Setting up QR self-join for players
A QR code on the wall lets a player add themselves to the queue from their phone. It removes the trip to the bar and the conversation that goes with it.
What self-join actually does
The player scans a code, the player app opens in their browser, and they register for the queue at that venue. They get their own view: their position in line, the estimated wait, their match history, and their rating.
They do not need to install anything. It is a web app, so the code takes them straight to it, and they can add it to their home screen if they want persistent access.
What you need to print
One QR code per venue, generated from the venue app. It encodes the venue's join address, so scanning it always lands the player in the right place.
For the code itself:
- Generate as SVG if you can. It scales to any size without going fuzzy. If you only have PNG, generate it large and do not stretch it.
- Print at least 4cm wide. Bigger if it will be scanned from more than an arm's length away.
- Leave a clear margin. QR codes need empty space around them to be recognised. Do not crop it tight.
- Keep the contrast high. Dark code on a light background. Avoid coloured codes on busy bar signage.
You can make the code itself at sobog.com if you want a custom one, though the venue app generates the correct link for you.
Where to put it
Placement matters more than most people expect. The goal is that a player who has just arrived can find it without asking.
| Location | Notes |
|---|---|
| Wall next to the table | Best single location. In sight exactly when someone wants to join. |
| Bar top, on a small stand | Good for a second copy. Keep it clean and dry. |
| Menu or table card | Works well. Remember to reprint when menus change. |
| Near the entrance | Catches people as they arrive, before they settle in. |
Put up more than one. A code on the back wall only gets scanned by people who already know it is there.
The lighting trap
A code under a downlight behind glass is harder to scan than the same code on paper. Watch for glare, deep shadow, and reflections, especially at night when the room is lit differently from how you tested it during the day.
Test it at night, in the actual light, with a real phone. Ten seconds of testing avoids a week of "the QR thing doesn't work".
Explaining it to players
Put a short instruction next to the code. Something like "Scan to join the queue" is enough. People scan more readily when they know what happens next, and a bare QR code with no label is easy to ignore.
If you have regulars who will not bother with a phone, nothing stops staff adding them manually. Self-join is an option for players, not a replacement for the bar knowing its customers.
Testing before a busy night
- Scan the printed code with two different phones.
- Confirm it opens the right venue, not a generic page.
- Join the queue as a test player and check the position appears.
- Do the same from the far side of the room, at the distance people will actually scan from.
- Turn the wifi off and confirm the app still loads and still shows the queue.
Step five matters because public wifi is the least reliable part of any venue. The player app is built to keep working without it.
Last updated 16 September 2026