How to Create a QR Code Menu for Your Restaurant, Step by Step

To make a QR code menu, put your menu on a mobile-friendly web page or a readable PDF, create a dynamic QR code that points to it, print the code about 4–6 cm wide on a matte table card with a short instruction, and test it on two phones. Use a dynamic code so you can change prices and dishes without reprinting the cards.

Step 1: Decide what the code will open

You have three realistic choices.

• A menu page on your website. Best for readability and search, and easy to edit. Make sure it works on a phone: large text, no sideways scrolling, prices visible without pinching.
• A PDF menu. Fast to produce, but only good if the PDF is laid out for a phone screen. A scanned print menu forces guests to pinch and zoom, and many will give up.
• An ordering page. If you take orders online, link the code straight to it. Keep the first screen simple.

Whichever you choose, load it on a phone using mobile data, not your venue Wi-Fi, and check that it opens in a few seconds.

Step 2: Create a dynamic QR code

Choose the URL type, paste the address, and save the code as dynamic. Dynamic matters here because menus change: prices move, dishes sell out, seasons turn. With a dynamic code the printed card stays the same and you change where it points. With a static code, every change means new cards.

Name the code clearly, for example "Dining room – table cards", so you can tell it apart from the one on the takeaway window.

Step 3: Print it at the right size

Guests scan while sitting, with the card on the table, about 30–50 cm away. For that distance, 4–6 cm (1.6–2.4 in) wide is comfortable. If the code is on a window or a sign that people read from a metre away, plan on about 10 cm.

The print size guide covers other distances. Keep a clear border of four modules around the code, print it dark on a light background, and avoid putting it on a curved or glossy surface. Table tents with laminate should be matte; shiny laminate throws reflections from ceiling lights.

Step 4: Tell people what to do

A bare square on a table is easy to ignore. Add one line such as "Scan for today's menu" and, if you can, an arrow or icon. Mention that the menu opens in the phone's browser; guests do not need to download anything.

Print the short web address underneath too. A few guests will not scan, and some phones have older cameras, so the address is a safe fallback. Keep a paper menu for anyone who prefers it.

Step 5: Place codes where they get used

Use a separate dynamic code for each placement. The scan counts will then show which placements are used, and you can send, say, the takeaway window somewhere else without touching the tables.

Step 6: Test, then keep it up to date

Scan each printed card with an iPhone and an Android phone, in the dining room's real lighting. Every few weeks, scan one card and make sure the menu is current. An outdated price that a guest can see on their phone causes more trouble than a missing code.

Accessibility and courtesy

Not everyone has a smartphone or wants to use one at dinner. Offer paper menus on request, keep type large on the web page, and make sure the page works with the phone's text-size settings. A QR code should add a way to read the menu, not take one away.

For more ways restaurants use codes, such as reviews and guest Wi-Fi, see the restaurant guide.

FAQ

Should my restaurant QR code be static or dynamic?

Dynamic. Menus change, and a dynamic code lets you update the destination without reprinting. A static code is only suitable if the page it opens will never change.

How big should a QR code be on a table?

About 4–6 cm (1.6–2.4 in) wide for a card read at 30–50 cm. For a window or sign read from about a metre, aim for 10 cm.

Can I use a PDF as my menu?

Yes, if the PDF is designed for a phone screen, with readable text and no need to zoom. A scanned page of a print menu is hard to read on a phone and is better replaced with a mobile page.