10 x durable laminate QR table top Scan to order Restaurant menus digital future

QR Code-Based Menu Cards for restaurants

Disposable and digital menu boards, while acceptable alternatives, come with the limitation of high cost. So what option does restaurant owners who want a quick, low-cost, and effective way to update their menus?

Over the past few years, QR codes, as a result of being extremely flexible and cost-effective, have been finding acceptance in the F&B industry.

Given how restaurants across the world are finding ways of safe reopening are the most obvious switch.

Their flexibility is such that these codes are now being used to access the menu cards of hotels and restaurants, in some cases, of such illustrious chains as Marriot and Hilton.

Here’s how QR Codes as menu work -

1. Restaurant owners create a QR code and display it in their establishment at multiple places.
2. Customers use their phone camera or Google lens to scan the QR Code and access the menu on their phone.

Here’s a comprehensive collection of QR Code menu generators by 2ndKitchen.com

QR Code menus vs disposable and digital menus?

In most cases, QR codes provide more than an edge over the disposable cards and digital menu boards.

1. Ease of implementation
QR codes are easy to create and print, which means you can do it yourself without having to outsource the process. With the right QR Code generators (I had done a comparison of generators, a few months back), it takes nothing more than 5 mins!

2. Cost-effective
There is no huge one-time installation charge, as in the case of the digital boards.

Even the most expensive plan of the best QR code generator will provide you hundreds of dynamic (customizable and editable) QR codes for the same price of one month of disposable menus or a fraction of the digital menu cost (around $480).

There are also several free QR code generators which obviously comes with far fewer features, but even the starter pack (which is usually less than $100) can prove very useful for restaurants.

Additionally, there are zero to minimal recurring charges like in the case of disposable menu cards, they can be updated easily and are also environment-friendly to use.

3. QR Code are dynamic in nature
As we ride the COVID wave, one must be prepared to scale down and extend the menu. Unlike disposable menus, with QR Codes you can manage the menu linked, without reprinting the QR Code.

Also, most restaurants have separate menus for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. To make it convenient you could just have one QR Code stuck on the walls of your restaurant that shows different menus based on the time.

Or, you could also switch menus based on the season.

4. Reach out to consumers a month later and tell them about the new dishes introduced!
Catching hold of customers who walked into your restaurant, a month later is almost impossible. But when you take the experience to their smartphones, it is possible.

If you are using QR Code menus from Beaconstac, you have the option to store cookies on the consumers’ phone and show them ads for your restaurant a month later, or maybe just the next week!

5. QR Code menus represent your restaurant’s personality
You can customise your QR code by adding your restaurant name or logo, or even change their color.

Impact on customer —
QR Code menu: Immersive, interactive & safe
Digital menu boards: Attractive & safe
Disposable menu: Makes no long-term impact

Long-term usage —
QR Code menu: Easily maintainable
Digital menu boards: Might require servicing every few months
Disposable menu: Not feasible

Functionality —
QR Code menu: Easy to edit; Adaptable
Digital menu boards: Boards cannot be changed
Disposable menu: Menus need to be reprinted

Cost & ROI —
QR Code menu: For a 20 table restaurants, typically $150/mo
Digital menu boards: For an average sized board, typically $1500 + additional software cost/mo
Disposable menu: For a 20 table restaurants, typically $620/mo

Ease of deployment —
QR Code menu: DIY
Digital menu boards: Need to hire professional signage agencies
Disposable menu: Need to hire a printer and/or designer

- Center for Disease Control (CDC) for restaurants and bars

With the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) issuing guidelines to safely reopen the country post-lockdown, restaurants and cafes will have to be extra careful while welcoming and serving their customers. So the Governmaent calls for a widespread change in behavior and business practices of restaurants.

These guidelines naturally stipulate social distancing and hygiene norms that restaurants will have to comply with. Among other things.

restaurateurs now also have to quickly overhaul their menus.

use of digital or disposable menu cards in place of the traditional reusable ones.

Let’s take a quick look at these alternatives, their advantages and cost-effectiveness as per business needs and if there are other options which can help restaurants expedite their preparedness.