QRForge › QR Code for a Restaurant Menu
QR Code for a Restaurant Menu: how it works
Most "menu QR code" services charge a subscription and route every scan through their servers; when you stop paying, the codes on your tables die. A static QR code from QRForge points straight to your menu URL. It is free, it works for as long as the page exists, and nobody sits between your guest and your menu.
Generate it in the browser, match the colours to your branding and download a PNG for table tents, window stickers and the front of the menu board.
Set up the menu link before you make the code
The QR code is only as good as the page it opens, so get the destination right first:
- Use a URL you control – a page on your own website (yourrestaurant.com/menu) or a stable link on your ordering platform. Avoid linking to a file in a chat app or a personal Drive that could be reorganised.
- Make it mobile-first – a web page beats a PDF. If you must use a PDF, keep it under 2 MB and in portrait, so it reads on a phone without pinching.
- Keep the URL short – shorter URLs make a simpler, faster-scanning code. If your menu URL is long, create a short redirect on your own domain.
- Plan for updates – because the code is static, change the menu on the page, not the link. The code keeps working.
Paste the final URL into the URL tab with https:// included, then scan the preview with your phone to check it opens the right page.
Printing it for tables, windows and takeaway
A table tent is scanned from 30–50 cm away, so a 3 cm code is enough; a window or A-frame sign scanned from the pavement wants 8–10 cm or more. Export at 1000 px for small prints, or use SVG (part of the one-time Pro upgrade) when a print shop asks for vector.
Keep the code dark on a light background. Brand colours are fine if the contrast stays high; a gold code on cream will frustrate guests. Leave the quiet-zone margin at the default and never print the code over a photo or textured paper. Add a short caption next to it, "Scan for menu", plus the plain URL for anyone whose phone camera is off.
Laminate table copies; a scratched or smudged code still scans thanks to error correction, but a worn one eventually will not.
Frequently asked questions
Will the menu QR code expire or need a subscription?
No. QRForge codes are static: the URL is encoded in the pattern itself, so the code works for as long as your menu page is online. There is nothing to renew.
Can I update the menu without reprinting the codes?
Yes, as long as you change the content at the same URL. Edit the page or replace the PDF at the same address and the existing codes keep opening it.
Can I add our logo in the middle of the code?
Yes. The centre logo overlay is a Pro feature; it raises error correction to H automatically so the code still scans with the logo covering part of it.
Can I see how many people scanned the menu?
Not from the code itself, since no scan passes through QRForge. Point the code at a short link with statistics on your own domain if you need counts.
Looking for the full guide, tips and the complete FAQ? Read the main QRForge page.