The Ultimate Guide to Digital Menus for Restaurants

The digital menu has evolved. It is no longer just an emergency measure for hygiene; it is a fundamental pillar of modern hospitality management. This guide covers everything from A to Z.

Types of Digital Menus

1. Static PDF (The Basic)

Essentially a digital file uploaded to a server perfectly matching your printed menu.

• Pros: Easy to create, cheap.
• Cons: Difficult to read on mobile (pinch-to-zoom), hard to update, zero SEO, no interaction.

2. Website/HTML (The Standard)

A webpage optimized for mobile.

• Pros: Responsive (adapts to screen), SEO friendly, easy to update, can include analytics.
• Cons: Requires a platform or web development.

3. Interactive/Ordering (The Advanced)

Allows ordering and paying from the table.

• Pros: Increases average ticket, reduces waiter workload, collects customer data.
• Cons: Higher cost, requires integration with POS, changes service flow.

Why Change? (ROI)

• Printing costs: A restaurant changes its menu 4-6 times a year. Printing costs + design time add up.
• Ticket increase: Studies show digital menus increase ticket size by 15-20% through better visuals and upselling.
• Data: Knowing what is viewed vs. what is ordered helps optimize the menu.

Legal Regulations (Europe/Spain)

• Allergens: Regulation 1169/2011 requires informing about 14 main allergens. Digital menus make this easier by allowing filters.
• Prices: Prices must be final (VAT included) and clear.

Choosing Software

What to look for:

1. Speed: If it takes >3 seconds to load, the customer closes it.
2. Ease of editing: Can you change a price in 1 minute from your mobile?
3. Reliability: Does the QR code work 100% of the time?
4. Support: Is there someone to call if servers go down?

Implementation Step-by-Step

1. Digitize Content: Texts, prices, allergens.
2. Photos: Take quality photos of star dishes.
3. Generate QR: Create a unique QR (better if dynamic).
4. Placement: deciding where to put the QR (table stands, stickers, coasters).
5. Staff Training: Teach staff how to help customers use it.

Conclusion

Digitization is inevitable. The question is not if you will do it, but when. Doing it well gives you a competitive advantage today; doing it badly is just a patch.