How to Set Up QR Code Check-in for a Dinner & Dance

A company Dinner & Dance has a few extra moving parts compared to a regular event: assigned tables, meal preferences, and often a few hundred guests arriving in the same 30-minute window. QR code check-in keeps that rush calm and gets everyone seated quickly. Here's how to set it up.

1. Build the guest list with table and meal data

For a D&D, your guest list should carry more than names. Include Table Number and Meal Preference alongside Name, Email, and Company. This lets your check-in screen — and your printed name labels — show each guest exactly where to sit and what they're eating, which removes the biggest source of confusion at dinner events.

2. Send QR codes ahead of the night

Email each guest a unique QR code a few days before. Because D&D guests often arrive together right before the programme starts, pre-sent codes are essential — you don't want 300 people searching their inbox at once. Remind guests in the email to have their QR ready before they reach the counter.

3. Set up enough counters for the arrival spike

D&D arrivals are bursty. As a rough guide, plan one check-in counter per 100–150 expected guests so the queue never builds. Each counter needs a device with a camera, and ideally a printer if you're issuing name labels with table numbers.

4. Print name labels with table numbers

Name-label printing on arrival is a small touch that makes a big difference at a dinner. As staff scan each guest in, print a label showing their name and table number — guests find their seats without crowding the seating chart, and the room fills smoothly.

5. Prepare for the usual D&D hiccups

• Guest forgot their QR → search by name or company and check in manually
• Last-minute table swaps → update the record so the label prints correctly
• Plus-ones and walk-ins → decide in advance who approves them
• Spouse using the employee's QR → confirm your policy on shared codes beforehand

6. Watch attendance in real time

A live dashboard tells the organiser when most guests have arrived, which tables are still empty, and the overall attendance rate — useful for deciding when to start the programme. After the night, export the full attendance list for HR records and follow-up.

Run your D&D check-in with SG Event Check-in

SG Event Check-in handles table numbers, meal preferences, name-label printing, and a live dashboard out of the box — built for exactly this kind of event. Upload your guest list, send the QR codes, and run a calm, fast door on the night. Start your first event free.