Dynamic receipt merging for restaurant teams: Designing SpaceM from scratch
Dynamic receipt merging for restaurant teams: Designing SpaceM from scratch
SpaceM is a restaurant POS that pioneered dynamic receipt merging in Georgia.
This case study highlights my role in designing the platform from concept to market player — growing 283x to process ₾117M across 103 restaurants while introducing table management capabilities no competitor offers.
SpaceM is a restaurant POS that pioneered dynamic receipt merging in Georgia.
This case study highlights my role in designing the platform from concept to market player — growing 283x to process ₾117M across 103 restaurants while introducing table management capabilities no competitor offers.
Key Impact Metrics
Key Impact Metrics
13 Seconds
13 Seconds
Average multi-dish order processing time
Average multi-dish order processing time
2-3x faster than typical restaurant POS workflows
2-3x faster than typical restaurant POS workflows
2.4K
2.4K
Receipts merged
Receipts merged
Market-first feature
Market-first feature
2.3K
2.3K
Receipts split
Receipts split
Flexible payments
Flexible payments
My contribution
My contribution
Discovery research
Discovery research
Creating information architecture
Creating information architecture
Creating user flow, wireframes and prototypes
Creating user flow, wireframes and prototypes
Creating UI kit
Creating UI kit
Iterating based on the field testing and analyses
Iterating based on the field testing and analyses
Timeline
Timeline
Feb 2020 - Mar 2021.
Launched in 2021
Feb 2020 - Mar 2021.
Launched in 2021
Feb 2020 - Mar 2021.
Launched in 2021
Team
Team
2 PM, 2 Developers,
1 Restaurant Manager
2 PM, 2 Developers,
1 Restaurant Manager
The Challenge
The Challenge
Restaurant managers were losing revenue to operational inefficiency.
Restaurant managers were losing revenue to operational inefficiency.
In 2021 traditional POS systems required ~25–45 seconds to process a multi-dish order per table.
Restaurant managers struggled with complicated table management features, spending valuable time on manual processes instead of customer service.
The existing market offered desktop-bound solutions that couldn't adapt to the dynamic nature of restaurant operation. When groups split or merge tables, staff had to manually close bills, create new ones, and re-enter all items all over again.
In 2021 traditional POS systems required ~25–45 seconds to process a multi-dish order per table.
Restaurant managers struggled with complicated table management features, spending valuable time on manual processes instead of customer service.
The existing market offered desktop-bound solutions that couldn't adapt to the dynamic nature of restaurant operation. When groups split or merge tables, staff had to manually close bills, create new ones, and re-enter all items all over again.
Opportunity
Opportunity
Restaurants needed a simple system that could help them split bills into payment methods, visitors amount and give servers ability to merge bills.
Restaurants needed a simple system that could help them split bills into payment methods, visitors amount and give servers ability to merge bills.
Discovery & Research
Discovery & Research
We visited multiple restaurants to understand where time was being lost.
Through observation, we documented the complete service workflow from table seating to payment. We spent time next to cash desk, watched servers during peak hours and interviewed restaurant managers about their operational pain points.
We visited multiple restaurants to understand where time was being lost.
Through observation, we documented the complete service workflow from table seating to payment. We spent time next to cash desk, watched servers during peak hours and interviewed restaurant managers about their operational pain points.
Device clutter
Device clutter
Waiter and operators were using additional devices, calculators to split or merge the the bill. Which increased operation time.
Waiter and operators were using additional devices, calculators to split or merge the the bill. Which increased operation time.
Sticky notes everywhere
Sticky notes everywhere
Every POS terminal was surrounded by sticky notes for order details. A workaround that slowed service and created errors when notes were lost or misread.
Every POS terminal was surrounded by sticky notes for order details. A workaround that slowed service and created errors when notes were lost or misread.
Receipt design
Receipts cluttered with symbols (#, *, item codes) and repeated information confused customers during bill splits, requiring server intervention to decode each item.
Receipt design
Receipt design
Receipts cluttered with symbols (#, *, item codes) and repeated information confused customers during bill splits, requiring server intervention to decode each item.
Receipts cluttered with symbols (#, *, item codes) and repeated information confused customers during bill splits, requiring server intervention to decode each item.
Key Findings
Key Findings
Staff needed mobile access, not desktop systems
Servers took orders at the table during peak hours and then entered them into the POS system at a terminal.
Key Findings
Key Findings
Managers struggled with text-based table
Managers needed instant table status, but text-only lists made them mentally recreate the floor plan.
Key Findings
Key Findings
Table splitting and merging required manual work
When groups combined tables or split bills, staff had to manually reconstruct orders into new receipts.
Key Insights
Key Insights
"Restaurant staff don't need more features.
They need speed and flexibility when it matters most."
"Restaurant staff don't need more features.
They need speed and flexibility when it matters most."
This insight gave foundation to our approach.
Instead of adding functionality to existing POS paradigms, we reimagined the entire ordering experience around two principles: instant action and adaptive workflows.
We realised that every second saved on order entry translated directly to better customer service. And every flexible workflow we enabled meant staff could focus on hospitality instead of fighting their tools.
This insight gave foundation to our approach.
Instead of adding functionality to existing POS paradigms, we reimagined the entire ordering experience around two principles: instant action and adaptive workflows.
We realised that every second saved on order entry translated directly to better customer service. And every flexible workflow we enabled meant staff could focus on hospitality instead of fighting their tools.
The Solution
The Solution
POS that adapts to restaurant reality, not the other way around.
POS that adapts to restaurant reality, not the other way around.
We designed SpaceM as web app experience with three core innovations:
Visual table management that mirrors the actual floor plan, instant order processing that feels like texting and dynamic receipt merging — capability that no other POS system offered.
The interface prioritises speed through smart defaults and predictive ordering patterns, while maintaining the flexibility to handle any table configuration or payment scenario.
Visual table management that mirrors the actual floor plan, instant order processing that feels like texting and dynamic receipt merging — capability that no other POS system offered.
The interface prioritises speed through smart defaults and predictive ordering patterns, while maintaining the flexibility to handle any table configuration or payment scenario.
Design Decision
Visual Table Management
An interactive floor plan that surfaces real-time table status at a glance
Leveraging my experience designing seating floor plans for ticketing systems, I saw an opportunity to rethink how restaurant staff visualise and manage their dining rooms.
This solution dramatically reduced cognitive load during peak service. Instead of mentally tracking 20+ tables from text-based lists, managers could rely on a visual, spatial representation of the dining room.
Design Decision
Dynamic Receipt Management
Drag and drop items between receipts, merge entire tables with one tap, or split bills by seat, item, or by custom amounts.
This became our signature innovation. When two tables decide to combine their meals, or when a large group wants to split into separate bills, SpaceM handles it seamlessly.
No other POS system could do this. Traditional systems required closing receipts, manually re-entering items, and coordinating with kitchen staff to ensure orders weren't duplicated or lost.
Impact
Impact
Used 4,359 times in 2025 alone
Used 4,359 times in 2025 alone
When groups merge tables, average check size increases by 30-40% as combined tables tend to order more drinks and desserts. By making merging frictionless, we enabled restaurants to capture this upsell opportunity.
When groups merge tables, average check size increases by 30-40% as combined tables tend to order more drinks and desserts. By making merging frictionless, we enabled restaurants to capture this upsell opportunity.
Outcome
Impact
Impact
₾117 Million
₾117 Million
Total revenue processed across 1.5 million receipts in 103 restaunrats
11.8 Million Dishes
11.8 Million Dishes
Tracked through the system since launch
Tracked through the system since launch
Launched in 2021, SpaceM has become one of Georgia's leading restaurant management platform.
$32M+ USD equivalent, demonstrating enterprise-grade reliability and scale. The platform processes an average of ₾463K monthly per restaurant, handling everything from small cafes to high-volume dining establishments.
Within four years, the platform transformed from an MVP serving 2 restaurants to a market player processing millions in daily transactions in 103 restaurants.
The 283x growth trajectory validated our design decisions and proved the market need for mobile-first restaurant technology.
Launched in 2021, SpaceM has become one of Georgia's leading restaurant management platform.
$32M+ USD equivalent, demonstrating enterprise-grade reliability and scale. The platform processes an average of ₾463K monthly per restaurant, handling everything from small cafes to high-volume dining establishments.
Within four years, the platform transformed from an MVP serving 2 restaurants to a market player processing millions in daily transactions in 103 restaurants.
The 283x growth trajectory validated our design decisions and proved the market need for mobile-first restaurant technology.
Recognition
NVIDIA Inception Program member
NVIDIA Inception Program member
Selected for NVIDIA Inception Program (2024) and started developing AI-powered quality control features (TasteAI)
Selected for NVIDIA Inception Program (2024) and started developing AI-powered quality control features (TasteAI)
Four years later, the design decisions hold
Four years later, the design decisions hold
4 years later in Sighnaghi, I recognised a receipt design in a small tourist cafe.
A design I have made within the SpaceM product!
I went straight to the staff and asked how they find the software - whether it's actually usable or just another piece of tech they have to deal with.
Designing POS for SpaceM was interesting journey.
The entire restaurant management system (spacem.ge) covering everything from ingredients, inventory to orders, delivery, bill splitting, merging and table management.
There's something special about stumbling across your work years later, still functioning, still solving real problems for real people with 103 restaurants using it daily.
4 years later in Sighnaghi, I recognised a receipt design in a small tourist cafe.
A design I have made within the SpaceM product!
I went straight to the staff and asked how they find the software - whether it's actually usable or just another piece of tech they have to deal with.
Designing POS for SpaceM was interesting journey.
The entire restaurant management system (spacem.ge) covering everything from ingredients, inventory to orders, delivery, bill splitting, merging and table management.
There's something special about stumbling across your work years later, still functioning, still solving real problems for real people with 103 restaurants using it daily.