How to create a menu QR code
A menu QR code lets guests open today's menu on their own phone. The code is the easy part; the decisions that matter are where the menu lives and what happens when it changes.
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1. Host the menu somewhere you control
Put the menu on a page on your own site rather than a one-off PDF you cannot edit. Copy the link, then open the URL QR code generator and paste it in full, including https://.
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2. Choose a dynamic code for a changing menu
Menus and prices change, and a static code locks the address into the pattern. A dynamic QR code lets you edit the destination without reprinting the table tents, and shows how many guests scanned each one.
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3. Download, print table tents, then test at the table
Export PNG for your own printing or SVG for a designer. Print one copy, put it on a real table and scan it from where a seated guest would hold their phone, because seated distance and restaurant lighting are different from a desk. Then order the run.
Why a menu code should be dynamic
A static menu code is free and works forever, but it cannot follow a price change: every table tent becomes wrong the moment the menu is edited. A dynamic code keeps the printed pattern and changes where it points, which is exactly what a menu needs. See pricing for what that costs.
What to check before it hits the table
- Size - a table tent is read at about 40 cm, so the code should be roughly 4 cm across.
- Contrast and finish - dark modules on a light background, matte rather than gloss so overhead lights do not wash it out.
- A fallback - print the web address under the code for guests who cannot or will not scan.
- One instruction - 'Scan for our menu' beats a bare square nobody notices.
The mistakes restaurants make
- Linking to a PDF that is slow to load over mobile data.
- Printing a static code, then changing the menu address and breaking every table.
- Cling film over the code, which reflects the light exactly where the camera is looking.
- No fallback text, so anyone whose camera fails has no menu at all.
Frequently asked questions
Do guests need an app or WiFi for a menu QR code?
No app, and no WiFi from you. The code opens your menu over the guest's own mobile data, so a weak cafe network is not a blocker.
Can I use a PDF as the menu?
You can, but a web page usually loads faster and is easier to read on a phone. If you use a PDF, keep the file small and test it over mobile data before service.
What happens when I change prices?
With a dynamic code you update the destination and the printed tents stay valid. With a static code, a change of web address means reprinting every tent.
Is a QR code menu required, or can I keep paper?
Paper is fine - a QR code is an option, not a rule, and it should sit alongside a physical menu for anyone who prefers one.
Create your menu QR code
Free to generate, no sign-up. Make the code, choose dynamic if the menu changes, and test it on a table.