Where to put your QR code so guests actually scan it
Put the QR code where a seated guest already looks: standing upright on the table, at roughly 3 by 3 centimetres or larger. Codes flat on the table get scanned far less than codes standing up, and a short line of text telling guests what the code opens roughly doubles how many people try it.
5 min read Published
Why do some QR codes never get scanned?
Usually because the guest does not know what it is for. A bare black square with no caption could be a wifi password, a feedback form or a loyalty scheme, and most people will not spend a scan finding out. Adding four words — "Scan here for our menu" — costs nothing and is the highest-return change you can make to a printed code.
The second reason is position. A code lying flat on the table is at a bad angle for a seated guest, who then has to lean over it or pick it up. A code standing upright at eye level is in the natural line of sight of somebody who has just sat down and is looking for a menu.
What are the options, and which works best?
Different venues need different formats, and most benefit from more than one placement. What matters is that a guest encounters a code without looking for it.
- Table tent or standing card: the strongest option for restaurants and cafés. Upright, visible from both sides, and it survives being moved around.
- Table sticker or laminated disc: good for bars and outdoor terraces where anything standing up will blow over or get knocked. Place it near the edge, not the centre.
- Window or door decal: catches people before they sit down, and lets passers-by read the menu. Worth doing even if you already have table codes.
- Bar top and counter: essential for venues where people order standing up.
- Receipt, coaster or napkin holder: useful as a secondary placement, rarely enough on its own.
How big should the QR code be printed?
The working rule is that a code needs to be about one tenth of the scanning distance. A guest scanning from 30 centimetres away needs roughly 3 centimetres of code. Print at 3 by 3 centimetres or larger for table codes, and considerably bigger for a window decal that people will scan from the pavement.
Leave a clear white margin around the code — about the width of four of its own squares. Designers often crop this away to make things tidy, and it is one of the most common reasons a printed code becomes unreliable. Never place a code on a busy photographic background, and keep the contrast strong: dark code on a light background, never the reverse.
- Table codes: 3 x 3 cm minimum, 4 x 4 cm is safer.
- Window decals: 10 x 10 cm or larger, so people can scan from outside.
- Always keep a clear light margin around the code.
- Test every printed code with an older phone before ordering a hundred of them.
What ruins a printed code?
Wear, mostly. Table cards get greasy, stickers curl at the edges, and a code that has been wiped down a thousand times will eventually stop scanning. Lamination solves nearly all of it and costs very little. Check your codes every few months and replace the tired ones.
The other killer is reprinting because the menu changed. This should never happen: a well-built QR menu points at your menu's web address, not at its contents, so prices, dishes and photos can change endlessly while the printed code stays valid. If your supplier tells you a menu change means new codes, the code is encoding the wrong thing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big should a QR code be on a restaurant table?
At least 3 by 3 centimetres, and 4 by 4 is safer. The general rule is that a code should be about a tenth of the distance it is scanned from, so a guest scanning at 30 centimetres needs roughly 3 centimetres. Always leave a clear light margin around the edges.
Do I need to reprint QR codes when the menu changes?
No, provided the code points at your menu's web address rather than its contents. Prices, dishes, photos and sold-out flags can all change while the same printed code keeps working. If you are being told otherwise, the code is encoding the menu itself, which is the wrong approach.
Should the QR code be on the table or the window?
Both, ideally. Table codes serve seated guests, which is where most scans happen. A window or door decal reaches people before they come in and lets passers-by read the menu, which is often what decides whether they enter at all.