How to make a QR code menu for your restaurant, for free

Before you start: what to prepare

The setup itself is quick. What takes time is gathering the information, so have these ready first:

• Your current menu, with every dish, its category and its price.
• Photos of your most popular dishes. Phone photos are fine if they are taken in daylight, close up, on a clean plate.
• Your logo, if you have one, and a photo of the restaurant or your best dish for the cover.
• Your opening hours, address and phone number.
• The bKash, Nagad or Rocket number you want guests to pay into, if you plan to take orders.

You do not need everything on day one. A menu with prices and a few good photos is already better than a paper menu, and you can add the rest later.

Step one: create the menu

Sign up for a free account on MenuBangla with your email. Add your restaurant details, then add dishes one by one with a name, price, category and photo. Categories such as Rice, Curries, Kebab, Drinks and Desserts help guests find things quickly on a small screen.

If typing the whole menu feels like too much today, upload a photo of your printed menu card. Guests can read it straight away, and you can build the full digital menu over the next few days.

Write short descriptions for dishes guests might not know, and mention portion sizes where it matters, for example whether a biryani serves one or two.

Step two: make it look like your restaurant

Choose a menu look and set your brand colours and logo. A menu that matches your signboard and your Facebook page feels trustworthy. Keep text dark on a light background so it is easy to read in a bright room.

Put your best dishes first in each category. Guests on a phone rarely scroll to the bottom, so the top of the list is where orders happen.

Step three: print the QR codes

Download a QR code for each table from your dashboard. Each code knows its table number, so orders arrive already labelled.

• Size: at least 3 cm wide on a table card, and 5 cm or more on a wall or a stand further away.
• Contrast: a black code on white or cream paper scans best. Avoid putting the code on a busy photo.
• Finish: matte lamination or a plastic stand. Shiny lamination can reflect lights and make scanning harder.
• Words: add a short line such as "Scan to see the menu and order", plus the table number.
• Testing: scan every printed code with at least two different phones before putting it out.

A local print shop can print table tents or stickers from the file cheaply. Keep a few spares for tables that get damaged.

Step four: help guests use it

Most guests scan without help, but some need a nudge. Ask your staff to mention it when seating people: "The menu is on the QR code, you can order from there." For older guests or anyone without a smartphone, keep a couple of printed menus behind the counter.

Put the same menu link on your Facebook page, Instagram bio and WhatsApp status so people can look before they come.

Keep it up to date

The main advantage of a QR code menu is that it can always be right. Mark dishes sold out when the kitchen runs out, update prices the day they change, and add a photo whenever you plate something new. It takes seconds from your phone, and guests notice when a menu is cared for.