Paper menu or QR code: Which fits your establishment?

What kind of paper speaks

When it comes to the question of whether the menu should be on paper or digital, the printed menu has clear strengths. It is immediately available, requires no battery and no network. Many guests find it more pleasant to hold a menu in their hand rather than looking at their phone at the table. In upscale restaurants, the menu is also part of the experience.

• Works for all guests, regardless of mobile phone and network.
• It looks personal and high-quality when it is well made.
• Brings service and guest into conversation.

Their disadvantage: Every change requires a reprint. Many local businesses therefore circulate menus with pasted-over prices or insert slips.

What speaks for digital

• Changes are immediately visible without reprinting.
• Guests can view the menu before their visit.
• Allergens, descriptions and photos have more space.
• The font can be enlarged on the mobile phone.
• Fewer menus that need to be cleaned and replaced.

A digital menu like the one from Same-QR has another advantage: The allergen legend appears automatically in the language of the guest's mobile phone, and the daily specials are displayed at the top.

Guests who do not want to take out their mobile phones

Not every guest wants or can read the menu on their phone: older guests, people without data volume, guests with a dead battery, or those who consciously leave their phone aside while eating. A printed menu should always be available for them. A note at the QR code like Printed, we will gladly bring it to you takes away any pressure.

Legally, it is required that guests can see prices before ordering and receive allergen information. Whether a QR code alone is sufficient for this is not definitively settled. With a paper menu or a notice board as a supplement, you are on the safe side.

Combination

For most businesses, a combination is the best approach: a small, stable printed menu with the fixed offer and a QR code for the digital menu with everything that changes – daily offer, season, current prices, and allergens. This way, the paper menu remains valid for a long time, and the digital menu is always up to date.

Decision aid

The transition in practice

Those who currently only work with paper do not need to change everything at once. A step-by-step approach:

• First, display the daily offer digitally and place a QR code on the tables.
• After a few weeks, observe how many guests use the code.
• Reduce the printed menu to fixed dishes at the next reprint.
• Maintain allergens, descriptions, and changing offers digitally.

This way, guests and staff get used to the digital menu without anyone missing anything. And those who prefer paper will continue to receive it.

Frequently asked questions