It’s safe to say that QR codes have grown in popularity over the last few years. A 2021 study found that 96% of UK respondents scanned a QR code in restaurants or retail stores over six months.
Granted, this was directly off the back of the pandemic, so it’s not surprising that these figures are high. But it really shows how a growing number of diners are comfortable using QR codes.
But why is it important that diners are comfortable using QR codes?
The short answer is that there are a lot of benefits to implementing QR codes as a restaurant operator. The long answer? Well, that’s what we cover in this article.
Keep reading to find out how QR codes work, why they’re so beneficial for restaurants, and how to implement QR codes in your own restaurant.
What are QR codes in restaurants?
QR codes are digital barcodes that diners scan on their phone to access::
- Digital menus
- Ordering systems
- Payment platforms
- Loyalty programmes
They became popular as a touchless alternative during the pandemic, allowing diners to view menus or place orders without physical contact. But the pandemic is behind us, and QR codes are still here.
Why?
Because they add much more value to restaurant operations than a contactless ordering process. They streamline the ordering process for diners, increase order accuracy, and upsell menu items — all of which can enhance the customer experience and increase your bottom line.
What are the benefits of QR codes for restaurants?
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits listed above (and a few others) in more detail.
To enhance the customer experience
Put yourself in the shoes of a diner for a second. With a QR code, you scan the menu, access all the items at your fingertips, place the order in a matter of clicks, and settle payment at the same time. It’s a simple and efficient process, which improves your overall dining experience.
Plus, new research shows that more customers want technology in key parts of the ordering and payment process:
- 49% prefer contactless payment methods, up +7% from the previous year
- 47% prefer making reservations online or through social media, up +4% from the previous year
- Mobile wallet apps (17%) like Apple Pay or Google Pay have experienced a 42% year-on-year increase, while contactless payment kiosks (15%) rose by +15% in popularity
Using QR codes also makes it easy for diners to customise orders and increase order accuracy at the same time.
If a diner doesn’t want gherkins on their burger? They can easily remove them from the list of fillings when they place the order. There’s no chance that the cashier misunderstood your request and added extra gherkins (what a nightmare 🥒🥒🥒) or that they forgot to add the ‘no gherkins’ to your order. You’ve done it yourself, and the order goes straight to the kitchen staff.
The results? A happy customer (with no gherkins).
Hot tip 🔥 Use QR codes to boost engagement in new and imaginative ways. Look at ThinkFoodGroup as an example. The multi-concept food operator provides takeaway and food kit customers with a QR code to a paella-making class. It’s another way to engage with diners and potentially upsell your other services or locations. That sounds like a win-win in our book.
To prioritise personalisation
QR codes enhance the customer experience because of the speedy ordering process — but they also allow restaurants to personalise the dining experience.
Think about it — when customers order food digitally, it gives you valuable insight into their preferences and buying behaviours. With this information, you can personalise the dining experience by offering personalised promotions, special offers, and targeted marketing.
This personalised experience not only enhances the customer experience, but also improves loyalty. The more you know about your diners, the better chance you have of sending them tailored promotions and offers that encourage them to come back.
Hot tip 🔥 Use AI-powered systems to think about loyalty schemes as an example. You can use AI to offer personalised rewards based on their past behaviour. This encourages them to return to your restaurant and gives them a good experience in the process. Two birds, one stone!
To reduce costs
QR codes streamline the ordering and payment process. This means you spend less money on physical menus and payment systems, reducing your restaurant costs. Digital menus are also easier and cheaper to change. Instead of having to reprint new menus, you can simply make the update virtually.
Not to mention, using QR codes also means that you don’t need as many employees manning the tills. As a result, you can increase labour productivity across different areas of your restaurant — like ensuring tables are cleaned promptly and that food is delivered as quickly as possible.
To streamline your restaurant tech stack
At Nory, we see firsthand the benefits that restaurants experience when centralising their tech stacks. Look at CUPP as an example. Before consolidating their tech stack with Nory, the bubble tea franchise used multiple systems (including spreadsheets) to manage inventory, scheduling, and sales.
The systems didn’t integrate, meaning they spent huge chunks of time flicking back and forth between different platforms. And because the systems didn’t talk to each other, it was almost impossible to get an accurate picture of performance.
By centralising all its technology in a single location (thanks to Nory 😎), CUPP can now track real-time sales performance, optimise staff schedules, and manage inventory from the same platform. Using the Vita Mojo POS integration, CUPP can also access all the data they need to make informed decisions about business growth.
This is just one example. Head to our success stories to see more, or take a look at some of our integrations.
So how do QR codes help centralise restaurant technology?
With most QR codes, you can integrate the contactless ordering process with the rest of your restaurant operating technology.
Platforms like Must Have Menus, for example, can integrate your QR codes with online menus, mobile apps, POS systems (like Toast, which Nory also integrates with), and other restaurant technology. It creates a seamless and cohesive dining experience for your customers, which keeps them coming back.
Implementing QR codes: Simple tips for restaurant owners
Let’s walk through some practical tips on how to start using QR codes in your restaurant.
Choose the right type of QR code
Start by finding a website or platform to generate your QR codes. There are free options on the market, like Adobe or Canva. But bear in mind that free generators usually produce static QR codes. This means that you can’t edit the content, and you’d need to replace your QR code every time you change your menu.
If you’re on a budget, this option might be fine for you. If you want more flexibility to change your menu without needing new QR codes, you’ll need to use a paid platform like Hovercode (although it does offer a free trial) to create dynamic QR codes.
Create intuitive menus
For digital menus to be worthwhile, they must be easy to navigate. This means allowing diners to easily move around the menu, add items to their basket, customise them, and checkout.
Take a look at Griolladh’s online menu as an example. Powered by Toast’s POS, Grilled customers can easily navigate the online menu to see all their options (including customisable sandwich fillings) and place orders.
Nory success story 🥳 Find out how Griolladh used Nory’s AI-powered technology to grow its business by 3X, expanding into a franchise across multiple locations.
“Nory has been with us every step of the way. It’s been incredibly helpful to the business, and has played a pivotal role in the successful franchising of Griolladh.” – Jacob Long, Co-founder at Griolladh.
Think about QR code placement
Where you place your QR codes can have a big impact on both the dining experience and your revenue. They should always be:
- Easily accessible so customers can easily access your menu
- Strategically placed to try and increase sales
Let’s say there’s an event in town and you want to encourage more footfall from visitors. Why not add a QR code on posters or sandwich boards for passersby to check out your menu? That way, you might capture the attention of new diners and (hopefully) increase restaurant sales.
Or if you want to encourage people to sign up for your loyalty scheme, you might add a QR code at the till that also provides customers with a 10% discount when they sign up.
Hot tip 🔥 Use Nory to keep track of external factors that can impact demand (like local events, seasonality, and the weather) to optimise inventory and staffing levels. Reduce costs, boost profit margins, and eradicate stockouts to ensure customers have a seamless dining experience.
Ready to streamline your tech stack?
QR codes are a great way to enhance the customer experience — especially at a time when technology is at the heart of our daily life. It provides diners with speed, efficiency, and accuracy — all of which diners are hoping for when they visit a restaurant. 🙏
FAQs about QR codes for restaurants
How do I get a QR code for my restaurant?
It’s super easy to create a QR code for your restaurant. You can use free online tools like Adobe or Canva to generate static QR codes, or paid platforms like Hovercode to create dynamic QR codes.
Not sure what dynamic and static QR codes are? Scroll back up to find out.
Does McDonald’s have a QR code?
Yes, McDonald’s uses QR codes. They have codes that allow diners to order and pay for food online, as well as to collect points on its digital loyalty programme.
Do people like QR codes at restaurants?
There’s a lot of research that implies that diners are on board with technology if it streamlines their dining experience. With this in mind, yes — it’s likely that most diners will like QR codes.
But this isn’t a blanket statement. Not all diners want minimal human contact when they go out to dine, with some preferring face-to-face communication. This study found that 72% of diners enjoy the traditional waiter experience, compared with 17% enjoying QR code ordering.
Ultimately, it depends on the type of operation you’re running. For example, quick-service and casual dining customers are far more likely to prefer QR codes than a fine-dining restaurant.
So how do you know if your diners will like QR codes? Here’s some food for thought:
- Share surveys or ask diners directly what type of ordering experience they prefer and how they feel about QR codes
- Give QR codes a trial run and see how customers feel about it
- Take a look at your competitors to see if they’re using QR codes and how successful it is
Are there any challenges of using QR codes in a restaurant?
There are a couple of hurdles to consider. For one, QR codes can be manipulated by hackers. This puts diners at risk of a cyberattack (provided they don’t have the necessary phone security software).
Another challenge is internet accessibility. If you want customers to use QR codes but don’t have in-house wi-fi, this can negatively impact their dining experience — especially if they don’t have mobile data and so have no way of accessing your menu.
Some food for thought when implementing QR codes. If you can address these challenges before they become an issue, you’re in a much stronger position to reap the benefits and avoid the pitfalls.
