A QR code is one of the cheapest marketing tools a restaurant can have. It costs a few rupees to print, it never gets tired, and it turns a customer's phone camera into a direct line to your menu. The catch is that most restaurants print one, tape it to the counter and forget about it.
Below are twelve practical ways to put QR codes to work, inside the restaurant, on your packaging and out in the neighbourhood. Each one points customers to the same place: your own online store, where they can see the menu and order.
Before you print: a few basics
A QR code only helps if people actually scan it. Keep these points in mind for every idea below.
- Tell people what happens when they scan. "Scan to order" or "Scan for the full menu" works much better than a bare code.
- Size matters. A code on a wall poster needs to be much bigger than one on a business card. If people have to lean in, it is too small.
- Contrast matters. Dark code on a light background scans best. Avoid printing a code over a busy photo.
- Test before you print a hundred. Scan your printed sample with two or three different phones, in the actual lighting of your restaurant.
In Krobr Partner, the print tools include ready-made QR code designs, business cards and printed menus, all with your store's QR code already built in. The QR code points to your store's permanent web address, so printed material keeps working even if you later change packages. The QR code guide explains the designs and how to export them.
Inside the restaurant
1. Table tents for dine-in orders
A small standing card on every table, saying "Scan to see the menu and order". Customers browse at their own pace instead of waiting for a waiter to bring a menu, and families can argue about what to order without holding anyone up.
2. Table number cards
If you offer dine-in ordering, the customer enters their table number when they check out, so your kitchen knows exactly where to send the food. A card that shows both the table number and the QR code makes this effortless. Krobr's print tools include a table number card design for exactly this.
3. A counter card for takeaway customers
People waiting at the counter often stand around reading the board behind you. A counter card lets them order takeaway on their phone while they wait, and you get the order in your queue with their name and phone number.
4. A window or door sticker
Put a QR code on your front window or door. People walking past after hours can still open your menu and see what you serve, and when you are open, they can order. It is also handy for customers who want to book a table for later.
5. A Wi-Fi and menu card
If you offer free Wi-Fi, customers will ask for the password anyway. Print a small card with the Wi-Fi details on one side and your menu QR code on the other. Every time someone connects, they also see your menu.
On your packaging
6. Delivery bag stickers
This is one of the most valuable spots of all. A sticker on every takeaway and delivery bag that says "Order direct next time" reaches people who already liked your food enough to order it. If some of your orders come through delivery apps, this is how you invite those customers to order from you directly. We explain why that matters in delivery app commission vs your own ordering website.
7. Thank you cards with a gentle review request
Drop a small thank you card into delivery orders. Mention that customers can rate their meal from their order link once it arrives, and add your QR code for next time. Reviews help new customers trust you, and you can reply to them or hide unsuitable ones from Krobr Partner.
8. Coupon tickets for the next order
Krobr lets you run promotions, including voucher codes with a minimum order value and start and end dates. Print the code on a small coupon ticket with your QR code and pop it into bags. Customers scan, order, enter the code, and the discount is applied. Only one promotion applies per order, so you always know what you are giving away.
Out in the neighbourhood
9. Printed menus for homes and offices
Many offices in Karachi and Lahore keep a drawer full of takeaway menus. Make sure yours is in there, with a "Scan to order" QR code on the back. Krobr's menu builder pulls your items and prices straight from your live menu, so you are not retyping anything. It can print a full menu, a folded leaflet, a poster or a table card.
10. Business cards
Hand out business cards to suppliers, event organisers, office managers and anyone who might order for a group. A card with your QR code on it is a menu in their wallet. The business card guide shows how to fill in your details and print a sheet of cards at home or at a print shop.
11. Ramadan and Eid posters
Ramadan changes how people eat. If you serve a sehri menu late at night and an iftar menu in the evening, you can set them up as dayparts in Krobr Partner, so the right items appear at the right time. Then put up a Ramadan poster with your QR code near mosques, markets and offices where you are allowed to. For Eid, a poster for family platters and party orders works well.
12. Food festivals and pop-up stalls
Running a stall at a food festival, a university event or a weekend market? Put a big QR code flyer on the stall. People who taste your food and love it can scan and find you later, long after the festival is over.
Getting more from every code
A few habits make QR codes work harder:
- One destination. Point every code to your store. Customers learn that scanning your code always leads to the same reliable menu.
- Keep the menu fresh. A QR code that opens a menu with sold-out dishes is disappointing. Snooze items that have run out and bring them back when they are ready.
- Keep your hours accurate. Opening hours, temporary closures and busy mode all help a scanned code lead to a good experience instead of a frustrated customer.
- Watch what happens. Krobr Partner's reports show your orders over time, so you can see whether a new round of stickers or posters made a difference.
Every package includes QR codes, and the pricing page shows how many QR downloads each package comes with. Three well-placed codes, such as a table tent, a counter card and a bag sticker, are enough to start.
If you are still taking orders by sending menu photos on WhatsApp, read how to turn your WhatsApp menu into an online ordering page first. A QR code is most useful when it leads to a menu customers can order from straight away.
In short
QR codes are small, cheap and quietly powerful. Put them where customers already are: on the table, at the counter, on the bag, in the office drawer and on the festival stall. Tell people what they get when they scan, test before you print in bulk, and keep the menu behind the code accurate and up to date.