How Davey’s UK Simplified a Complex Venue with Shift4

When David Milburn, owner and director of Davey’s UK, opened their new city-center location in Newcastle, the biggest challenge wasn’t staffing, menu design, or footfall. It was logistics.

• The kitchen is downstairs
• The drinks bar is upstairs
• Orders come from everywhere: table service, bar tills, self-ordering screens, and takeaway

“All of it had to work as one system. Otherwise, we’d be running up and down stairs all day.” David said.

For many UK operators, this kind of layout would create constant friction between front-of-house and back-of-house, but Shift4 solves it all.

One Venue. Multiple Order Points.

Davey’s UK was among the first UK businesses to test Shift4’s self-ordering technology, and today, orders flow into one system from:

• Staff using POS workstation
• Bar staff working the till
• Customers ordering at self-service screens

Every order is automatically routed to the right place — kitchen or bar — within seconds.

“No one needs to manually pass tickets around. The order is exactly where it needs to be almost instantly.” - David Milburn

For a multi-floor venue, this isn’t a nice extra. It’s what makes the operation workable.

Running Dine-in & Takeaway On the Same System

The venue runs a sit-down restaurant experience and a fast takeaway offer for customers on short lunch breaks at the same time. Most POS setups force staff to mentally track this. Shift4 handles it on screen.

With Shift4:

• Staff can instantly see who is dining in vs takeaway
• Orders are prioritised correctly across departments
• Teams don’t have to guess who is in a rush

“We can clearly see who’s takeaway, who’s sitting in, and who needs to be out in 10 minutes. The system organizes it for us.” David says.

Moving into Digital Ordering Without Complexity

Self-ordering kiosks and digital ordering can feel like a big leap for many operators. David’s experience was the opposite.

Because card terminals, tills, POS, and self-ordering all run on the same platform, the team didn’t have to learn multiple systems or bolt on new technology. Everything works together in a single workflow.

Why This Matters for UK Hospitality Operators

Many UK restaurants, pubs, and hospitality venues face similar challenges:

• Split floors or large spaces
• High lunch traffic and time-sensitive customers
• Staff moving between service areas
• Growing demand for self-ordering and faster service
• The need to modernise without adding operational complexity

Shift4 solves this by connecting every order source into one view of the venue.

No duplicated systems. No manual handovers. No confusion between departments.

The Result: A Venue That’s Simple to Run

What could have been a logistical headache is now a smooth, connected operation.

For Davey’s UK & Circo Italian Kitchen, Shift4 didn’t just introduce new technology. It made the venue practical to operate from day one.

If your venue has multiple order points, busy service periods, or you’re considering self-ordering for the first time, book a demo and see how we can simplify your operations from front-of-house to back-of-house and anything in between!