THE PRACTICAL QR HANDBOOK
QR codes for restaurant menus
Give diners a readable menu that is easy to update.
Start with the right destination
Publish a mobile-friendly menu at a stable HTTPS address. Prefer an accessible web page over a large PDF. Include prices, allergens, availability, and a date so diners can judge whether the information is current.
Place codes where seated guests can reach them without leaning across hot dishes. Offer a printed menu as well: not everyone has a phone, connectivity, or enough battery. Check that every seasonal menu update preserves the same destination or update your dynamic link.
Design for a hungry guest
Organize the landing page around meal categories and put the current service first. A breakfast customer should not have to scroll past the dinner wine list. Keep text selectable so screen readers and translation tools can use it. Images can support the menu, but photographs of printed pages are difficult to read and often make downloading much slower. If you use a PDF, check its file size and ensure the text remains legible without constant zooming.
Decide who owns updates before printing table cards. Staff should know how to mark an unavailable item, correct a price, and publish a revised allergen statement. Keep the published prices consistent with the point of sale. A dynamic redirect is especially useful when your menu moves between website systems, but routine dish changes usually belong on the menu page itself.
Inspect table signs during cleaning. Stickers placed over legitimate codes can send diners to another website, so staff should recognize the expected domain. Print that domain alongside the symbol. Test from a guest’s seat, including tables with weak reception, and provide a paper alternative without making the customer explain why they need one.
Build and test it step by step
- Decide what a person should accomplish after scanning. Write a short call to action in ordinary language, then prepare the destination before generating the code.
- Open the destination on a phone using mobile data. Check loading speed, text size, navigation, and whether anything requires an unexpected login. Fix those issues before printing.
- For a web destination that may change, create a Forever QR account and save the secret manage link somewhere safe. Create a code with a descriptive label so you can identify it later.
- Download the SVG for a print designer or the high-resolution PNG for a simple document. Keep the original file with your artwork and record where you intend to distribute it.
- Print a proof at its final size. Scan it using several phones, at realistic distances, under both good and imperfect light. Follow the entire journey rather than stopping when the camera recognizes the symbol.
Make the printed code easy to scan
Leave a clear border around the symbol. QR readers use this quiet zone to separate the code from surrounding artwork. Keep at least four modules of empty space on every side. Do not crop that space when placing the image into a design tool. A dark foreground on a plain light background is the most dependable starting point. Decorative colors can work, but a color combination that looks attractive on a screen may lose contrast on paper.
Size depends on viewing distance, payload density, print quality, and the camera. For handheld material, start around 25–30 mm wide and test a physical proof. Increase the size for distant signs. Avoid putting a fold, staple, logo, or reflective coating through the symbol. When printing on textured stock, ask the printer for a sample. A successful scan of a large preview on your laptop does not prove that a small printed version will work.
Maintain the experience after printing
Keep an inventory of the places where your code appears and review the destination periodically. When information changes, update the destination or its content and scan an old printed copy again. Give each campaign a clear label rather than relying on memory. Keep a readable web address and a contact method nearby so people have an alternative if scanning is difficult.
Save your secret manage link in a password manager or download the key file and store it securely. Anyone with that key can manage the account. Forever QR cannot email a replacement because accounts do not require an email address. Losing access does not stop existing codes from redirecting, but it prevents you from editing their destinations.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the destination after printing?
A dynamic web redirect can be edited through its account. A static symbol cannot be rewritten after printing. Check what the symbol actually contains before choosing a workflow.
Will the code work forever?
Forever QR keeps codes redirecting for as long as the service exists, with exceptions for abuse or illegal content. If the service shuts down, we commit to at least 12 months notice and an export of destinations. The linked website must also remain available.
What should I check before a large print run?
Verify the destination, scan a physical proof, check contrast and clear space, and save your account key. Ask someone unfamiliar with the project to try the complete flow. Their feedback often reveals unclear instructions that the designer has stopped noticing.
Read the print guide, compare static and dynamic codes, or explore all guides.