How to Make a QR Code for Your Restaurant Menu

Restaurants were early adopters of QR codes after 2020. But most restaurants are still using static QR codes that break the moment the menu URL changes. Here is how to do it right.

Static vs Dynamic QR codes for menus

A static QR code encodes the URL directly in the pattern. Change the URL and the QR no longer works. You have to reprint everything.

A dynamic QR code points to a redirect URL you control. The printed QR always hits the same redirect, which you update to point to your latest menu. Change the menu URL without reprinting a single table tent.

For a restaurant menu, always use a dynamic QR. Menus change seasonally, weekly, or daily. The tiny extra cost of a dynamic QR pays for itself the first time you update a price.

What URL to encode

Your QR should point to a page that opens fast on mobile with no login required. Good options:

• A page on your own website (best for SEO and branding)
• A menu platform like Toast, Square, or bistro.run
• A Google Drive PDF (not ideal -- slow to load, hard to read on phones)

Avoid linking to a PDF. A PDF menu on mobile is a frustrating experience. Use a web page.

How to generate the QR code

Go to /generate, paste your menu URL, toggle the Dynamic QR option, and download. Use the Custom tab if you want to match your restaurant's colors.

Export as SVG for the best print quality. If your printer only accepts raster images, use PNG at 1000px or larger.

How to display it

Common placements:

• Table tents: Printed card stock folded on each table. Replace annually or when damaged.
• Stickers on tables: Durable, water-resistant. Hard to remove but hard to replace.
• Menu itself: At the bottom of printed menus, linking to the digital version for updates.
• Window or door: For takeout customers who want to browse before entering.

Minimum print size

QR codes need a minimum size to scan reliably. For a table tent, 3x3 cm (about 1.2 inches square) works in normal lighting. Smaller is possible with a high-end camera but frustrates customers with older phones.

Include a short text below: "Scan for menu" or "View our menu". Not everyone knows to scan a QR code.

Keep it updated

The whole point of a dynamic QR is that you can update the destination. Log into your qrnoa dashboard, find the QR, and change the destination URL. The printed code keeps working.