They say necessity is the mother of invention, and QR code menus are proof. The pandemic introduced us to the scannable code as a safe, practical alternative to high-touch physical menus. Much of the fear we felt in the pandemic’s early days has faded, but contactless menus are here to stay.

What was once a piece of paper is now a universe of information. Touchless menus don’t just offer up a list of drinks and entrees. They enhance the dining experience. Grab a link from the scannable menu at your favorite burger spot, and you can read the restaurant’s backstory, scan its social media and buy a burger-shaped hat while waiting for your food to cook.

Need more reasons to love digital menus? They save paper, which reduces costs and supports your restaurant’s environmentally friendly vibe. Starting to see the appeal? Read on to learn how to make a QR code menu for your restaurant.

What is a QR code menu?

QR codes are a type of high-tech barcode that stores digital information. QR stands for “quick response,” and these codes live up to their name. After a user scans a code with a third-party app or phone camera, they’re transported to a virtual landing page.

This landing page may be the restaurant menu itself, or it might present the user with a number of options. Put a Linktree URL on your landing page to link out to multiple sites and pages such as your menu, ordering system, event booking page, social media profiles, and merch site.

Why do you need a scan code for your menu?

By now, you’ve learned three things that make QR codes so great: They’re more sanitary, eco-friendly, and dynamic than traditional paper menus. And they’ll save you loads on printing costs.

But here’s another perk for restaurant owners: if your local farm drops off a box of fresh peaches, you can whip together a special dessert and throw it on the menu. Run out of that infused gin everyone’s been loving? Just pull it off the menu until the next shipment comes in.

And QR codes are inexpensive. Making a code may cost you nothing if you’re linking to a restaurant webpage you already pay to host, and some third-party apps let you generate a QR code menu for free.

How to make a QR code for restaurants

You can make a QR code without knowing how to code or understanding the tech behind them. Creating an online menu is no more difficult than creating a traditional paper one – the hard part is deciding what menu items to offer and figuring out how you want the menu to look. Here’s how to digitize your menu:

1. Design your menu in a digital format. You can design a menu directly on your website or make a PDF. Either way, you’ll need to host the menu on a website so you can link to it. If you don’t have your own site, look for a third-party QR code generator tool that allows users to make a menu in-app.
2. Use a third-party QR code generator: Third-party QR generators take the URL linked to your menu and turn it into a QR code. If you want to offer customers a more extensive experience, add your menu and other links to your Linktree and use the Linktree URL to generate a code.
3. Test your QR code: You don’t want to leave hungry clients hanging, so be sure to test your new QR code before putting it in the path of your diner's smartphones. Print the code and try scanning it with your device before making it a permanent fixture in your restaurant.
4. Display and share your code: Display your code on a little sign at the bar, affix laminated copies to the tops of tables, or print up triangular table tents. In fine dining spots, you may want servers to present the code directly to guests.

5 tips for creating a QR code menu

Whether you have a degree in computer science or culinary arts (or no degree at all), you can use the following tips to create QR codes that look good and work well:

1. Ensure your menu is mobile-friendly: When you test your QR code, pay special attention to how long the menu takes to load. If load times are slow, check the size and format of your graphics and see if you can optimize them.
2. Choose the correct QR code size: Tabletop codes should be at least one inch wide and high, and if you plan to put your QR code farther from where a customer may be standing or sitting, make the code bigger. Whatever you do, test the code to make sure it’s functioning correctly.
3. Don’t forget to list prices on your menu: If you want your menu to be as contact-free and self-explanatory as possible, don’t forget to list prices – and since your menu’s digital, make pricing adjustments as often as you want.
4. Brand your code: Use your restaurant’s color scheme on your code. Just be sure to keep the contrast high so cameras can easily read the code. You can also use your logo and other branding elements to give your code a more customized feel.
5. Consider a dynamic QR code: There are two types of QR codes: static and dynamic. You can’t alter the information embedded in fixed codes, so they’re ideal for menus and links you don’t plan to modify. Dynamic codes, however, are editable. They give you a lot more freedom and even offer metric tracking so you can see which days and times the code gets the most traffic.

Get scanning

It’s time to bring your restaurant into the future with a contactless QR-code menu. This green, cost-effective option will streamline and enhance your guests’ restaurant experience. Make it memorable by showing the farm that grew the peaches for your cobbler or sharing an engaging story about your mixology. These details take a restaurant from good to great and keep customers coming back for more.