PlentyOrder
Book a 15-min demo Request access

Photos of handwritten order lists · PlentyOrder

A photo of a handwritten list, read line by line.

Some kitchens will always write the order on a pad and text a picture of it. Built to read each handwritten line, match it to your catalog, and flag the crossed-out quantity or the illegible word for a person, instead of guessing.

Request access Book a 15-min demo Try it on a sample order
Sample order · photo · fictional restaurant · Photos of handwritten order lists
Photo · Text message SampleThu 11:15 PM
Rafael Soto(516) 555-0105
Thu 11:15 PM
La Esquina — viernes
5 cs limones
3 cs aguacate
2 tomate
25 lb arrachera
queso fresco 2
cilantro 4 ??
Read from photo, in English

La Esquina — Friday · 5 cs limes · 3 cs avocado · 2 tomato · 25 lb skirt steak · queso fresco 2 · cilantro (quantity crossed out)

What the desk decides on this order
  • Assumed unitNo unit written. Cases of Roma assumed from past orders.
  • UnreadableThe quantity next to “cilantro” is crossed out. Enter it, or ask Rafael.
  • Matched4 of 6 lines matched cleanly to the catalog.
SO-31193Fri, Oct 23 · AM route

Taquería La Esquina

Needs review
Rafael SotoC-2322Photo
  1. 5cs
    Limes, 175 ct
    LIM-175 · 40 lb case
    “5 cs limones”
    $160.00$32.00/cs
  2. 3cs
    Avocados, Hass 48 ct
    AVO-48 · case
    “3 cs aguacate”
    $174.00$58.00/cs
  3. 2cs
    Roma tomatoes
    TOM-ROMA · 25 lb case
    “2 tomate”
    Assumed unit No unit written. Cases of Roma assumed from past orders.
    $58.00$29.00/cs
  4. 25lb
    Beef outside skirt, choice
    BEF-SKT · per lb
    “25 lb arrachera”
    $347.50$13.90/lb
  5. 2ea
    Queso fresco
    QSO-FRE · 5 lb block
    “queso fresco 2”
    $34.00$17.00/ea
  6. —cs
    Cilantro, 30 bunch
    CIL-30 · case
    “cilantro ??”
    Unreadable The quantity next to “cilantro” is crossed out. Enter it, or ask Rafael.
    $0.00$27.50/cs
6 lines · Est. total$773.50
1 flag to resolve
Sample order: the message on the left, the ticket a person approves on the right. Try the buttons.
The problem

Why paper orders still matter

01

The pad isn’t going away

Plenty of kitchens write the order on paper during close. Asking them to switch to an app loses the order. Reading the photo keeps their habit and your accuracy.

02

Handwriting is uneven

Each line is read separately. Clean lines are matched, and the one that’s crossed out, smudged or cut off is flagged for a person.

03

Units get skipped on paper

“2 tomate” has no unit. It’s filled from the account’s history and labeled, so the reviewer sees exactly what was assumed.

How it works

From notepad to ticket

  1. 0111:15 PM

    Photo texted in

    A lined notepad, seven lines, one crossed out.

  2. 0211:15 PM

    Read line by line

    Five lines are matched, one unit is assumed, and one quantity is flagged as unreadable.

  3. 036:00 AM

    The desk fills the gap

    Someone enters the cilantro quantity, or texts Rafael.

  4. 046:04 AM

    Approved

    The photo stays attached to the order.

Reference

What a photo read flags

The read is built to be honest about what it can’t see. These are the cases that stop for a person.

On the paperOn the ticketBlocks approval?
A crossed-out quantityFlagged unreadable, no quantity enteredYes, until someone enters it
No unit (“2 tomate”)Unit from history, labeled assumedNo, but highlighted
An illegible item nameFlagged, with the crop of that lineYes
Two items on one lineSplit into two linesNo
A note (“call me”)Kept as a note on the orderNo
FAQ

Questions about photos of handwritten order lists.

What kinds of photos work?

Phone photos of notepads, printed order guides with handwritten quantities, and whiteboards, sent by text, WhatsApp or email.

Is the photo kept?

Yes. The original image stays attached to the order, next to the lines read from it.

What about faxed order forms?

A fax is read the same way, as a page of items. See the after-hours page for overnight channels.

Related

All solutions

Available by request

See it on your own orders.

Fifteen minutes is enough to run a few of your real messages through it, against your own price list.

Request access Book a 15-min demo

The restaurant, people and order on this page are fictional sample data.