QR Code Myths and Truths: Is It Still Worth It in 2024?

When we returned to restaurants after the pandemic, the QR code was mandatory. Today, it's a choice. And there is a heated debate in the industry: Is the QR code a cold barrier or an efficient tool?

The short answer is: it depends on how you use it. If your strategy is "stick a sticker and forget it", it's a barrier. If you integrate it well, it's an ally. Let's speak clearly.

The Elephant in the Room: "I Prefer the Old-Fashioned Menu"

Let's not fool ourselves, many people don't like taking out their mobile phone to order some fries. Especially:

1. Seniors: The digital divide is real. Forcing them to use QR is excluding them.
2. Romantic/Social Dinners: Taking out the phone breaks the disconnection. It invites checking WhatsApp instead of looking into your companion's eyes.
3. Areas with Poor Coverage: If your restaurant is a bunker without WiFi, the QR is a technical error.

The Hybrid Solution

Don't eliminate paper. Use it strategically.

• Have 5-10 nice physical menus for those who ask for them.
• Use the QR as the "default" option on the table for those who want speed.
• The Trick: The digital menu is always updated with the daily specials. The paper one, not so much. "You have today's off-menu items in the QR" is a magic phrase to encourage its use without forcing it.

True Benefits (Beyond Hygiene)

Forget about COVID. Hygiene is no longer the main driver. The real advantage of the QR is Operational and Economic.

1. Pricing Dynamism

Did the price of olive oil skyrocket today? On a paper menu, you eat the margin or cross out the price with a pen (which looks terrible). In digital, you adjust it in 10 seconds.

2. Photos That Sell

Paper has limited space. You can't put a photo of everything. In digital, you can. And we know that a dish with a photo sells up to 30% more than one without it. The customer doesn't imagine your "Grandma's Cake", they see it and want it.

3. Agility at the Table

In large terraces or beach bars, the QR saves lives. The customer sits down, scans, and decides while the waiter arrives. You save that first trip of "I'll bring you the menu" and return with the order almost ready. Multiply by 50 tables and you have a less stressed waiter.

Common Myths

"QR is cheaper because I save on printing"

Half truth. Yes, you save on printing, but you need software (which usually has a fee) and keep it updated. Don't see it as cost saving, but as a sales tool. If you invest €20/month in software and sell 3 more desserts a week thanks to the photos, you've already won.

"It's very cold"

The QR is cold if your service is cold. If the waiter says "Scan that" and leaves, it's terrible. If the waiter says "Hello, welcome. You have our full menu in the code, I highly recommend checking the seasonal starters we just uploaded. I'll be back to recommend a wine", the service is still warm. Technology does not replace hospitality, it complements it.

Conclusion

The QR is not the enemy of tradition, it is one more tool in your box.

• For a 3 Michelin star restaurant where service is a ritual? Maybe leather menu.
• For a burger joint, tapas bar, or summer terrace? Optimized QR without a doubt.
• The ideal? Flexibility. Let the customer choose how they want to read you.