Why restaurant QR codes save you time and money

Skip the article and turn takeaways into action by scheduling a call with our team.

Restaurant QR codes were definitely around pre-pandemic, but social distancing laws made digital menus much more attractive to diners and restaurant owners alike. A QR code menu provided an ordering system that appealed to countless people who wanted to minimize human contact.

A few years on, we haven’t gone to complete restaurant automation. And while our front-of-house staff is still key to the dining experience, we can give people the hassle-free option of using a restaurant QR code menu. A contactless menu is not just for fast food chains but has become an established part of the restaurant industry no matter the type of restaurant.

QR code menus offer advantages for your restaurant you may not have considered before. From hassle-free dining to the argument that it’s an impersonal experience, this article will cover the pros and cons of having a restaurant QR code menu.

The advantages of using a restaurant QR code menu

While you should never totally ditch physical menus (which we’ll cover in the disadvantages), migrating to a QR code restaurant menu is a great way to bring the ubiquity of smartphone use to the dine-in experience. Here are some advantages to consider.

Hassle-free

Your FOH team is responsible for bringing paper menus to the table. And, if your team is facing a staff shortage, this could leave diners waiting uncomfortably long before they see what you’re offering. Resolve these hassles by placing a QR code sticker or table tent on each tabletop. Diners scan the QR code using their phone camera and begin online ordering.

There’s no miscommunication about table numbers since the number is automatically part of the ordering process. Generally, people will pay for their meal before it arrives via mobile ordering. This means the only interaction between a FOH staff member and the diner is when the food arrives. This all adds up to a hassle-free dining experience and happier restaurant management.

Less dine-and-dash incidents

Not paying for food happens in all types of restaurants, from fine dining to humble takeout joints. Any restaurant owner who’s been in the game for a while has experienced this frustrating and selfish act at least once.

When diners order food using an online menu, the software generally requires them to pay by credit card as they go. This makes eating food and briskly leaving before the bill arrives a thing of the past.

Dynamic menus

Managing your inventory can be tough. Information about menu items that won’t be served, thanks to low stock levels, can get lost along the way. This can lead to frustrated back-of-house employees who can’t fulfill demand and disappointed diners who learn too late that their favorite meal is off the menu. Restaurant management can update a QR code menu in real-time thanks to customizable options in the back end. These updates remove the element of surprise–and frustration–for everyone.

Plus, with search options and easily updated menu templates, you can offer your diners an enhanced menu browsing experience.

Potential savings

As we mentioned earlier, implementing a restaurant QR code menu system over printed menus means process optimization for the FOH. If you find that your diners are using your QR code menus more than traditional menus, you can free up your FOH team and use them more effectively for food service and customer interaction.

More diners making orders with the digital version of your menu also means less paper. You can enjoy savings on printing costs as you won’t need as many physical menus on hand.

The disadvantages of using a restaurant QR code menu

While migrating more of your business toward digital solutions is generally best practice, there are some disadvantages to using a restaurant QR code menu.

Tech-unfriendly for some

Even though social media would have you believe that everyone is constantly staring at their phones, some people don’t use their phones much or may not even have a smartphone. Some older people, for example, will not understand how to use a menu QR code simply because they don’t use their phones like that. They may opt for a paper menu instead.

If your restaurant is in a big tourist area like New York, you may have many patrons traveling from overseas. Many of these tourists won’t have American sim cards in their phones. So unless you offer restaurant WiFi, using a restaurant QR code menu may be a complicated option for them.

Impersonal for some

Not all diners want to use an online ordering platform. Some don’t want to navigate a web page or menu app while they eat out, regardless of their demographic. People eating in fine-dining establishments in the evening are generally there for a drawn-out experience. They may enjoy the experience of flicking through a thoughtfully designed traditional menu.

You could also lose out on some cash because of a restaurant QR code menu. We now know that online ordering gives customers a quick response, which is a positive, but it limits the diner’s interaction with the FOH staff. Building a rapport with their server is hobbled as interactions are limited.

Upselling as well as valuable input from your waitstaff around menu and drink options are personal touches that can get lost. This could lead to less food ordered and less generous tipping, especially if they pay before they receive their food.

Restaurant QR codes could revolutionize your restaurant

It’s no secret that the world is becoming more digitized by the day. We are also clearly living in an era of convenience. Offering a restaurant QR code menu is a great way to keep up with the times and reap the benefits of convenience. Just make sure you keep some paper menus to hand so everybody can enjoy your restaurant.

Remember that using a QR code menu can lead to hassle-free dining with less chance of diners skipping out on payment. Menus can be dynamic, and you can make savings on operations and printing costs. But digital menus may not gel with some diners who dislike smartphones or yearn for the traditional restaurant experience.

Launching restaurant QR code menus could bring up unexpected challenges for your FOH staff. Take charge of your front-of-house management and improve your customer’s experience with Yelp Guest Manager. This software supports your team by handling reservations and waitlists, allowing customers to check themselves in, and much more.

Reach out to us and get a demo. Restaurants that start using Guest Manager experience up to 2X the traffic on their Yelp Business Page.*