Restaurant Trends 2025: Digital Menus and the Rise of QR Dining Experiences

Photo: Freepik.com

Modern dining needs to strike a balance - you need to maximize the efficiency of technology without losing the sophistication of the restaurant experience. This is why QR codes are making such a splash in the food world.

While no one would want to undermine the importance of human interactions, it’s definitely true that we can use new technologies to make the lives of hardworking employees that much easier.

So, what can you use QR codes for in the dining business?

Menus

QR codes for menus in restaurants really do add to the speed of service. Simply displaying a QR code on your tables means everyone can read the menu from the moment they are seated and access it time and again, rather than having to request the menu back from a server if they want to add it to their order.

They’re so easy to scan and read, and add to your restaurant’s accessibility for visually impaired customers, who can zoom in to enlarge the font on their screen, or convert the text to audio. And you won’t need to hand out several menus; you can include all the data in the one file, which your customer can scroll through at their leisure.

QR codes are more durable than paper menus, and won’t be affected by wear and tear, nor loss. In presenting your menu in this way, you are giving your customer more control over their dining experience and relieving your staff who no longer have to worry about carrying the paper copies around and storing them correctly. 

If you opt for a dynamic code, you can edit your menu time and again, so updates to your offering, whether seasonal, promotional, or creative, can always be made without having to reprint the QR codes. This is also useful if your pricing changes; after all, we never know when the cost of an ingredient is going to suddenly go up!

Reviews

While we used to rely on word-of-mouth reviews as a surefire marketing method, now we get a similar experience from online feedback. Companies such as Google and TripAdvisor make it so simple for customers to upload their thoughts on their dining experience, which will encourage others to give your restaurant a try.

As a business, you’ll want to harness these to increase the trust in your business; you can convert one positive experience into several further bookings! However, writing a positive review can seem like a hassle, as while it boosts your reputation, it requires effort from the paying customer. This is where the QR code comes in.

If you upload your feedback form to a QR code that they can scan when they are paying the bill, you will increase the likelihood of engagement with the form by presenting it in a way that is both easy to access and immediate. People are less likely to fill in such a form when they get home unless it is to write a negative, warning review.

That said, if you wish to continually improve, it’s better to have your customer upload a negative review to you than to the wider internet. Having a feedback form will naturally always result in some constructive criticism, but ultimately, receiving this could help you hone aspects of your menu or service that could perhaps sparkle more.

Wifi

Modern customers expect to be able to access the internet wherever they go. You can boost your reputation as a tech-savvy establishment by not only offering the perk of free wifi but also presenting it via a QR code. 

This will prevent that awkward conversation where your customers are forced to ask for the password, as all they need to do is scan the QR code, and they will be logged in. This can then enable them to upload their review of your restaurant with relative ease. 

There are so many benefits to offering free wifi, not only for your customers but for you, as you can use a dynamic QR code to track the time and location and number of scans you are receiving, thus you can utilize the wifi code to collect figures on when your restaurant is being frequented, allowing you to better prepare for any potential busy periods.

Advertising

If you are investing in advertising, whether via the internet or print media, or via flyers or billboards, you can always include a QR code to increase interaction with your brand. Use a clever call-to-action to ensure your potential customer scans, and the rest will be done online!

With this code, you could promise a limited-time offer, give directions to your location, or simply direct the user to the booking page of your website. It’s an easy way to funnel online traffic in the direction you need. 

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