At the end of 2000, QR codes were already trying to penetrate our market, but due to the circumstances, nothing came of it. Mainly the fact that most people did not have a smartphone then.
Most phones now have a built-in scanner. This means that there is no need for a separate application, thus operating on a more “digital” level. QR codes are slowly gaining popularity, as is the use of POS systems (for example, SkyService Pro).
The restaurant market has adopted this technology relatively late. When Western Fortune 500 dealers already used the QR code in their marketing efforts.
Using QR to expedite transactions and provide timely information can prove to be a useful tool for restaurateurs. It seeks to improve the quality of customer service. In the delivery or dinner menu, or even in the advertisement, the QR code occupies an important place in the restaurant.
Any proponent of QR codes, short-range radio (NFC) chips, or augmented reality will say, “The key is the destination, not the mode.” Even if the information is delivered smoothly, if the information itself is not needed – it will not work.
Are QR codes just a marketing hobby? Or mobile technology, indeed, can bring real benefits to restaurants in the right place at the right time. Here are 4 ways QR codes can be used effectively in a restaurant environment to enhance your overall dining experience.
1. Orders for mobile phones
Ordering food from your smartphone is incredibly convenient. Soon, the old practice in restaurants will be sunk and forgotten, one person communicating with customers face to face and managing multiple calls at the same time.
With a QR code you can easily move away from the traditional menu. Restaurants understand that the traditional take-away printed menu is still one of the most effective ways to place orders. It is palpable, colorful, contains a lot of information and is easily transmitted. By adding a QR code to the menu, however, the purchase can be completed via mobile. Thus, restaurants can combine the best of old and new technologies. Create a traditional digital withdrawal menu.
In the event that a customer places an online order for “pick up from the store”, he / she receives a QR code generated by the user and which will be scanned by the store upon receipt.
2. Links to photos and social networks
The QR code, strategically placed in the menu, allows users to receive additional information. Have you read the menu and wondered what the dish really looks like? A QR code can lead to photos with the names of the dishes, as well as in the list of branches or in the links on Twitter and Facebook. This is done to encourage the sharing of social networks.
A QR code can promote a lot of useful information through links. In the takeaway menu and in any ad. So a QR code is not a marketing ploy. The QR code is a trusted mechanism for providing stakeholders with information with which to act.
The landing page for mobile started with a QR code. The takeaway menu can include hours, contact information, map and directions. Special offers and feedback forms can also be part of mobile optimization.
In addition, most QR readers have a history tab. When previously visited sites are imported, the scanned information can be reported later.
3. Different restaurants = different QR code applications
The QR code can be used effectively by various restaurants. From haute cuisine to fast food restaurants and canteens.
A quality restaurant may want to use a QR code to advertise a city guide. This leads to the online booking system and photos of the restaurant interior.
A fast food restaurant can add a QR code to a poster. This will result in a special offer in exchange for an email address.
And food canteens can attach a QR code to the side of the car. Helping people skip queuing if they want to order and pay via their smartphones.
4. A word about aesthetics
A common objection to QR codes is that they are ugly. They are not suitable for a well-developed marketing strategy. It is true that a standard prefabricated QR code is not particularly aesthetically pleasing. Businesses are the ones that will help ensure the ease of scanning and aesthetics and that will improve the appearance with the help of smart design techniques.
As consumer smartphones grow in popularity, using a QR code becomes more complicated. In particular, QR codes are transformed from a simple advertising hook into an integral part of the mobile infrastructure. From boarding passes to cancellation menus, the QR code is becoming less and less foreign and more useful.
One of the problems for restaurants is always the freshness in the minds of consumers. A restaurant that cleverly uses mobile technology will always be superior to one that does not
Yes, mobile applications and websites are an important and costly digitizer. A QR code is just an abbreviated link that will definitely add a modern touch to the installation. Thus improving the user experience and customer service.
