How We Built a Digital Ordering App for a Melbourne Shisha Bar

When the team at Majnu Shisha Bar & Lounge came to me, they had a busy venue and a real operational problem. Customers had to flag down staff to order, orders were occasionally getting missed during peak hours, and there was no easy way to show the full menu dynamically or manage item availability in real time.

They'd looked at off-the-shelf ordering solutions. Nothing quite fit — either too expensive for what they needed, too complex to manage, or designed for fast food rather than a relaxed lounge environment.

So we built exactly what they needed.

The Requirements

The brief was straightforward:

• Customers scan a QR code at their table and order from their phone
• No app download required — works in any browser on any device
• Staff see orders in real time on a management dashboard
• The menu can be updated without needing a developer
• Reliable enough to handle a busy Friday night without dropping orders

What We Built

The system has two interfaces working together:

Customer ordering app: Customers at any table scan a QR code and get a clean, mobile-optimised digital menu. They browse, select items, add notes, and submit their order. Out-of-stock items are automatically hidden when staff update availability from the dashboard.

Staff management dashboard: Staff have a live view of every table's orders as they come in. They can mark items as ready, update menu availability, add or remove items, and see full order history for any shift.

The Technical Build

Built with React on the frontend, FastAPI as the backend API, and MongoDB as the database — a modern, reliable stack that scales without issues. The system is hosted with automatic recovery if anything fails, and both interfaces update in real time.

The Outcome

The system went live within weeks of the brief and has been running daily since. Missed orders are now essentially zero — every order flows directly to the dashboard the moment a customer submits it. Staff can update the menu in under a minute. The venue has full visibility over every order placed.

You can try it yourself at app.majnu.com.au.

Could Your Venue Use Something Similar?

If you run a hospitality venue in Melbourne and want a custom digital ordering solution that actually fits your operation — not a generic off-the-shelf product with a monthly fee for features you don't need — get in touch for a consultation. Every venue is different and the system should reflect that.