Do customers need an app to scan a menu QR code?
On most current iPhones and Android phones, the built-in camera app recognises a QR code and offers to open the link — no separate app to install. Older phones, and some locked-down or budget devices, may still need a QR scanner app. Once the link opens, the menu loads in the phone's normal browser.
Can I use a PDF menu with a QR code?
Yes, as long as the PDF is already hosted at a public URL — on your website, Google Drive, Dropbox, or anywhere else that serves it openly. The QR code does not store the PDF itself; it stores the link to it. So the file has to stay online at that address for the code to keep working, and whoever scans it will need to load the whole PDF on their phone.
Can I update my menu without changing the QR code?
It depends on whether the URL changes. If the code points at a webpage and you edit prices or dishes on that page, the printed code keeps working — it points at the address, not the content. Same for a PDF you replace in place, as long as the new file sits at exactly the same URL. But if the new menu ends up at a different URL (a newly uploaded PDF usually does), the old code still points at the old file and you would need to generate and print a new one.
Where should I place a restaurant menu QR code?
Wherever a customer already looks: table tents and table stickers, the entrance, the counter, a window decal for passers-by, receipts, and takeaway packaging. Put it at a height and size someone can comfortably point a phone at, and keep it out of the way of spills and cutlery.
What makes a printed menu QR code easy to scan?
Contrast, clear space, and print quality. Keep the code dark on a light background, leave an empty margin around all four sides, print from the downloaded PNG or SVG rather than a screenshot, and size it for the distance people will scan from. Always test the printed proof on a couple of real phones before a full print run.
Does a menu QR code expire?
Not from our side. The code contains your menu link directly — there is no account, subscription, or redirect service behind it, so nothing here can switch it off. It stops working only if the menu URL itself goes offline or changes, or if the printed code gets damaged past the point a camera can read it.
Can I see how many people scanned my menu QR code?
Not with this tool. Scan counts require a tracking redirect between the code and your menu, which means a server. This generator encodes your link directly and has no backend, so a scan goes straight from the phone to your menu with nothing in between to count it. Any analytics you already have on the destination page still applies.