Work Product created specifically for this project, subject to the final agreement. The developer must not resell the same custom platform, branding or proprietary functionality to a direct competing business in Malta. Pre-existing technology and third-party components must be disclosed separately. --- # TESTING The platform must be tested for: * Customer browsing * QR scanning * Menu loading * Product viewing * Customisation * Ordering * Multiple simultaneous orders * Table management * Kitchen orders * Bar orders * Order status * Payments where implemented * Reviews * Admin * Restaurant dashboard * Mobile devices * Desktop * Security * Performance * Concurrent users --- # DOCUMENTATION Final handover must include: * Source code * Git repository * Database schema * API documentation * Infrastructure documentation * Deployment instructions * Environment variables documentation * Backup documentation * Admin guide * Restaurant guide * Technical documentation * Third-party dependency list * Licences I should be able to hire another developer in the future without being dependent on the original developer. --- # SUGGESTED DEVELOPMENT MILESTONES ### Milestone 1 — Discovery and Architecture Requirements, technical architecture, database and infrastructure. ### Milestone 2 — Branding and UI/UX Branding, wireframes, customer menu, restaurant dashboard and admin designs. ### Milestone 3 — Customer Menu QR system, menu, categories, products, images, ingredients, allergens and reviews. ### Milestone 4 — Ordering Basket, customisation, table orders, order status and restaurant order management. ### Milestone 5 — Restaurant Dashboard Menu management, tables, QR codes, orders, staff and analytics. ### Milestone 6 — Admin and SaaS Super Admin, restaurants, subscriptions, plans and platform analytics. ### Milestone 7 — Testing and Performance Security, QA, mobile testing and concurrent-user testing. ### Milestone 8 — Deployment and Handover Production deployment, source code, documentation and training. The exact milestones can be adjusted after technical discovery. --- # MVP VS FUTURE FEATURES I understand that not every feature needs to be developed on day one. Please identify what you recommend for the MVP and what should be Phase 2. However, the initial architecture must not prevent future features such as: * Online payments * Split bills * Tips * Loyalty * AI recommendations * Customer accounts * Reservations * Kitchen display systems * POS integrations * Delivery * WhatsApp ordering * Mobile apps * Advanced analytics * Multi-location restaurant groups --- # WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR I want a developer or team who can think beyond simply creating a QR menu. The goal is to build a platform that can eventually become a complete digital ordering ecosystem for restaurants. Experience with the following is highly desirable: * SaaS * Restaurant technology * Ordering systems * POS systems * QR platforms * Payment systems * Real-time applications * Multi-tenant SaaS * Mobile-first web applications * Admin dashboards * Cloud infrastructure * APIs * Database architecture * Security * GDPR --- # PLEASE ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS Please do not send a generic proposal. Answer the following: 1. Have you built a restaurant ordering or QR menu platform before? 2. Please provide examples of similar work. 3. What technology stack do you recommend and why? 4. How would you handle 100 to 200 customers using the same restaurant simultaneously? 5. How would you handle multiple orders arriving at exactly the same time? 6. How would you implement real-time order notifications? 7. How would you route food orders to the kitchen and drinks to the bar? 8. How would you structure the multi-restaurant architecture? 9. How would you prevent one restaurant from accessing another restaurant's data? 10. What database would you recommend? 11. What hosting or cloud infrastructure would you recommend? 12. How would you approach payments? 13. What third-party services would you use? 14. Please provide all expected one-time and recurring costs. 15. What would the estimated monthly infrastructure cost be for 10, 50, 100 and 1,000 restaurants? 16. What is your estimated development timeline? 17. What is your estimated development cost? 18. Who will actually work on the project? 19. Are you an individual developer or agency? 20. Will the source code be 100 percent delivered? 21. Will the Git repository and infrastructure be under my ownership? 22. Are you willing to provide Malta commercial exclusivity for the commissioned Work Product? 23. What would you include in the MVP? 24. What would you recommend leaving for Phase 2? 25. What post-launch support do you provide? --- # FINAL OBJECTIVE The ultimate goal is to create a platform where a restaurant can say: PUT A QR CODE ON EVERY TABLE AND LET YOUR CUSTOMERS BROWSE AND ORDER. The customer experience should be: SCAN → BROWSE → DISCOVER → CUSTOMISE → ORDER → TRACK The restaurant experience should be: MANAGE MENU → RECEIVE ORDERS → PREPARE → SERVE → ANALYSE The system must be fast, attractive, easy to use, scalable and commercially viable. I am looking for a long-term development partner, not simply someone to build a basic website. Please provide a serious proposal addressing the technical, design, scalability, commercial, infrastructure, ownership and cost requirements above.