So you're looking for a new way for your restaurant to engage customers & make more money--check out QR codes.
What are QR codes?
They're 2-dimensional “Quick Response” images that customers scan with their smart phones. When scanned, customers are directed to a webpage, text, image, or video, etc. of your choice.
If you don't already have one, download a QR scanner, like Red Laser, on your smart phone. Then just point the scanner at the code & your phone will do the rest.
| Step 1: Download Scanner | Step 2: Open the App & Scan | | | | Where to put the codes?
There's no shortage of places to put QR codes: Menus, hours signs, hostess stations, waiting areas, posters, table placards, advertisements, business cards, comment cards, receipts, napkins, to-go boxes, electronic pagers, check holders, coasters, and placemats. What to link to?
• Your Website
Link to any page on your restaurant's website. • Menu
Great for keeping customers busy while they wait to be seated. • Food Pictures
People eat with their eyes first, so show off your dishes with QR codes next to your menu items. This is especially helpful for selling more appetizers, specialty drinks, & desserts.
 • Ingredients
No more worrying about food allergies, customers know what's in each dish.
• Nutrition Info. • Food & Drink Pairings
Sell a few extra glasses of wine by showing your customers what drinks & food pairings go well together. • Recipes
You may not want to give away all your secrets, but giving away a few recipes can be a great way to connect with your customers. • Videos
Show dishes or drinks being prepared, or a welcome video from the head chef or owner, etc. The videos don't even have to be on your website; just add them to YouTube. • Facebook / Twitter Pages
This is a great way to get customers to your social media pages & keep in touch. • Mailing List Sign-Up
Instead of making customers go home & sign up for your mailing list on their computer, make it easy and add a QR code to your menu, table signage, or receipt. • Surveys / Comment Forms
Customer feedback is key to success. Make it easy for customers to share their thoughts with you. • Coupons
“Thanks for the scan, here's a coupon for a free drink at the bar.” • Event Info
Have a special event coming up? Let customers scan a code and add it to their calendar. • Maps
Add a map to your take-out menu or other print advertising so customers can find your restaurant. • Restaurant History
Instead of taking up valuable menu space, let customers scan a code to learn more about your restaurant's unique history. • Meet the Staff
Share information about your owners, chefs, and wait staff so customers get to know you a little better. • Trivia
If you want to add a little entertainment to your restaurant, post questions around your restaurant, or add them to placemats, menus, etc. and direct customers to scan the QR codes for the answers. Where to get QR Codes?
There are a number of websites, like Unitag, that provide free QR code generators. And don't think you're stuck with an ugly black & white code. As you can see below, you can customize the colors and shapes to fit your brand. You can even add your logo to the codes. Best of all, the generators are easy to use, requiring no technical knowhow.  Best Practices: While there are a number of ways you can use QR codes, it's important to keep some best practices in mind when doing so. • Provide Value
It takes some work for customers to scan the codes, and their expectations will be high, so make it worth their while. Reward them with discounts, and interesting and useful content. • Have a Goal in Mind
Know why you're using QR codes. Do you want to sell food to customers who are in your restaurant? Do you want to gain more Facebook followers? Are you trying to build your brand image? Before creating your codes, make sure to articulate exactly what you want to achieve. Once you know that, you'll be in a position to create a QR campaign that achieves your goals. • Measure Results
Unless you measure the results of your codes, there's no way to know how they're performing. Many QR code generators, like PaperLinks, offer tracking capabilities for a small fee. If you're looking for a free solution, Google Analytics can track many types QR campaigns. Still other types of campaigns may not require any digital tracking. For instance, if you offer an exclusive QR coupon, it might make sense for you to manually track how many times customers have redeemed the coupon. There's no right or wrong way to do this; just make sure you know what's working and what isn't • Test, Test, Test
Besides measuring your results, testing different campaigns will help you improve your results. For example, instead of offering just one coupon, offer two or three, and see which does the best. Once you have a winner, get rid of the losers and create a new coupon that you think will beat out the initial winner. Continuous testing is a recipe for improvement and increased profits. • Calls-to-Action
Tell your customers why they should scan your codes. “Scan the code with your smart phone for pictures of our awesome appetizers.” Or, “Scan the code to join our mailing list & receive a coupon!” Whatever the reason, tell them. Don't just create a QR code and expect customers to scan it without a reason. Tell them what's in it for them. • Test Your Codes
Before printing your codes, make sure they work. Just because your QR code generator made the code doesn't mean it'll work. Take a minute and scan it on your phone to make sure. • Size Matters
Make sure the codes are large enough for customers to see them. Too often companies make tiny little codes that don't get noticed. If the codes and their content are worth creating, they're worth making big enough to be noticed. 1.5”x1.5” should be the smallest. • Optimize Content for Smart Phones
Whenever possible, direct users to content that can easily be viewed on small screens. If your website isn't easy to view on a small screen, consider creating a page specifically for mobile users. If that's not an option, focus on QR campaigns that can be viewed on mobile devices. Statistical Notes: According to comScore, a leading digital analytics company, there are more than 100 million smart phone users in the U.S. Of those, more than 1 in 5 smart phone users have scanned QR codes, and that number continues to rise. The most popular scans were for coupons & special offers, and to get information. Back to Blog Home |
