Tall Ship Races Antwerp: 500,000 visitors and the entire city as a bar

The challenge: a festival without fences

No tickets, no access control, no fixed attendance. Anyone walking past the ships might decide they want a drink or a snack at any moment. Payment needs to be seamless at every bar, food truck, and partner stand—for the tourist just passing through as well as the local who returns every day.

A city-wide event across numerous locations brings its own set of questions:

• How do you keep the barrier to entry low and the speed high at every location?
• How do you ensure the cup deposit system works accurately across all bars and collection points?
• How do you stay connected and fast when the network falters in a crowded area?

The approach

Pay with what you have on you

Visitors paid at all bars, food trucks, and partner stands using their own bank cards or smartphones. No top-up points, no tokens, no explanation needed. This allowed tourists and locals alike to start consuming immediately.

One cup, one motion

With their first drink, the visitor paid a deposit for their cup. For subsequent orders, they exchanged their cup at the bar, and the deposit was immediately deducted from the price. If they wanted their deposit back, they could get it at one of the six collection points via QR Refund.

Credits for partners, staff, and logistics

Partner companies received personalized cashless cards with a pre-agreed credit to spend across the entire site. Staff and logistics partners were given standard cashless cards, which the organization topped up via the platform. Visitors didn't notice a thing: they simply paid with their own cards.

Inventory that moves with you

The platform displayed real-time inventory of sales products and consumables, such as cups. This ensured every bar had enough stock at any hour of the day, and prevented excess waste at the end of the event. Replenishment and collection were based on data, not guesswork.

Always connected, even when the network falters

Together with network partner Citymesh, we monitored connectivity at every location. Each terminal was equipped with a SIM card and switched to 4G if the Wi-Fi dropped. Furthermore, the native app continues to work offline. This kept every bar running, no matter what happened.

Full service, from preparation to refund

Beyond Ordering provided full-service support: preparation, hardware, and on-site monitoring. This allowed the organization to maintain an overview of all locations, stress-free.

The result: four days, zero glitches

Not a single issue with visitors at the payment stage. Not with the hardware, not with the network. The organization maintained a clear overview across all locations, from cup deposits to stock levels per bar.

What you can take away for your event

• Organizing a public event without ticketing? Choose open loop for your visitors. No top-up points, no barriers.
• Have the cup deposit settled at the bar and provide collection points with QR Refund for those who want their deposit back.
• Build a fallback into your network. 4G and offline functionality keep your bars running.

FAQ

How do you centralize the sales of food, drinks, and cup deposits at a public event?

With one platform for all bars, food trucks, and collection points. The deposit is charged with the first purchase and settled during subsequent orders at the bar. Anyone wanting their deposit back can get it via QR Refund at a collection point. You can see sales, deposits, and stock in real-time for every location.

Can I provide credits to partners while visitors simply pay with their bank cards?

Yes. Visitors pay open loop with their own card or smartphone. Partners, staff, and logistics partners receive a cashless card with a pre-agreed credit. Both work on the same terminal and appear together in one overview.

What if the network goes down at a city event?

Every terminal has a SIM card and switches to 4G if the Wi-Fi drops. In addition, the native app continues to work offline. This ensures sales can continue at every location.

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