The field guide / Restaurants
QR codes for restaurants that keep the menu easy to find
A guest should spend their time choosing lunch, not searching for the menu. Put the current selection a scan away, and give your team a simple routine for keeping it accurate.
Build your planA practical guide, with ideas to adapt to your own business.
FRESH. SEASONAL. LOCAL.
Stay for
one more.
Three places to start
Table card
Open the menu while guests settle in.
Window
Let passing customers see what is available.
Takeaway insert
Link to your menu or your existing ordering service.
Make the small screen your starting point
Use short section names and plain item descriptions so guests can browse without zooming. A hosted Menu page is a useful starting point when you want to edit individual dishes. A PDF works when you need to share an existing document, but test whether the text remains readable on a phone.
Put relevant dietary and allergen information beside the item and keep a clear way to ask staff about ingredients. The QR code is a route to your information; it cannot establish whether that information is complete or current.
Give menu changes an owner
Choose who updates prices, seasonal dishes and opening information before service. Review the live page after saving, rather than assuming the editor preview matches every guest’s device. Use a dynamic code when those details will change while table cards stay in use.
If you link to an external ordering or booking service, use a precise label such as ‘Order for pickup.’ A menu page does not itself add a kitchen ordering system, payment flow or table reservation service.
Design for the table, not just the artwork
Place the code where a glass, cutlery or a hand will not cover it. Test against reflections from laminated cards and under evening lighting. Include a short instruction such as ‘View today’s menu’ plus a readable website address.
Keep a printed menu available. Some guests will have no phone, limited connectivity or simply prefer paper. A good QR menu reduces friction without making scanning a condition of ordering.
Questions worth settling first
Can I change prices without replacing the table code?
Yes, when the code opens an editable dynamic menu. Update the menu content and test the existing printed code afterward.
Does a menu QR include online ordering?
You can link guests to an ordering service you already use. The QR menu itself is not a point-of-sale or order-management system.
Put the guide into practice
Start with one useful destination.
Create and customise a static QR code, then sign up or log in to download it for free. Need to edit after printing? Explore dynamic codes with a seven-day Business trial, no card required. An active plan is needed to keep dynamic codes running after the trial and grace period.