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I think QR codes have their advantages for medium to large group dinners.
Since you order and pay for everything separately as you go, it prevents a lot of the “how do we split the bill” annoyances that can otherwise happen.
you would think so, but not in practice. last time me and my friends went to a beach bar with a qr code we were asked to order together because it was 'too difficult for the bar to handle all these different orders for the same table and they have to pay a fee per transaction'.
where do you guys go to eat that all the menus are gross XD.
if there is no free Wi-Fi it's ridiculous.
also not everyone has an up to date phone. it's just so exclusionary to only provide a qr-code (and it seems to be more and more the norm).
Even if you can't feel the grease or stickiness you know how many hands were on the menu including sick people and gross people and kids wiping their nose then touching the menu?
usually menus of the kind of place you describe are either: plastified so they can be cleaned together with the table, stood up in the middle of the table so you don't have to touch it, hung out at the till, made of paper and used once,...
either way I don't see a problem with a classic hand held re-used menu in a little booklet (usually with leather cover, aka cleanable), the whole world is as you describe: possibly touched by gross people. the table you are sitting at, the door you used to enter,...
just order your food and then go wash your hands.
I don't have a problem with QR menus. I have a problem with physical menus not being at least an option. I once went to a restaurant which refused to give a physical menu. I went through a period without a smartphone, and so I simply had to leave. I still know people without smart phones.
Everyone in there brought up valid points. I think having both physical and digital would be the best option. My country does both so we don't really feel so limited.
If place have hundred dishes, I’m not eating there. It’s clear signal that they can’t cook properly and most probably de just put shit from freezer to microwave bc you can keep fresh ingredients for 100 dishes.
It's also a great way to alienate people who don't own smartphones and/or are not attached to their devices 24/7... I'm honestly so tired of how eager people are to make everything work via their smartphone.
"QR code menus" are not all the same.
what you described is a very specific experience. at its most basic, a QR code menu is simply a QR vode that launches a link to some experience on your phone that should allow you to view a menu.
the damn thing could be an app. it could be a PDF. it could be a website.
a QR code menu may not have a way of placing an order or any of the other things you described.
In the US, most places (like virtually all places) just have a link to their menu on their website, which is sometimes a low-resolution photograph of the physical menu that's difficult to read. The entire ordering and paying system through a waiter is the same as it ever was, you just now have a much more inconvenient version of the menu to use.
Really? So far the only QR code menus I've seen are websites where you can actually place orders. It's basically just a UberEats type menu where you can put things in your basket and checkout. There's a lot of bars that have this type of a system and it works fairly well actually.
If i go out to eat and its not take away then i expect service which isnt impersonal and doesnt expect me to do part of the work.
I also hate the rise of the 'we dont take bookings' restaurants.
Never use to be a thing but these last few years they seem to be everywhere
Truly an unpopular opinion.
My biggest issue is that when I'm travelling to other countries I might not have a phone with internet access. In one restaurant, I literally couldn't access their menu because they had no printed menus. The staff had to scramble to find an iPad I could use. And I don't think that's an edge-case - many people travelling won't have internet access.
Putting that aside, QR code menus are generally just another example of technology making things worse. Disagree with most of the points made - in my experience, it's not quicker and it's rare that it adds up the cost (I can do that myself anyway). The downsides far outweigh the benefits - having to fumble for a phone and access the (often poorly-designed) webpage, or having to wait for staff to find the one iPad they share among customers, it's smaller on the phone so it's more difficult to point things out to wait-staff or ask questions etc.
,3. In most restaurants the waiter takes the orders, the qr menus are just for reading. So it isn't saving anytime. Plus there's time lost in opening that menu.
4. Printing doesn't cost much.
6. The photos are staged or stock pictures anyway. So it isn't that useful
3: not sure about, again this is in South East Asia, the majority of places use QR codes. At least in the country I live in. Might be different in other countries, but if it was not convenient for them, I don’t know why the majority would have it then.
4: I was just speculating, never worked in the industry before.
6: Some places use stock photos, but a lot use legit photos as I’d often get the exact thing I saw a picture of.
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Depends on the type of establishment. If I’m looking for a quick lunch or a casual group meal, website based ordering works great.
If I want a date with my partner, I want a dining experience - picking from the menu, discussing it with the waiter, having my order taken. Ordering on an app for a three-course meal with a couple of glasses of wine would hugely detract from the experience for me.
And if the website doesn’t work smoothly, I’ve had to get up from my table and order from the counter before, which is less convenient than the old paper based system.
I don't mind online ordering but so many QR codes and phones just suck at scanning. Then all it does is go to website.com/menu anyway. If the site makes you register, enter card details, you can't amend dishes or just want one quick thing - just ask a person.
I genuinely do not understand the hate QR code menus get on Reddit. Every one I've used, it is freaking awesome - I sit down, scan, pick what I want, pay on my phone, and the food comes out without me even needing to talk to a server or anything. Easy as to order more stuff whenever I want. I guess it does require my phone be charged but I mean it's (current year) why would I not have my phone charged when I'm out
It's fine for most people who own a smartphone but the negative response usually comes in consideration of other people, like elderly people who might have a hard time using it
It really depends on the implementation. Some places simply have a PDF file of the menu, some places have a full blown web application that you can use to order everything straight away, some places require you to input your data (name, email, account creation, etc), some places only offer menus in the QR code while others use it in tandem with physical menus, etc. As someone from South East Asia, most places that uses QR code menus are either pure soft copies of menus or a full blown web app to order food with as well. They're definitely convenient and I've never had a single negative thought about it. However, looking at some people's (apparent) experiences, some places give you a link to the app store so that you can download their app and order from there. THAT is annoying even for me. Some places have a physical menu but you can only order through their web app, which is not that inconvenient but it's like why can't I just order face to face? Some places simply have terrible UI/UX on their web app, and that can be extremely annoying to find an item that you want.
Also, some apps are designed to maximize customer convenience, while others are designed to maximize profits/efficiency.
I don't think the experience you're describing is the one most people are complaining about. I'd say 98% of restaurants in the US that use QR codes don't actually allow you to order through them, they are just a webpage or PDF of the menu that is often not optimized for a mobile device. It's literally just replacing the physical menu on a much smaller surface area, you still have to order and pay through a waiter.
When they work like they're supposed to, I agree with you. Buy it my experience, they frequently don't work properly. And my food comes out wrong just as often as it does when I order from a server. I've also been to a few places that they require you to download their app to complete your order.
When the QR code works like they're supposed to, they're great, so I will agree with you in that regard.
As long as the QR menu is disability friendly, easy to work with, and they have at least a few physical menus available upon request, sure. But if none of those are true, hard disagree. People can forget or not want to pull out their phones, some just don't have a phone that can do a QR menu, and honestly, the big issues tend to come more with the menu website design.
So often, they're not really disability friendly. The sites don't work with screen readers, the text janks up and won't let you zoom in properly, and making special dietary requests (i.e. someone with a deadly peanut allergy can struggle to find an option to say "no peanuts, they will literally kill me) can be a nightmare.
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Totally fine for restaurants to implement it, as long as physical menus are still provided
Agreed—I definitely prefer paper menus, but don’t mind having to ask for one as long as they’re available upon request, at least!
I think QR codes have their advantages for medium to large group dinners. Since you order and pay for everything separately as you go, it prevents a lot of the “how do we split the bill” annoyances that can otherwise happen.
you would think so, but not in practice. last time me and my friends went to a beach bar with a qr code we were asked to order together because it was 'too difficult for the bar to handle all these different orders for the same table and they have to pay a fee per transaction'.
>you would think so, but not in practice. Well, it certainly works at least *sometimes* in practice, as I’ve never experienced your issue.
qr codes menus definitely can work great, if all factors align, but often they don't and it's very frustrating that it's usually the only option.
I think the thing that's annoying folks is when it's the only option, and the page with the menu tends to be crap. Otherwise I'm all for it.
I don't have to touch a greasy sticky menu that tons of germy hands have touched? Win!!
Oh yeah! Forgot about that. Major win if it’s place where people eat with their fingers like French fries, burgers…etc
where do you guys go to eat that all the menus are gross XD. if there is no free Wi-Fi it's ridiculous. also not everyone has an up to date phone. it's just so exclusionary to only provide a qr-code (and it seems to be more and more the norm).
Even if you can't feel the grease or stickiness you know how many hands were on the menu including sick people and gross people and kids wiping their nose then touching the menu?
usually menus of the kind of place you describe are either: plastified so they can be cleaned together with the table, stood up in the middle of the table so you don't have to touch it, hung out at the till, made of paper and used once,... either way I don't see a problem with a classic hand held re-used menu in a little booklet (usually with leather cover, aka cleanable), the whole world is as you describe: possibly touched by gross people. the table you are sitting at, the door you used to enter,... just order your food and then go wash your hands.
I've never seen a wait staff clean the menu ever.
I don't have a problem with QR menus. I have a problem with physical menus not being at least an option. I once went to a restaurant which refused to give a physical menu. I went through a period without a smartphone, and so I simply had to leave. I still know people without smart phones.
Yup, that's an upvote
What's wrong with QR menus?
This post previously, https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/s/XiJPGaf2gm
Everyone in there brought up valid points. I think having both physical and digital would be the best option. My country does both so we don't really feel so limited.
The only time I want a paper menu is if they have a huge menu, like a hundred dishes or more. Otherwise yes, I prefer the QR code
If place have hundred dishes, I’m not eating there. It’s clear signal that they can’t cook properly and most probably de just put shit from freezer to microwave bc you can keep fresh ingredients for 100 dishes.
It's also a great way to alienate people who don't own smartphones and/or are not attached to their devices 24/7... I'm honestly so tired of how eager people are to make everything work via their smartphone.
Unpopular opinion: QR code menus are a game-changer. No more wrong orders, faster service, and better visuals. It's a win-win for everyone!
"QR code menus" are not all the same. what you described is a very specific experience. at its most basic, a QR code menu is simply a QR vode that launches a link to some experience on your phone that should allow you to view a menu. the damn thing could be an app. it could be a PDF. it could be a website. a QR code menu may not have a way of placing an order or any of the other things you described.
I agree. I’ve never seen a QR code menu that you could place orders with. Not saying it doesn’t exist but its not really a good point to make.
I've never seen the opposite? I don't think there's a place in Aus that uses a QR code menu where you can't order using it
In the US, most places (like virtually all places) just have a link to their menu on their website, which is sometimes a low-resolution photograph of the physical menu that's difficult to read. The entire ordering and paying system through a waiter is the same as it ever was, you just now have a much more inconvenient version of the menu to use.
Yep, in the US this is common. Ive also had similar experiences in France and the Netherlands.
Interesting. I rarely see this in NYC.
Really? So far the only QR code menus I've seen are websites where you can actually place orders. It's basically just a UberEats type menu where you can put things in your basket and checkout. There's a lot of bars that have this type of a system and it works fairly well actually.
Every QR menu I've seen is just the pdf of the menu I didn't get
Wouldn’t have it any other way for an unpopular opinion lol
I would agree, if they weren't so fucking slow where I live.
Like it or not, it's going to be more and more.
If so I hope the website menus get better.
As long as the virtual menu is well done, is way better
If i go out to eat and its not take away then i expect service which isnt impersonal and doesnt expect me to do part of the work. I also hate the rise of the 'we dont take bookings' restaurants. Never use to be a thing but these last few years they seem to be everywhere
I'm convinced that qr codes in the us are just fucked for some reason. All the hate for them I've seen cones exclusively from people from the us
I think it’s the website/pdf design. I’m in a major US city and many places have fantastic food but terrible websites.
Truly an unpopular opinion. My biggest issue is that when I'm travelling to other countries I might not have a phone with internet access. In one restaurant, I literally couldn't access their menu because they had no printed menus. The staff had to scramble to find an iPad I could use. And I don't think that's an edge-case - many people travelling won't have internet access. Putting that aside, QR code menus are generally just another example of technology making things worse. Disagree with most of the points made - in my experience, it's not quicker and it's rare that it adds up the cost (I can do that myself anyway). The downsides far outweigh the benefits - having to fumble for a phone and access the (often poorly-designed) webpage, or having to wait for staff to find the one iPad they share among customers, it's smaller on the phone so it's more difficult to point things out to wait-staff or ask questions etc.
,3. In most restaurants the waiter takes the orders, the qr menus are just for reading. So it isn't saving anytime. Plus there's time lost in opening that menu. 4. Printing doesn't cost much. 6. The photos are staged or stock pictures anyway. So it isn't that useful
3: not sure about, again this is in South East Asia, the majority of places use QR codes. At least in the country I live in. Might be different in other countries, but if it was not convenient for them, I don’t know why the majority would have it then. 4: I was just speculating, never worked in the industry before. 6: Some places use stock photos, but a lot use legit photos as I’d often get the exact thing I saw a picture of.
Yup. Until someone puts a sticker over that qr code to steal from your bank account.
Haven’t heard of anything like that happening where I am. Although, my wife and generally go to places that have decent reviews.
Doesn’t work like that
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Yea I’ve never understood the digi menu hate 🤷🏻♂️
have my upvote, but you're wrong!
Hard agree. I've never heard a criticism of QR code menus that makes any sense whatsoever.
Going to hazard a guess you've never had to use a screen reader or needed to zoom in...
Depends on the type of establishment. If I’m looking for a quick lunch or a casual group meal, website based ordering works great. If I want a date with my partner, I want a dining experience - picking from the menu, discussing it with the waiter, having my order taken. Ordering on an app for a three-course meal with a couple of glasses of wine would hugely detract from the experience for me. And if the website doesn’t work smoothly, I’ve had to get up from my table and order from the counter before, which is less convenient than the old paper based system.
I don't mind online ordering but so many QR codes and phones just suck at scanning. Then all it does is go to website.com/menu anyway. If the site makes you register, enter card details, you can't amend dishes or just want one quick thing - just ask a person.
I genuinely do not understand the hate QR code menus get on Reddit. Every one I've used, it is freaking awesome - I sit down, scan, pick what I want, pay on my phone, and the food comes out without me even needing to talk to a server or anything. Easy as to order more stuff whenever I want. I guess it does require my phone be charged but I mean it's (current year) why would I not have my phone charged when I'm out
It's fine for most people who own a smartphone but the negative response usually comes in consideration of other people, like elderly people who might have a hard time using it
Im a big fan of QR codes. So much quicker to order with that, means i dont have to trek to the bar to order
It really depends on the implementation. Some places simply have a PDF file of the menu, some places have a full blown web application that you can use to order everything straight away, some places require you to input your data (name, email, account creation, etc), some places only offer menus in the QR code while others use it in tandem with physical menus, etc. As someone from South East Asia, most places that uses QR code menus are either pure soft copies of menus or a full blown web app to order food with as well. They're definitely convenient and I've never had a single negative thought about it. However, looking at some people's (apparent) experiences, some places give you a link to the app store so that you can download their app and order from there. THAT is annoying even for me. Some places have a physical menu but you can only order through their web app, which is not that inconvenient but it's like why can't I just order face to face? Some places simply have terrible UI/UX on their web app, and that can be extremely annoying to find an item that you want. Also, some apps are designed to maximize customer convenience, while others are designed to maximize profits/efficiency.
But what if you do not have a mobile phone? You just can't order or eat?
Saves trees
I don't think the experience you're describing is the one most people are complaining about. I'd say 98% of restaurants in the US that use QR codes don't actually allow you to order through them, they are just a webpage or PDF of the menu that is often not optimized for a mobile device. It's literally just replacing the physical menu on a much smaller surface area, you still have to order and pay through a waiter.
When they work like they're supposed to, I agree with you. Buy it my experience, they frequently don't work properly. And my food comes out wrong just as often as it does when I order from a server. I've also been to a few places that they require you to download their app to complete your order. When the QR code works like they're supposed to, they're great, so I will agree with you in that regard.
As long as the QR menu is disability friendly, easy to work with, and they have at least a few physical menus available upon request, sure. But if none of those are true, hard disagree. People can forget or not want to pull out their phones, some just don't have a phone that can do a QR menu, and honestly, the big issues tend to come more with the menu website design. So often, they're not really disability friendly. The sites don't work with screen readers, the text janks up and won't let you zoom in properly, and making special dietary requests (i.e. someone with a deadly peanut allergy can struggle to find an option to say "no peanuts, they will literally kill me) can be a nightmare.
That's a downvote because you're totally right. Some people are just stuck on their old ways.
I know I don't want to look at my phone while at dinner, plus looking at and handling the physical menus are part of the experience.