How to Make a QR Code Menu for Your Restaurant
A QR code menu saves printing costs, lets you change prices without reprinting, and gives customers a menu they can read on their own phone. But a QR code that does not scan, or that is too small to see, is worse than no code at all. This guide walks you through planning, making, printing and placing a QR menu properly.
Step 1: Decide where the code will point
A QR code simply stores a web link. Choose the link first. It can be a Google Drive menu, a page on your website, or a WhatsApp ordering link. If you have not put your menu online yet, start with our guide to putting your menu online for free.
Step 2: Make the code
Paste your menu link, choose your colours, and download a QR code or a print-ready poster.
Open the QR Code Menu MakerStep 3: Test before you print
Scan the code on your own screen with at least two different phones, ideally one older and one newer. Check that the right menu opens quickly, that the text is easy to read, and that it works on mobile data and not only on Wi-Fi.
Step 4: Print it properly
- Size: at least 2 cm (about 1 inch) wide for a code held close. Make it larger for anything that will be scanned from a distance, such as a window or wall poster.
- Contrast: dark code on a light background. Avoid light codes on dark backgrounds and busy photo backgrounds.
- Material: use a matte finish or laminate. Very glossy surfaces can reflect light and stop the camera from reading.
- Keep the white border around the code, and do not stretch or squash it.
Step 5: Place it where customers will see it
- On every table, at eye level or flat in a stand
- At the entrance and counter
- On takeaway bags, boxes and receipts
- In your window, so people can check the menu before they walk in
Add a short line such as "Scan to view our menu", because some customers do not know what the code is for.
Look after your QR menu
- Keep a few paper menus for customers who cannot scan or have no data.
- Wipe table codes regularly, or replace them when they get worn, since a scratched code can fail.
- Never delete or move the page behind the link. If you do, every printed code stops working. Update the page's content instead.
Frequently asked questions
Do QR codes expire?
A basic QR code never expires, because the link is built into it. It only stops working if the page behind it is removed or the link changes.
Can I change the menu after printing?
Yes, as long as the link stays the same. Edit the menu behind the link and the same printed code will show the new version.
What if a customer cannot scan it?
Most phone cameras scan QR codes automatically. For others, keep a printed menu and write the short web address under the code.