How to make a QR code for your restaurant menu
A menu QR code should be the easiest thing in your restaurant to set up: one link, one printed code per table. Here’s how to do it for free, in a way that won’t break the next time your prices change.
Menu QR codes became standard during the pandemic, and many restaurants kept them because they save printing costs and make price changes painless. The setup has two parts: a menu that lives at a stable web address, and a printed code that points to it. Get the first part right and the second takes a minute.
Step 1: Put your menu at an address that never changes
The QR code only stores a link. Whatever is at the end of that link is what guests see, so choose a home for your menu that you control and can update.
- A page on your own website (best option). Something like
yourrestaurant.com/menuloads fast, reads well on phones and can be updated any time. Most website builders, including Squarespace, Wix and WordPress, make this easy. - A PDF on your website. Upload the file and keep the same file name when you replace it. If your site changes the address on every upload, use a page instead.
- A PDF in Google Drive or Dropbox. It works if you don’t have a website. Set sharing to “Anyone with the link can view” and use the Manage versions option in Google Drive to upload new versions without changing the link. Test it in a private browser window where you’re not signed in.
Avoid pointing the code at a service you might cancel. If the address dies, every printed code dies with it.
Step 2: Make the menu readable on a phone
A menu that’s easy to read on paper can be painful on a 6-inch screen. In a 2024 Toast survey of 850 US adults, small text was the most common complaint about QR menus, cited by 26% of respondents. A few fixes go a long way:
- Use a single column and a font size of at least 16 px on web pages.
- If you use a PDF, export it in portrait at phone-friendly proportions rather than a wide tabloid layout.
- Put the most-ordered sections near the top and keep allergen notes next to the dishes they apply to.
- Compress photos so the page loads quickly on a weak signal.
Open the menu on your own phone, with Wi-Fi turned off, before you print anything.
Step 3: Create the QR code
Paste your menu address into our URL QR code generator and the code appears instantly. A few choices are worth making on purpose:
- Add UTM tags if you use Google Analytics. Set the source to
qrand the medium totableso you can see how many people actually open the menu. - Keep it dark on light. You can use your brand color, but a navy, black or deep green code on a white or cream background scans most reliably in dim dining rooms. Our custom QR code generator checks contrast for you.
- Download the SVG for print. It stays sharp at any size, which your printer will appreciate.
The code is static, so it never expires and never routes through anyone else’s server.
Step 4: Print it at the right size
Size depends on how far away people will be when they scan:
| Placement | Typical scanning distance | Suggested code size |
|---|---|---|
| Table tent or sticker on the table | 1–2 ft | 1.5–2 in (4–5 cm) |
| Counter sign at ordering point | 2–3 ft | 2.5–3 in (6–8 cm) |
| Window decal or poster | 5–6 ft | 6 in (15 cm) or more |
Always leave a clear white margin around the code. Don’t print it across a fold, over a busy photo or on a glossy surface that reflects overhead lights straight back at the camera. A matte laminate on table tents holds up to spills and wiping.
Add a short line next to the code, such as “Scan for our menu”, plus your Wi-Fi details if you offer guest Wi-Fi. A guest without data can’t open your menu, so a Wi-Fi QR code on the same tent is a thoughtful touch.
Step 5: Keep it working
A menu QR code is low maintenance, but not zero maintenance:
- Scan every code after printing, with both an iPhone and an Android phone if you can.
- Update the menu page, not the code, when prices or dishes change.
- Check the tables now and then. Stickers peel and get scratched, and replacing a worn code costs pennies.
- Watch for tampering. Scammers sometimes stick their own code over a real one. A quick look during opening checks prevents it.
Don’t drop paper menus entirely
The same Toast survey found that 81% of respondents preferred a physical menu, and the preference was strongest among guests 55 and older. QR menus work best as an option, not a requirement. Keep a few laminated copies at the host stand and offer one to anyone who asks, or who looks unsure at the sight of the code. Guests notice when a restaurant makes things easy for them, and they mention it in reviews.