The short answer
Put a dynamic QR code 8–10 cm wide on the service window at about 1 m, on a matte laminate, and point it at a page you update each morning with the menu and today’s location. The same code can open your payment link or an ordering page. Test in direct sun, which is where most truck codes fail.
How to set up a QR code for a food truck
Decide what the window code opens
Choose today’s menu, an order page or both on one page. Customers in a queue want the menu first, then a way to pay.
Make one dynamic code
Create a dynamic URL code and print it once on the window, the sandwich board and the napkin sleeve. Each morning, update the page, not the print.
Post your location
Put today’s spot, hours and a map link at the top of the same page. Followers can scan the code on a flyer and see where you are right now.
Make it weather-proof
Print on durable vinyl or laminate it matte, mount it flat on the window or sign, and keep dark ink on a light background.
Test in the real light
Check the code at noon, in glare and at dusk, with two phones. Move or shade it if it fails.
Size, distance and placement
- Best code type
- Dynamic URL code to a daily menu and location page
- Service window
- Read from about 1 m: 8–10 cm (3–4 in)
- Sandwich board
- Read from 1.5–2 m: 15–20 cm (6–8 in)
- Napkin sleeve or flyer
- In the hand: 2.5–3 cm
- Material
- Matte laminate or vinyl; no gloss that reflects sunlight
- Payments
- Link to your payment provider’s hosted page. QR Maker does not process payments
- Updating
- Edit the destination page each morning; the printed code never changes
Why dynamic suits a truck
A truck’s menu, prices and position change more often than a restaurant’s, and you cannot reprint a window decal every morning. A dynamic code lets you print once and change the page daily, and you can swap its destination between the menu, the order page and a tip link as needed. Static codes work only for content that never changes, such as a permanent social profile.
Common mistakes
Tip: put today’s location on the same page as the menu. People who scan a code from last week’s flyer will see where you are today and will turn into walk-ups.
Frequently asked questions
How do I put my daily menu on a QR code?
Use a dynamic QR code that opens a menu page. Update the page each day and the printed code keeps working.
How big should a food truck QR code be?
Plan on 8–10 cm (3–4 in) for a service window read from about a metre away, and larger on a sandwich board.
Can the QR code take payments?
The code can link to your payment provider’s page or an ordering system, but QR Maker itself does not process payments.
Will it scan in direct sunlight?
Usually, if the code is dark on a light matte surface. Glossy film and glare cause most failures, so test at midday.