We all saw the digital QR menu appear in bars and restaurants during Covid times when we had restricted hours for going out, mandatory use of face masks and limited seating capacity, among other things.
On october 1st, 2022 we were able to go outside without the face mask here in Chile and from then on we had the feeling that it was all finally over. We know it’s not, but it feels that way 😉
The digital menu, however, seems to have arrived to stay. Why? In this post I want to share with you my -very personal- opinion about how that QR code is completely ruining your restaurant brand.
You just uploaded your print file menu
I know you took that PDF you use for printing your menu and uploaded it to Drive or your website . You then just shared the link in your QR code.
I’m not even going to mention the security issues with sharing it from your Drive because I’m not an expert, but please don’t.
What I will say is how awkward it’s to read a document, that was design to be printed, on a mobile phone. It’s not a responsive document that can adapt to different screens and therefore it forces you to zoom in and out in order to read and move around trying to find prices. Oh that hateful horizontal scroll!
The difficult legibility of your menu is very frustrating for those who visit your place and starts to make the experience uncomfortable from the beginning; we started off on the wrong foot.
It kills conversation at the table
We’ve all witnessed the unfortunate scene of a couple, a group of friends of even a whole family sitting around a table without talking, each completely engrossed in their phones. What’s worst, we’ve all been part of that scene.
Hilda Burke, psychotherapist and author of The Phone Addiction Workbook says that there’s a strong correlation between the use of these devises and relationship problems, sleep quality and our ability to relax and disconnect.
BBC Mundo
Sharing a meal it’s always been an opportunity to socialize and strengthen our relationships. And going out to a bar or restaurant it’s always a “special occasion” even if there’s nothing particular to celebrate. Aren’t we then killing the moment with our phones?
When the menu of a restaurant forces you to take out your phone it’s only a matter of time before we see that message or Instagram notification that requires our “urgent attention” and once opened we start texting or fall into an infinite scroll that makes absolutely no sense on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook.
What about costumers without an internet connection?
No, I’m no talking about people that run out of credit. I’m talking about foreigners and tourists that could arrive to your restaurant and wouldn’t be able to see the menu because they don’t have an internet connection on their phones as they don’t want to pay for roaming. Who can blame them?
Food branding
According to marketing agency Antevenio “branding is very important for restaurant nowaday as it’s the image or identity of each gastronomic place. It’s communicating a concept or a clear idea of what it means to eat there and makes it stay on the public’s mind”. It’s no longer -just- about the food but the whole experience that your clients go through with your restaurant.
That’s why your customer service, website and social media are such an important part of the experience you’re offering. At this point I’m sure you know that desire enters through the eyes and we aren’t just talking about your food presentation but also the interior decoration, staff’s uniforms and, of course, the menu.
In this sense, only a physical support can really communicate your brand in a sensorial way to your customers. There is a world of possible papers, textures and finishes that will take your menu design to another level.
If you’re interested in how can you redesign your menu so it can leave a real impression on your customers, in Hey we have an enthusiastic team ready to help you with branding and your menu design.
But if you still think that a digital menu with the qr code its the best option for your place, we invite you to contact us and together we can redesign your menu specially for a digital platform, with a navigation menu that can facilitate moving across different sections and that can be completely responsive.