QR code menus started as a temporary measure in 2020 and then simply stayed, because it is hard to give up a menu you can change on a Tuesday afternoon without another print run. The ones that frustrate customers were usually created in a hurry, with a code pointing directly to a PDF that has since moved or printed too small on a laminated card that reflects the light. This guide takes a more careful approach for a restaurant, cafe or bar with one person handling 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 because it is designed for phones and can be edited in a browser. A practical set of blocks for a business includes:
- The menu. Use 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 drink menu.
- Today's specials. A short paragraph block that takes 10 seconds to update.
- Reserve a table. A button to whatever reservation system you use.
- Order and pay. If you use an order-at-the-table provider, add 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 most likely to write reviews.
- Allergens. A button or image with allergen information, which saves staff from having the same conversation at every table.
- Business 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 restaurant, cafe or bar needs. The layout in the guide to link in bio pages for small businesses works here too.
Point the code to a short link, not the file
A QR code is simply a way to enter a web address with a camera. If that address points directly to the PDF, the code stops working as soon as the file is renamed or replaced. If the address is a Digily Link short link, the code stays fixed while the destination remains editable. Point it to the page today, the Christmas menu in December and the Sunday brunch page on Sundays, and the sticker on the table never has to change.
Short links also count scans. Create one short link for table stickers, one for the window and one for a flyer at the local visitor center, and the statistics will show which of the three earns its space. Scans are recorded without a tracking cookie, so you do not need to add anything 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 optimizer first so they load quickly over mobile data.
- Create a short link that points to the page, using a domain such as digily.bio or short.bi and a slug like /menu.
- Open the QR code generator, choose the URL type and paste in the short link. Add your logo, set the colors 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 2 phones, then scan it from a printed proof. The QR code reader shows exactly which address a code contains if you are ever unsure which version is which.
- Print and place the code, then check the statistics after the first weekend.
Print and placement details that matter
- Size. Make it at least 25 mm square on a table card and larger on a window or sandwich board, where people scan from farther away.
- Quiet zone. Leave a clear margin around the code about the width of 2 of its small squares. Codes that touch a border or sit on a busy photo fail more often than small codes.
- Contrast and glare. Use a dark code on a light background. Choose matte lamination instead of gloss, or overhead lights may reflect directly into the camera.
- Height. On a wall, place 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 makes its purpose clear.
- Keep a few paper menus. Some guests prefer them, some phones have dead batteries, and it is a courtesy that costs only a few pounds.
Other codes worth printing
- Wi-Fi. The generator has a Wi-Fi type that connects guests to the network when scanned, so staff no longer have to spell out the password.
- WhatsApp reservations. A code built with the WhatsApp Link Generator opens a chat with "Hi, I would like to reserve a table for" already entered.
- Reviews at checkout. Place a code that goes directly to your Google review page wherever people wait to pay.
- Events and private rentals. Use a vCard code so organizers can save the event manager's number, as described in the guide to vCard QR codes.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an online ordering system?
No. A code that opens the menu, reservation button and review link already does most of the work. When you find an ordering provider you are happy with, you can add it with one button.
Can I update the menu without reprinting the QR code?
Yes, as long as the code points to a short link or the page. Edit the page or change the destination, and the printed code will continue to work.
Can I track how many people scan the QR code?
Every scan of a code that points to a short link is counted, including the device, time and referrer. A code that points directly to a file cannot be counted.
Is the free plan enough for one location?
Yes. It includes 5 pages, 50 short links and 20 QR codes without ads. Starter at £2 a month adds your own domain, removable branding and 100 QR codes if you have several locations. Current limits are on the plans page.
What about guests who do not have a smartphone?
Keep printed menus at the counter or bar and mention them on the table card. The code is an addition, not a replacement.
Final checks
- The code points to a short link or the page, never directly to a file.
- The menu, specials, reservations, reviews and allergen information are on the page and up to date.
- The printed code is at least 25 mm with a clear margin and matte finish.
- You scanned a printed proof with 2 phones before the print run.
- A few paper menus are still available.
