Digital menu in restaurants: what if the QR code also brought your customers back?

Short answer: a digital menu is for browsing the menu once the customer is seated. It says nothing to yesterday’s customers or to their friends and family. A QR code can do a second job: carry an offer that the customer shares, to fill the quiet slots in your schedule and spark word of mouth. All it takes is choosing a moment, an offer, a simple gesture and a tracking indicator.

What a digital menu does, and what it does not

It makes the menu easier to read and easier to update. However, it comes into play after the customer has arrived: it does not help them choose your restaurant, come back to it or talk about it.

Why recommendation matters

According to the Ipsos bva study “Les Français et la gastronomie” (March 2026), 55% of French people often or systematically look at reviews or recommendations before choosing a restaurant. Word of mouth and recommendations from friends and family are the top source cited for choosing (51%), ahead of Google Maps and Apple Maps (38%). A digital menu acts on neither of these two levers: it comes after the choice.

Source: “Étude Ipsos bva réalisé via l’omnibus Ipsos.Digital”, online survey conducted from February 27 to March 2, 2026 among 1,000 people aged 18 to 75, representative of the French population. Read the study (PDF, Ipsos).

The same QR code, another role: recommendation

With a game campaign like MagicBeez, a scratch card handed out at the table carries a unique QR code. The customer scans it, discovers the restaurant’s offer and can share it with friends and family. You track scans and sign-ups in the “My cards” area.

Where to place the offer: in your quiet periods

Customers are rarely spread evenly across the week. A quiet Wednesday evening, weekday lunch, the low season for restaurants that live off tourism: these are the moments when an offer makes the most sense, because it targets tables that would otherwise have stayed empty. A few ideas: a free aperitif, a free dessert with two set menus, a free coffee at weekday lunch. Specify the day, the time and the validity of the offer (single use).

Good habits

• One offer at a time, stated in one sentence.
• A team gesture that takes less than a minute: handing over the card with the bill.
• No review, subscription or purchase required to take part: optional actions remain voluntary.
• An indicator chosen before you start: offers used, scans, attendance in the targeted time slot.

Measure without complicating things

Each week, note the number of offers used and the attendance in the targeted time slots. To estimate the possible effect before ordering, use the free simulator (indicative estimate, non-contractual). Our article on the metrics of a local campaign covers the ones that really matter.

Take action

To find out where the quiet periods are in your restaurant and which offer would answer them, request the free assessment: an advisor calls you back with offer ideas. Also worth reading: 9 restaurant promotion ideas and QR code marketing at the point of sale.