A QR code is just an address: it can open a PDF or a web page designed for a phone screen. A PDF works for a short menu that rarely changes; a digital page is easier to read, can be updated item by item and handles languages and allergens more easily. Either way, what matters is that the address behind the QR code never changes, so you never have to reprint anything.
Same QR code, two different things.
The QR code on the table doesn’t contain the menu: it contains an address. When a customer scans it, the phone opens whatever is there. That might be a PDF file, essentially the paper menu turned into a document, or a web page built specifically for a phone screen. The gesture is the same for the person scanning; what happens next is not.
Updating: file or item.
With a PDF, every change starts from the original file: you edit it, export it again and upload it to the same place. If the new file ends up at a different address, the printed QR code keeps opening the old one, with the old prices. And earlier copies, downloaded by customers or left online, don’t disappear on their own.
With a digital page you change only what you need, a price or a dish that’s run out, and anyone who scans sees the updated version straight away.
Reading on a phone.
A PDF is usually designed for an A4 sheet: on a phone you have to pinch to zoom and pan around the page to follow each line. It often has to download in full before it displays properly, and with a weak signal the wait is noticeable. A digital page fits the screen, splits the menu into sections that are easy to jump to and, if it’s built to be light, opens even on a poor connection.
Languages and allergens.
- Languages: with a PDF you need one file per language or one very long document; with a digital page customers pick their language and get the same layout.
- Allergens: the duty to inform customers applies whatever the format. What changes is how easy the information is to find: a clear note next to each dish beats a key at the bottom of a file. What the law requires, including written documentation on the premises, is explained in the guide Allergens on the menu.
- Guests without a smartphone: always keep a few paper copies on hand, whichever option you choose.
What Google and AI see.
Google can read the text in a PDF, as long as it’s real text. If the PDF is a scan or a picture of the paper menu, the words are much harder for search engines and AI assistants to make out. A page on your website, with dishes and descriptions written as text and linked to the rest of the information about your venue, is easier for search engines and assistants to understand, and clear facts about what you serve, where and when are exactly what they look for. It’s no guarantee you’ll show up, but it’s the clearest format you can offer.
Printing the QR code right.
- An address that never changes: the QR code should always point to the same address, so you only print it once.
- Know what it depends on: some generators create codes that route through their own servers; if the service or subscription ends, the code can stop working.
- The right size: big enough to scan without effort, dark on a light background, with a prompt such as “Scan for the menu”.
- A test run: before printing the whole batch, scan it with an iPhone and an Android phone.
When a PDF is enough.
If your menu is short, changes once or twice a year and nearly all your customers speak the same language, a well-designed, readable PDF can do the job. The same goes for a menu you send by email, say for an event or a group booking. But if prices change often, you welcome tourists or you want your menu to help people find you, a digital page saves you time and reprints.
A digital menu with Aleryc.
Aleryc’s digital menu opens with the phone’s camera, with no app to download, on iPhone and Android, and it’s built light so it opens even on a slow connection. The QR code always stays the same: we deliver it print-ready and the content is updated behind the scenes. If the service ends, it stops working if it depends on one of our pages. We update prices and dishes ourselves: you just write to us by email or WhatsApp about what’s changing. We choose the languages together based on the customers you welcome most often, and recommend a final check by a native speaker; we organise allergen information the way you need, while the details themselves come from you. The same system works for price lists and catalogues: you’ll find it all under digital products. Write to us (in English, by email or WhatsApp) to tell us about your menu.