Restaurant QR code: Why should you use QR code menu as part of your sustainability efforts

Lily Page
QR TIGER QR Code Generator
8 min readOct 8, 2021

Restaurant QR code allows you to minimize paper wastage in your restaurant operations. It also ensures a seamless and contactless dining experience.

The consumer landscape has changed dramatically. Guests are more conscious now than ever before of how restaurants are helping in reducing their carbon footprint.

With increased awareness comes a greater responsibility for restaurants to be more careful and responsible in operating their business.

Restaurants of all types are starting to push their environmental efforts and sustainable practices by conserving resources, reducing waste, and connecting with environmentally aware guests.

One of the best ways to minimize paper wastage is the use of QR code menu in restaurants.

This technology has taken the spotlight during the pandemic and is becoming a popular tool in many restaurants to cater to the contactless dining experience.

Table of Contents

  1. What is a restaurant QR code?
  2. How does a QR code for restaurant menu work?
  3. Restaurant sustainability is a must in this socially conscious era
  4. Restaurant QR code: Why do you need to use QR codes for restaurant menus as part of your sustainability efforts?
  5. Benefits of going paperless using QR code menu restaurant

How to make your restaurant QR code?

How to generate your restaurant QR code

QR code restaurant menu: The future of sustainable restaurants

What is a restaurant QR code?

A restaurant QR code or a QR code menu is a digital menu that uses an advanced QR code generator to create a tailored menu.

This type of digital menu uses this two-dimensional barcode to store or embed a PDF, Jpeg, or PNG file of restaurant menus.

It serves as an alternative to paperback or traditional handheld menus that restaurants typically use before the pandemic.

Since the menu is accessible digitally, restaurants don’t have to print the whole menu. They only have to display the QR code so guests can whip out their phones and scroll through the menu.

It also reduces the risk of cross-contamination and ensures employee’s and customer’s safety.

To create your restaurant QR code for your menu, there are 3 QR code solutions you can use: PDF, JPEG, and H5 editor QR code.

But if you want to create a customized landing page for your restaurant menu, you can use the HTML QR code editor.

How does a QR code for restaurant menu work?

A restaurant QR code works by scanning the QR code displayed on the restaurant’s dining table or other vital areas. After scanning, it will display the menu.

The customer will be able to peruse the menu and proceeds to order.

This way, it maintains social distancing while ensuring the best customer experience you can offer during this challenging time.

Restaurant sustainability is a must in this socially conscious era

Sustainability for restaurants involves various practices. It means to operate in a way that protects, preserves, or restores the environment.

It promotes social equity and enhances the lives of the people and community.

But why does the restaurant industry need to commit to sustainable practices?

According to the study of Nielsen Company, about three in four Millennials (74 percent) and Generation Z consumers (72 percent) are willing to pay more for sustainable products and services.

It also reported that consumer brands that commit to sustainability outperform those that don’t, growing 4 percent globally compared to less than 1 percent.

Moreover, 86 percent of consumers are open to switching brands to one associated with a good cause provided it offers a similar price and quality, according to the 2017 Cone Communications CSR Study.

Restaurant QR code: Why do you need to use QR codes for restaurant menus as part of your sustainability efforts?

Restaurants generate more than 1.5 billion pounds of paper waste per year on receipts alone. All types of restaurants can find ways to reduce their “paper footprint” in everyday actions.

A lot of paper wastes are produced by printing menus given that restaurants usually update their offerings.

With the emergence of QR code, restaurants have reduced their paper wastage and improved their customers’ dining experience.

The QR code menu can be scanned via a smartphone camera or a QR code reader. Once scanned, it will digitally display the restaurant’s menu.

Hence, restaurants will no longer use plastic coverings nor print their menus — no wastes to worry about.

QR code technology also creates a more seamless updating process for restaurants.

They only have to update the content anytime they want without the need to reprint the QR code.

This can be done as QR code menu have to be generated in a dynamic form. A dynamic menu QR code allows you to edit the content if you want to update or modify your menu.

You can also track how many people are scanning your QR code menu and get more insights using the QR code tracking system.

Benefits of going paperless using QR code menu restaurant

1. Reduces resource spending

During the height of the pandemic, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends disposable menus.

However, the use of disposable menus contributes to high resource spending.

Many restaurants also found providing traditional menus costly and unsustainable, and some customers were unwilling to touch menus because of the risk of transmission.

With restaurant QR codes, you don’t have to use disposable menus anymore.

Since everything is online, your customers can access the digital menu and order their chosen food right away.

Moreover, the QR code menu is generated in dynamic form so you can update your QR code anytime.

You’ll be able to save a lot of resources in terms of printing costs.

2. Reduces paper wastage

Imagine the amount of menus you have printed every year. These printed menus have a significant impact on the environment.

As consumers become more conscious of what they buy and eat, you can position your restaurant as a responsible and environmentally conscientious business using restaurant QR codes.

Going paperless using the QR code menu allows you to contribute to the continuing call to carbon footprint reduction.

3. Influences guest’s restaurant choice

A Consumer Study found that consumers would consider various factors in choosing the place to dine.

These factors include a restaurant’s efforts to recycle, donate food or reduce food waste.

You can meet this customer’s expectation by introducing a QR code menu in your ordering system.

Since many customers now prefer a unique yet convenient way to order and access a menu, this is a good tech tool that will entice more customers to your restaurant.

4. Editable and trackable

When you generate your QR code menu in dynamic form, you can always edit your menu anytime or when the need arises.

You don’t have to reprint the QR code menu again, as you can edit the QR code content in the QR code generator.

It optimizes your restaurant operations and reduces time-consuming tasks such as printing and distributing your QR code on the dinner tables.

Moreover, a QR code menu in dynamic form is also trackable.

Tracking your QR code menu is essential if you want to monitor the QR code data, such as the devices used in scanning, number of scans, location of the scanner, and other metrics.

You’ll be able to know the customer behavior of your guests and learn more insights out from the QR code data.

5. Promotes contactless interaction

Compliance with health protocols, especially this time, is essential. With QR code menus, you’ll be able to ensure social distancing and minimize transmission.

Since QR code menus are scannable at a distance, social distancing is still maintained.

6. Increases customer and employee safety

In connection to contactless interaction, restaurants will always have peace of mind as their customers and employees are safe whenever they access the digital menu.

Aside from making things convenient, this technology also contributes to the environment we live in.

How to make your restaurant QR code?

As mentioned, there are 3 QR code solutions that you can use in creating a QR code menu: PDF, JPEG, and H5 editor.

To generate your QR code using PDFs and JPEG, choose the File category on the QR code generator’s menu and upload your menu file.

If you use an H5 editor for your QR code menu, select the H5 editor category and layout your menu.

In making your restaurant QR code menu, QR code experts recommend using dynamic QR code types. It allows you to edit or modify your QR code menu.

You can use it to offer cycle menus depending on the time you want them to provide to your customers.

How to generate your restaurant QR code

  • Click the menu QR code and upload your menu
  • Always choose dynamic so you can edit and track your QR code menu
  • Generate and customize your QR code.
  • Do a scan test of your menu QR code to see if it correctly leads you to the correct information
  • Download and place your QR code in your restaurant

QR code restaurant menu: The future of sustainable restaurants

QR code menu is a great tool to be part of your sustainable practices. It isn’t just a good tech tool for the current situation, but it will be imperative for the long-term success of the restaurant industry.

With the restaurant industry’s current challenges, having a corporate commitment to sustainability could make your brand stand out.

Although people have different levels of digital comfort, the QR code menu is a game-changing tool you can use to elevate customer experience and become a much more responsible restaurant business.

If you want to integrate QR code menus in your sustainability efforts in your restaurant, contact us today!

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Lily Page
QR TIGER QR Code Generator

Hi there! I’m Lily, an avid reader of books and and a foodie. I love to write tech-related stories and essays about happiness and passion.