How to Make a QR Code for a Restaurant Menu (Free)

Step 1: Put your menu online

A QR code only points to your menu; the menu itself has to live somewhere online. You have three common options:

• A page on your own website (best for search rankings and easiest to update).
• A PDF uploaded to your website, Google Drive or Dropbox with public link sharing enabled.
• Your listing on a delivery or booking platform, if it shows the full menu.

Use a link you can keep forever

The best setup is a stable address on your own domain, such as yourrestaurant.com/menu. When prices change, you update that page or replace the PDF at the same address, and every printed QR code keeps working.

If you use Google Drive, replace the file using 'Manage versions' rather than uploading a new file, because a new upload gets a new link and your printed codes would point at the old menu.

Step 2: Generate the QR code

Open QR Vibe, choose the URL type and paste your menu link. Add your logo in the Logo tab and pick your brand colours. QR Vibe automatically switches to high error correction when a logo is added, so the code stays scannable.

Watch the live scan check before you download. If it warns about contrast, darken the code colour or lighten the background.

Step 3: Avoid the subscription trap

Many menu QR services offer a free code that is actually a dynamic redirect. After a trial period the redirect stops unless you pay, and every table in the restaurant suddenly shows an error. QR Vibe creates static codes that encode your link directly, so they never expire and never need a plan. Read our guide on static vs dynamic QR codes for more detail.

Step 4: Design and print table tents

Download the SVG for printing. On a table tent or menu card, a code 3 to 5 cm wide works well because guests scan from about 30 to 50 cm away. Add a clear call to action such as 'Scan for menu and allergens' and, if you take orders at the table, the table number.

Matte card works better than glossy laminate, which reflects overhead lights and can stop cameras from focusing.

Accessibility and legal points

Not every guest has a smartphone or wants to use one. Keep a few printed menus available. In the UK and EU, allergen information must be available to customers, so make sure it is clearly visible in your online menu or available from staff. In the US, many states and cities have their own menu labelling rules for larger chains.

Make the online menu easy to read on a phone: large text, no tiny PDF columns, and prices clearly listed.

Bonus: add a Wi-Fi QR code

Guests often ask for the Wi-Fi password. A second QR code on the table tent, made with the Wi-Fi QR code generator, lets them join without typing anything. Use a separate guest network rather than the one your till or card machines use.