Are QR code restaurant menus on their way out? —Doug S., Virginia Beach
The question may have stemmed from a May 2023 article in The New York Times, titled “The QR Code Menu is Being Shown The Door,” which suggests that QR codes that rose to prominence during the pandemic as a form of “contactless service” are becoming less popular and that customers—even the tech-savvy younger generation—now prefer human interaction. The motivation for the about-face is simple, the article states: “Diners just hate QR-code menus” and, post-pandemic, customers seem to prefer the analog feel of a paper menu. In the article, a bartender remarked, “A [paper] menu is a window to the soul of the restaurant, and a QR code has no soul.”
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Other research produced similar results. CNN Business referenced a recent Technomic survey that found that 88 percent of respondents preferred paper menus to digital QR codes. Bar Business reports that research by me&u indicates that “8 in 10 (81 percent) agree that while technology can be useful, they feel bars and restaurants are all about people and human interactions.”
In all fairness, a lot of the pushback comes from the full-service and finer-dining sector. The Times article noted that Darden Restaurants—which owns Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille, among others—used QR codes at the start of the pandemic but reverted to physical menus in fall 2021 based on guest feedback.
Despite the Times reporting that the scans of restaurant QR codes have fallen by 27 percent in a year, QR codes offer certain advantages (reduced need for staffers, increased order speed, real-time menu changes and quick payment) and are likely here to stay, at least in some restaurant applications.
Several local restaurant owners and experts offered their opinions:
Chris Kelling (Pizza Champ, Burger Champ): “Simply put, if I am speaking with/ordering from a human, I would like a proper menu. If replacing a window or counter transaction, a QR code makes sense.”
Phil Le (Saucy Porka): “For us, the QR code process is still very effective. As a fast-casual concept that operates with counter service, the QR code allows the guest to skip the line. It’s efficient and easy. We’re very happy with our current process, and our guests rarely experience any issues ordering from the QR codes.”
Natasha Kwan (Frida’s, Diego’s Cantina, Station No. 3, Bonito Bar): “Menus have definitely taken center stage over a year ago. During the peak of the pandemic, Frida’s and Diego’s used only QR codes, but we decided to make the move back to menus maybe a year and a half ago or longer. Our guests did not hesitate to let us know their distaste to certain technologies. We began Station with QR codes, because we thought they aligned with a more casual concept. We were wrong; menus were printed within the first two weeks of opening. In addition to QR codes, we also used an “order and pay at the table” model for some of our tables, patio/sidewalk, because of the labor shortage. We decided to move away from this as well, because it falls short and resembles a fast-food approach.”
Tommy Andrew (Nomad): “We do use them out on the patio every day. In my situation they work well for us with our non typical partnership [with Tamm Ave Bar]. With that being said we do take them down on Saturdays because we get far too busy and need to pace the orders.”
Justin Wells (DCRS Solutions): “Yes, the QR code options for guests to simply view the menu at restaurants is dying off. (Peak COVID, it was 100 percent.) Everyone is going back to physical menus. The only sites we know of that are still doing QR code menus are those that do a majority of their business through QR code order and payment; in this situation, there’s no server coming to your table to take your order. But we aren’t seeing much of that locally. But QR code ordering and payment options are very popular and ramping up. In the right environment, like a beerhall or a large patio/casual restaurant, giving guests the ability to scan a QR code, order, and pay is very well-received. Especially since restaurants still have staffing/labor issues, this is especially true. It supplements that. Guests can just order apps or drinks to start and still order from servers as well… The QR code is embedded with the table number, so bartenders or food runners know exactly where to deliver the items. For table-service restaurants, adding a QR code on the guest check when presented to the customer allows them to simply scan and pay, speeding up the checkout process and turning tables faster (as staff doesn’t have to bring a mobile device to the table or take the card back to the register).”
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