QR Digital Menu for Restaurants

How to launch your QR menu in under 2 hours

A well-built QR digital menu lifts average ticket. According to Deloitte (2022), guests placing orders digitally tend to spend around 20% more, because they can see photos, detailed descriptions and allergen info without feeling rushed. Here's how to get yours live in an afternoon, with zero developer help.

Step 1 — import your existing menu (20 min)

Photograph your current printed or PDF menu. Chef7's OCR reads it and auto-imports dishes, prices and categories. Expect to correct about 5% of the text manually — typos in unusual dish names, mainly.

Step 2 — add dish photos (40 min)

Shoot 20-30 of your top sellers on an iPhone or Android. Use natural window light, neutral background (wood board or linen napkin), 45-degree angle. Chef7's AI filter unifies colour and lighting so your menu looks consistent even if you shot over several days.

Step 3 — translate into 6 languages (5 min)

Click "Auto-translate" — your menu becomes available in English, Portuguese, French, Spanish, German and Italian. The AI adapts culturally: "beef shin" doesn't translate as "jarret" in French, it becomes "jarret de boeuf braise". Essential for tourist-heavy zones like Soho or Covent Garden.

Step 4 — allergens and dietary tags (15 min)

For each dish, tick icons: contains gluten, dairy, nuts, shellfish. Mandatory under UK FSA rules. Also mark vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, low-sugar. Guests can filter the menu to only show dishes that match their diet.

Step 5 — generate per-table QR codes (10 min)

Chef7 creates unique QR codes per table (table 1, table 2, etc) so you know which table the order came from. Print on vinyl stickers or classy acrylic stands. Cost: about GBP 1.50 per table from any local printer.

Step 6 — enable direct ordering (optional)

On Toque Blanche+ and higher plans, guests can order and pay straight from their phone. The order lands in the Kitchen Display, no server needed. Cuts wait times and frees floor staff for hospitality rather than order-taking.

Updates: change a price or remove a dish — every open table sees the change within half a second. No more reprinting menus every time the fish changes.

Frequently asked questions (UK / Europe)

Does the QR menu meet UK FSA allergen rules and Natasha's Law (PPDS)?

Yes. The Food Information Regulations 2014 (UK) and EU Regulation 1169/2011 require all 14 mandatory allergens to be communicated to customers. The Chef7 QR menu shows allergen icons on each dish in 6 languages and the audit log records every update — useful in case of a Food Standards Agency inspection. For pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) products covered by Natasha's Law, full ingredient lists can be displayed.

What about guests without smartphones or older customers?

Always keep one or two physical menus on hand and have a venue tablet your server can offer. The QR is a complement, not a forced replacement. For visually-impaired guests, the digital menu supports text zoom, high-contrast mode and screen-reader navigation.

Is it accessible per WCAG 2.1 / EN 301 549?

Yes. The menu is built to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 level AA: scalable text, minimum 4.5:1 contrast, full keyboard navigation, and compatibility with VoiceOver (iOS) and TalkBack (Android) screen readers. This aligns with EN 301 549 and the UK Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Can I show different prices per table, terrace or time slot?

Yes. Each table can belong to a zone (indoor, terrace, bar) with its own pricing rules, and menus can have time-based rules (lunch, dinner, happy hour) that switch automatically without manual intervention.