Guide
Best QR Code Types for Restaurants
Not every QR type belongs on a restaurant table. Here's which ones actually pull their weight, and where to put them.
Written by Muhammad Mudassar Saeed · Updated 2026-09-22
Muhammad Mudassar Saeed builds small, focused web tools for freelancers and small businesses.
A restaurant table has room for maybe two QR codes before it starts looking cluttered, so it's worth being deliberate about which ones. Four types consistently earn their place: a digital menu, guest WiFi, a Google review request, and a WhatsApp line for quick questions or orders.
Menu QR codes
Linking to a digital menu, whether a hosted PDF or a webpage, has become close to standard practice, mainly because it lets you update prices and availability without reprinting anything. Two things matter more than the QR code itself here: make sure the linked menu is actually mobile-friendly (a PDF designed for 8.5x11 print, shrunk onto a phone screen, is a common source of complaints), and don't just upload a scanned photo of the paper menu as a low-quality image, since that's slow to load and painful to read. ClearQR's PDF / Document QR code generator handles this: point it at your hosted menu file or webpage.
WiFi QR codes
A guest WiFi QR code removes the small but constant friction of a customer having to ask staff for the password or type it in from a handwritten card. It's a one-time setup, printed once, that keeps working as long as the password doesn't change. See ClearQR's WiFi QR code generator.
Google Review QR codes
A review QR code works, but only if it's handed over at the right moment. Placed on a table tent that appears at the start of the meal, before anyone has eaten, it's asking for a review of an experience that hasn't happened yet, and it gets ignored. Placed after the meal is finished, on the receipt, a small card with the check, or near the exit, it catches customers exactly when satisfaction is highest and the experience is still fresh. See ClearQR's Google Review QR code generator.
WhatsApp QR codes
A WhatsApp QR code gives customers a direct line for reservations, takeout orders, or a quick question, without them needing to save your number first. It's especially useful for takeout-heavy or reservation-driven restaurants, where a phone call isn't always the easiest way for someone to reach you. See ClearQR's WhatsApp QR code generator.
Placement and print size
Table tents, window clings, and receipts each need a different minimum size depending on how far away they'll actually be scanned from. Rather than repeating those specifics here, see our QR code size guide for concrete numbers by use case.
Keeping it all consistent
All four of these run through the same generator, so there's no reason a menu code, a WiFi code, and a review code should look like they came from different places. Match them to your brand colors and add your logo once, and every code across the restaurant, table tents, receipts, window clings, stays visually consistent.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best QR code for a restaurant menu?
A PDF or webpage QR code linking to a mobile-friendly digital menu, rather than a scanned image of the paper menu. ClearQR's PDF/Document generator handles this directly.
Should I put a QR code on every table?
Not necessarily every type. A WiFi code at every table makes sense since it's used throughout the meal, but a review QR code works better handed over at the end, on the receipt or near the exit, than sitting on the table unread until the check arrives.
Can one QR code work for both WiFi and the menu?
No. A single QR code encodes one thing at a time, either the WiFi credentials or the menu link, not both. Use two separate codes, one for each.
Do I need a different QR code generator for each type?
No. ClearQR covers all four types (menu, WiFi, review, and messaging) in one free generator, so the codes can share the same colors, style, and branding.