Lunch menu and dinner menu with a QR code: the right menu at the right time

The problem with two menus

Many restaurants work with a lunch menu and an evening menu. Anyone who wants to offer the lunch menu digitally faces a question: Which menu should the QR code on the table show? Two codes side by side are confusing, and a code with an overview page costs an extra tap. And guests who see the evening menu at lunchtime may order something the kitchen only serves from 18:00.

Scheduled redirection explained

A dynamic QR code leads to the actual destination via a short address. That destination can depend on the time of day: until 15:00 the code leads to the lunch menu, after that to the evening menu. Guests notice nothing of this – they scan and see the right menu.

With Same-QR, you set such rules directly on the code: by time, by day of the week, or for a specific date, up to ten rules per code. Calculation is done in the time zone you set for the code – so in Vienna or Munich time, regardless of where the server is located.

• Monday to Friday, 11:00 to 15:00: lunch menu with set menu and dish of the day.
• Daily from 15:00: evening menu.
• Saturday and Sunday all day: Weekend menu with breakfast and brunch.

Plan weekly menu

A lunch menu that changes daily can be set up as its own menu with five days: Monday through Friday each with soup, main course, and price. Guests can thus see the entire week on Monday and plan accordingly. Alternatively, you can enter only the current menu as the daily special each morning.

It is important that the lunch menu itself remains short. Lunch guests have little time; three to four dishes and a clear price help more than a long list.

Public holidays and exceptions

Holidays, company closures, or a private party disrupt the weekly plan. With a date rule, the code displays a different target on a specific day, for example a page with the holiday menu or a notice with the opening hours. Plan such exceptions in advance, then you do not have to touch anything on the holiday itself.

Practical example

An inn offers a set lunch on weekdays from 11:30 to 14:00, à la carte in the evening and the full menu all day on Sundays. There is a single code on the table. Three rules are enough:

• Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 14:30: lunch menu.
• All other times: Evening menu (standard destination).
• On December 24: Page with the Christmas menu.

The buffer before and after the kitchen hours ensures that guests who arrive early or stay longer also see the appropriate menu. Test the rules once at each transition time with your mobile phone before relying on them.

What to pay attention to when setting up

• Set a standard target that always fits - usually the main menu.
• Choose switch times with some buffer relative to the kitchen times.
• Check the time zone in the code, especially if your account is set differently.
• Enter exceptions such as holidays in advance.
• Keep both menus up to date – the timing shows only what you maintain.

For guests, the technology is invisible. It only becomes visible when something goes wrong, such as the lunch menu in the evening. Therefore, a short test after each change to the rules is worthwhile.

Frequently asked questions