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The hospitality industry has undergone so many changes over the past few years. We’ve seen hotels, restaurants, and bars struggle to not just adapt, but keep their heads above water while meeting the changes and demands of strict CDC guidelines.
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But a year after reopening, they were finally able to thrive with the help of new technology.
One of these technologies is menu QR codes. What was simply considered a workaround at the height of the pandemic has evolved very quickly. From the original one-dimensional version of him in PDF, to a smart online menu, payment and pre-ordering options are now also possible.
Roughly speaking, QR codes have been around since 1994. It was only during the pandemic that it exploded as the most life-saving contactless everyday tool. Since then, it has evolved from simply disseminating medical information, to gateways to ordering and contactless transactions, to creating innovative, viral advertising.
The restaurant industry has taken full advantage of this innovation, making menu QR codes an essential tool for their business.
Let’s take a look back at how traditional menus switched to smart menu QR codes and changed the course of the restaurant industry.
Menu Evolution: From Traditional Menus to Smart Menus
No wonder some customers still prefer paper menus to digital ones. One of the reasons he has is that he can “unplug” from a smartphone device.
Meanwhile, more restaurant and bar owners are recognizing the importance of adding smart menus to their operations. can maintain resilience.
As for customers, 58% of adults polled in the National Restaurant Association’s 2022 survey believe they are more likely to use their mobile phones to access QR codes on menus. This just proves the efficiency of offering this option in restaurants and bars to meet growing customer demand.
Evolution of paper menus
Let’s get this out of the way. QR code menus do not replace traditional paperback menus.
In fact, they’re already coexisting with physical menus, offering tech-savvy customers a more convenient way to order on the go.
For small to medium-sized restaurants and bars, simply select a QR code menu to get orders, queue tickets, add, remove, or update items on your list more conveniently.
They are no longer at the mercy of price volatility and labor shortages. With her QR code on the menu, businesses can stay on top of operations and track order data to keep serving the best food and service.
Evolution of the QR code menu
Early in the pandemic, restaurants and bars were working to adapt to strict in-store dining and ordering rules.
This is the beginning of the PDF QR code menu. These were contactless options that businesses needed to continue to provide services and comply with ever-changing CDC guidelines.
However, after the pandemic, QR code menus in PDF files have been “cancelled.” This is because they are very one dimensional and you actually have to zoom in to see the entire selection clearly.
But it didn’t take long for developers to come up with a truly innovative version of the QR code menu that directs customers to the landing page of the restaurant or bar. Instead of zooming in, you’ll see high-quality photos and videos categorized into food, drink, and other pairings.
You have the option to highlight offers at specific times of the day and even direct customers to a secure payment page for an easier ordering and dining experience.
In fact, menu QR codes have come a long way since the beta stage of offering PDF menus. Restaurants and bars no longer rely on redundant staff or separate physical menus. Depending on your budget, menu QR codes can be used together to create a more efficient and seamless restaurant and bar operation.
Interactive ordering with smart QR code menu
Rising customer demands, looming inflation, a tight labor market, and commodity fluctuations have led restaurant and bar owners to use smart QR code menus.
These online menus provide an interactive ordering system within restaurants and bars to help address labor shortages and maximize work productivity.
Smart QR code menus not only address a restaurant’s biggest problem, they can also future-proof your business for restaurants and bars.
According to CEO and founder of QRTIGER and restaurant QR code menu software MENU TIGER, Benjamin Claeys said: increase. ”
Smart Menu QR Code has advanced features that allow business owners to engage customers with mobile payments and reduce order errors. This saves operators a lot of time and money by allowing them to focus all their efforts on the “hospitality” side of the business.
Claeys added that ordering and paying at bars and restaurants is entirely up to the customer. Productivity is maximized as her members of staff can focus on more important activities rather than just taking orders.
The McKinsey Global Institute states that data-driven organizations are 23 times more likely to acquire customers, 6 times more likely to retain those customers, and 19 times more likely to generate revenue as a result. increase.
Smart menu QR codes allow restaurant and bar owners to track customer orders (from order history to preferences) and create a more strategic approach. This helps us track and use customer data to our advantage. This could be from looking at the best-selling items or pairs and highlighting them above the menu selection.
Businesses can easily edit and update their online menus and even add all their own high-quality photos.
Finding a place for restaurants to grapple with change and eventually incorporate technology into their operations has been a long and arduous journey. and deal with polarizing choices when it comes to ordering and paying.
