How to put a menu, reviews, table booking and ordering behind one QR code on Digily Link, why the code should point at a short link rather than a file, and the print details that make it scan first time.
QR code menus were a stopgap in 2020 and then simply stayed, because a menu you can change on a Tuesday afternoon without a print run is hard to give up. The ones that annoy customers are the ones that were done in a hurry, a code pointing straight at a PDF that has since moved, printed too small on a laminated card that catches the light. This guide is the unhurried version, written for a UK pub, café or restaurant with one person doing the admin.
What belongs behind the code
The code should open a small page, not a document. A bio link page on Digily Link works well as that page, because it is built for phones and edited in a browser. A sensible set of blocks for a venue:
- The menu. An image block with a clear photo or export of the menu on the free plan, a PDF block on the Pro plan, or a button to the menu page on your website. Keep a separate button for the drinks list.
- Today's specials. A short paragraph block that takes ten seconds to update.
- Book a table. A button to whatever booking system you use.
- Order and pay. If you use an order-at-table provider, a button to it. If you do not, leave this out; a code that opens a menu is still useful.
- Leave a review. A button to your Google review link. Customers who have just eaten are the ones who write reviews.
- Allergens. A button or image with the allergen information, which saves staff a conversation at every table.
- Opening hours and social icons. The business hours block is on the free plan and shows today's hours at a glance.
The free plan allows 15 blocks on a page, which is more than a venue needs. The layout in the guide to link in bio pages for UK small businesses applies here too.
Point the code at a short link, not at the file
A QR code is just a way of typing a web address with a camera. If that address is the PDF itself, the code dies the moment the file is renamed or replaced. If the address is a Digily Link short link, the code is fixed and the destination is editable. Point it at the page today, at the Christmas menu in December and at the Sunday roast page on Sundays, and the sticker on the table never changes.
Short links also count scans. Make one short link for the table stickers, one for the window and one for the flyer in the tourist office, and the statistics will show which of the three earns its space. Scans are recorded without a tracking cookie, so nothing needs adding to the page.
Set it up in an afternoon
- Create a free account and build the page with the blocks above. Run menu photos through the image optimiser first so they load quickly on mobile data.
- Create a short link that points at the page, on a domain such as digily.uk or short.bi, with a slug like /menu.
- Open the QR code generator, choose the URL type and paste the short link. Add your logo, set the colours, and choose a frame with the text "Scan for the menu". Download the SVG for the printer and a PNG for screens.
- Scan the code from the screen with two phones, then from a printed proof. The QR code reader shows exactly what address a code contains if you are ever unsure which version is which.
- Print, place and check the statistics after the first weekend.
Print and placement details that matter
- Size. At least 25 mm square on a table card and larger on a window or an A-board, where people scan from further away.
- Quiet zone. Leave a clear margin around the code about the width of two of its small squares. Codes that touch a border or sit on a busy photo fail more often than small ones.
- Contrast and glare. Dark code on a light background. Matt lamination rather than gloss, or the pub lights will bounce straight into the camera.
- Height. On a wall, put it at seated eye level, not above the bar where nobody can reach it.
- A line of text. "Scan for the menu" next to the code removes the question of what it does.
- Keep a few paper menus. Some guests prefer them, some phones are flat, and it is a courtesy that costs a few pounds.
Other codes worth printing
- Wi-Fi. The generator has a Wi-Fi type that joins the guest network on scan, so staff stop spelling out the password.
- WhatsApp bookings. A code built with the WhatsApp link generator opens a chat with "Hi, I would like to book a table for" already typed.
- Reviews at the till. A code that goes straight to your Google review page, placed where people wait to pay.
- Events and private hire. A vCard code so organisers can save the events manager's number, as described in the guide to vCard QR codes.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an ordering system?
No. A code that opens the menu, the booking button and the review link already does most of the work. Add ordering when you have a provider you are happy with, by adding one button.
Can I change the menu without reprinting?
Yes, as long as the code points at a short link or at the page. Edit the page or change the destination and the printed code carries on working.
Can I see how many people scan?
Every scan of a code that points at a short link is counted, with device, time and referrer. A code that points directly at a file cannot be counted.
Is the free plan enough for one venue?
Yes. It includes five pages, 50 short links and 20 QR codes without adverts. Starter at £2 a month adds your own domain, removable branding and 100 QR codes if you have several sites. Current limits are on the plans page.
What about guests without a smartphone?
Keep printed menus at the bar and mention them on the table card. The code is an addition, not a replacement.
Final checks
- The code points at a short link or the page, never directly at a file.
- Menu, specials, booking, reviews and allergens are on the page and current.
- The printed code is at least 25 mm with a clear margin and matt finish.
- You scanned a printed proof with two phones before the print run.
- A few paper menus are still available.
