QR codes have become quite popular these days. This popularity can be attributed to the increase in global smartphone penetration and high mobile speeds. From product packaging to building walls, QR codes are everywhere.
It’s time restaurants catch up with the trend and start using QR code menus for customer convenience and boosting sales.
👉Read More: 10 Benefits of QR Menus for Restaurants
Yet, if you’re apprehensive about rolling them out in your restaurant, you’ve come to the right place. This article will explore the pros and cons of the QR code menu for restaurants. However, first, let’s find out what exactly it is and why you need one.
A QR code menu or a Quick Response code is a 2D matrix barcode that users can scan with their smartphone cameras to launch your restaurant menu. Each QR code is unique and stores data in alphanumeric, numeric, kanji, or byte/binary form.
However, you don’t need to worry about creating a QR code from scratch. You can always use Restolabs to get your own QR code menu and start taking orders right away.
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Restaurants today are realizing this technology's value is beyond providing contactless service. It allows them to easily alter their menu prices on the fly to accommodate for inflation, volatility in food and commodity pricing, and other factors.
The pandemic brought in an online ordering surge for eateries, and industry analysts predict that trend will continue. The use of QR codes allows for on-premise ordering rather than being limited to delivery and takeout operations. This enables restaurants with fewer employees to operate more efficiently.
Before you get a QR code menu for your restaurant, read on to learn about its pros and cons.
With recent research indicating an industry-wide acceptance of integrated ordering, it has become increasingly easy (and seamless) for restaurants to include QR code ordering into their operations and cater to consumers who are becoming familiar with this latest tech.
Although getting a QR code menu is cost-effective, it's still critical to weigh the benefits and drawbacks to evaluate if this is the best answer for your company.
QR code menus can help you increase your AOV by up to 60%. There are several reasons for that.
First, these menus make it easier for you to cross-sell and upsell profitable items. The digital menus are easily configurable which makes them easier to manage.
Second, it reduces a customer’s dependency on the waitstaff to ask for items like a drink, which evidently increases order frequency.
Traditional ordering requires customers to wait in a queue or for staff before they can even place an order. QR code ordering eliminates this wait time because customers can easily order as soon as they enter your restaurant.
Furthermore, since the staff is spending less time taking orders, they can focus more on serving meals quicker thereby building a strong rapport with customers.
It also reduces human error so your customers get exactly what they ordered every single time.
QR code platforms often offer features that may help you in your marketing efforts. They collect and channel data like average spending per visit, and dish preferences, and if you have multiple chains, they can even give area insights.
You can use such insights into customers' behavior and patterns to streamline your marketing efforts and offer strategized promotions to help boost your sales.
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Did you know that 62% of QR code visits come from consumers aged between 18 to 34 years? This is indication enough that QR code menus aren’t everyone’s cup of tea and the older generation might find it difficult to use them.
Therefore, it is important to know your target customers and weigh out the options to make food ordering convenient for everyone. People's digital comfort levels vary. Some people will prefer and love scanning QR codes with their phones, while others will prefer the classic menu.
Customers pay in-app, hence the QR code menu provider is the payment channel.
They process the payments, deduct the transaction charge, and deposit the funds into the bank account of the hospitality firm. While some suppliers offer same-day payouts, others can take several days to process, affecting cash flow for some restaurants.
QR code menus are versatile and offer a seamless service to both, the consumers and the restaurant staff. It is becoming widely accepted across restaurants in the US and Canada for the aforementioned benefits.
Although there are certain drawbacks to using it, they outweigh the number of benefits. Not to mention the huge increase in sales that will accompany it. They also help you in growing the business as well as attracting new customers and retaining old ones.
Furthermore, it also aids in spreading the word about your restaurant. Individuals are heading out to dine with great caution during the pandemic.
