How do I make a QR code for a menu?

Put your menu online as a mobile web page or PDF, create a QR code that points at that address, then print it on table cards at about 3 to 4 cm and test it in your real lighting.

Can I update the menu without changing the QR code?

Yes. Edit the page the code opens, or with a dynamic code change the destination to a new page or PDF. The printed cards stay the same.

Does Host Dada host the menu?

No. Host Dada provides the QR code, the redirect and the scan figures. Your menu needs to be online already, for example on your website or in your ordering system.

Do I need a different code for each table?

Only if the page has to know the table number, as with order-at-table systems. For a standard menu, a single code on every table is enough.

Should I still have paper menus?

It’s wise to keep some. Not everyone has a working smartphone or wants to use one, and allergen information shouldn’t depend on a scan.

QR code menus for restaurants, pubs and cafés

Updated 4 November 2026

A QR code menu means one less thing to reprint each time a dish or price changes. Customers tend to be fine with it when the menu opens quickly and reads well on a phone, and annoyed when it’s a slow, pinch-to-zoom PDF that they had no choice about.

The code is the easy part. Most of what makes this work is the page it opens and the way it fits into service.

Decide what the code opens

A QR code doesn’t hold a menu. It opens a page, so your menu needs a home online. With Host Dada, that home is your own website or online ordering system, because we provide the code and the redirect, not menu hosting.

•A mobile web page is the best experience: text resizes, loads quickly and can be read by a screen reader.
•A PDF is the quickest to set up. If you use one, design it for a phone-width page, and keep the file small so it opens quickly on a weak signal.
•An ordering system works too, provided it has a web address. Everything that happens after the scan, from taking orders to payment, belongs to that system.

Changing the menu without reprinting

There are two levels of change, and it’s useful to separate them. For day-to-day edits such as a new special or a price change, update the page itself and leave the code alone.

For bigger switches, such as a new PDF, a Christmas menu or a move to a new website, change the code’s destination. The cards on your tables stay as they are, and the next scan opens the new address. Some venues use one code for food and another for drinks, so that each can be switched separately.

Table cards that scan first time

•Aim for around 3 to 4 cm on a table card, read at arm’s length. Go larger if it’s on a wall or a counter people look at from further away. Our size guide has more detail.
•Lighting matters. Dim restaurants and candlelight are hard on phone cameras, so test at evening service, not at 10am with the lights on.
•Laminate with care. Glossy lamination and overhead lights can create glare, so matt is safer, and it needs to survive being wiped down.
•Put the words next to the code: “Scan for our menu”, plus your Wi-Fi name if the mobile signal is poor.
•Print the web address too, for anyone whose camera won’t cooperate.

One code or one per table?

For an ordinary menu, one code on every table is enough, and it fits comfortably on a Starter plan, which covers up to 3 codes. You only need a separate code per table if the page has to know where the customer is sitting, as with order-at-table systems, and each table’s code then counts towards your plan. Growth covers up to 50.

Keep a non-phone option

Not everyone has a working smartphone at the table, or wants to use one. Some customers have a flat battery, and others find small screens difficult. Keeping a few printed menus makes this a non-issue, and staff can offer one without any fuss.

Allergen information deserves particular care, because food businesses have legal duties around it. Don’t let a QR code be the only route to it. Check the Food Standards Agency’s current guidance, and make sure staff can answer questions directly.

Protecting the codes on your tables

Codes in public places can be tampered with, so make a quick check part of your routine and look out for stickers over your own cards. Customers are also more willing to scan when the address they land on clearly belongs to you, which is one more reason to host your menu on your own domain. Our QR code safety guide explains the scams to look out for.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I make a QR code for a menu?: Put your menu online as a mobile web page or PDF, create a QR code that points at that address, then print it on table cards at about 3 to 4 cm and test it in your real lighting.
Can I update the menu without changing the QR code?: Yes. Edit the page the code opens, or with a dynamic code change the destination to a new page or PDF. The printed cards stay the same.
Does Host Dada host the menu?: No. Host Dada provides the QR code, the redirect and the scan figures. Your menu needs to be online already, for example on your website or in your ordering system.
Do I need a different code for each table?: Only if the page has to know the table number, as with order-at-table systems. For a standard menu, a single code on every table is enough.
Should I still have paper menus?: It’s wise to keep some. Not everyone has a working smartphone or wants to use one, and allergen information shouldn’t depend on a scan.