Why Restaurant QR Code Menus Aren't Going Away | Keith Parnell, Digital Technologist

Restaurant customers do everything from their phones, mostly. It’s not shocking that many restaurants are keeping with the COVID tradition of QR code menus long after the CDC’s more conservative guidelines have softened. It’s been reported that 35 percent of 18- to 25 year-olds keep their phones by their side during every meal. Regardless of whether this is proper dinnertime etiquette, the truth is that most people can pull out their smartphone to read through your menu just as easily as perusing a physical menu.

QR Code Menus Are More Sanitary. Though COVID fears have certainly waned since the pandemic’s start, there are some things that will always remain true — nobody likes a sticky menu. You can ask your staff to wipe down the menus after your “all you can eat pancake breakfast,” or you can avoid the issue entirely by ditching the physical menu for good.

QR Codes Are More Cost-Efficient. Unless you have a great relationship with a local printer, you’ll have to factor menu costs into your bottom line. You can go with a cheaper option like simple paper menus printed at home, but they may not be as professional or durable as professionally printed ones.

QR Codes Are Environmentally Friendly. You might try to recycle your old paper menus when you add new dishes to the mix, but no paper or plastic at all is really the best way to go. Many restaurants toss a paper menu into every takeout order, but try posting a QR code near your register instead.

QR Codes Save Your Staff Time. When the brunch rush is in full force and your wait staff is struggling to keep up, a QR code menu can work wonders. If a QR code is already on the table when your guests are seated, you don’t have to worry about getting fresh menus to them right away. Plus, a QR code in the waiting area can let your patrons easily check the menu ahead of time so you can free up tables faster.

QR Codes Are Easier to Update. Many restaurant owners have facepalmed after finding a typo or deciding they want to update prices shortly after printing a new set of menus. Once your menu is totally digital, you don’t have to worry about every little tweak you want to make. If you’re sharing your menu with a QR code, you can easily update the web version of your menu as often as you’d like without costing you anything or disturbing your business. Plus, it’s much easier to keep your menu fresh and exciting when you can update your daily specials on the fly.