How to set up a QR menu for your restaurant
A good QR menu is a real page on your own domain that opens in two seconds, not a PDF. This guide covers how to structure it, which QR code to pick, what size to print it and how to get it read by Google.
By Adrian Fusha, Pluton Studio
On this page
Step 1: Choose the format: a real page, not a PDF
A menu page on your domain gives you control over branding and content. Check how easily it can be updated and read on a phone.
| Page (your domain) | Image | Subscription template | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Load speed | Opens instantly | Slow | Slow | Medium |
| On a phone | Excellent | Poor, needs zoom | Poor | Good |
| Google can read it | Yes | Partly, without structured prices | No | Partly |
| Easy to edit | Yes | Reprint only | Reprint only | Yes |
| Who owns the URL | You | You | You | Their subdomain |
Step 2: Choose a static or a dynamic QR code
Most restaurants want a dynamic QR code: you change the destination whenever you like, without reprinting the code on every table, and you get scan analytics too.
| Static QR | Dynamic QR | |
|---|---|---|
| Destination | Fixed in the code | Editable any time |
| Change without reprinting | No | Yes |
| Scan analytics | No | Yes |
| Cost | Usually free | Small cost |
| Best for | One-off events | Restaurants and cafés |
Step 4: Generate, design and place the QR code
The QR code should point to your menu on your own domain, not to a third-party platform that wraps it in ads. Print it at least 2x2 cm, 3 to 4 cm on tables, with high contrast and on material that survives spills.
A logo in the centre makes it clearly yours. The strongest spot is the table itself, which accounts for around 60% of scans, but add one at the entrance with a 'Scan for the menu' line. An NFC tag works the same way.
Step 5: Test before you print
Scan the QR on both an iPhone and an Android, in different lighting, before you print a batch: one typo in the address means reprinting every table.
Check that the code scans instantly, the menu loads in under two seconds and the prices are correct.
Step 6: Make it readable for Google and AI answers
Add structured data on the menu page: the dishes, the prices and the currency in a format Google reads. That way your menu appears in Google and gets cited in AI answers, which a photo of a menu never achieves and a PDF rarely does.
It works best as part of a full restaurant website or café website.
Step 7: Add languages, allergens and readability
Offer the menu in at least Albanian and English if you serve tourists or diaspora. Use readable type and good contrast so older guests can read it easily.
Show allergens and dietary tags clearly. A digital menu carries the same legal obligation as a printed one.
Step 8: Keep it updated and on your own domain
A digital menu changes in seconds: new prices, seasonal dishes and daily specials update for everyone at once, and the dynamic QR shows you how often it is scanned.
A menu build depends on the dishes, languages, photos and features you need. How we build one is on QR code menus.
Selected work
Frequently asked questions
How much does a QR menu build cost?
The cost follows the number of dishes, the languages and the features, so we quote it after a short call. The fixed written quote is free and arrives within two days, and the menu on your domain remains yours.
Static or dynamic QR: which do I need, and do QR codes expire?
For a restaurant or café, dynamic. A static QR never expires, because the address lives inside the code, but any change of address means reprinting every table. A dynamic one works for as long as the service managing its destination is active.
What size should the QR be printed and where do I place it?
At least 2x2 cm, and 3 to 4 cm on tables, with high contrast. Put it on the table itself, which accounts for around 60% of scans, and add one at the entrance.
Can guests order or pay from the QR menu?
Yes, if you build the menu with online ordering and payment. Many venues keep it view-only and add table ordering later.
Does the guest need an app?
No. The guest scans the QR with their phone camera and the menu opens instantly in the browser, nothing to download.
How do I show allergens, and is it required?
Show them with clear tags next to each dish. A digital menu carries the same legal obligation as a printed one.
Why won't my QR scan or why is it slow?
Usually it is low contrast, too small a size, or the wrong address. If it scans but loads slowly, the culprit is a heavy PDF or uncompressed photos.