Despite some of the negative press that QR codes have been receiving as a result of some unwise choices that have been made for their use, they are still maintaining their position as a significant part of the evolution and growth of mobile commerce.
Though many Fortune 500 marketers have already adopted QR codes into their marketing mix, the restaurant industry – which stands to be one of the sectors that could best benefit from the use of the barcodes – has remained one of the areas that is late to embrace them.
QR codes are highly effective for the delivery of quick transactions and relevant and timely information, which can provide the restaurant customer experience a significant boost. They can be highly useful for real-world advertising, as well as on both take-out and dine-in menus.
The following are only two of the most successful uses for QR codes by restaurants:
• Smartphone ordering – through the use of a QR code on a takeout menu, a customer can be redirected to the restaurant’s online ordering system so that a pick-up or delivery order can be made. They can also be used when the order has been placed, by providing the consumer with a confirmation QR code which can then be presented at the point of sale and scanned by a restaurant staff member to skip the ordering line altogether.
• Social media and photos – though many take-out or dine-in menus provide text descriptions, many customers would appreciate seeing what a dish actually looks like. A QR code located within the menu can redirect customers to photo sites with the dish names. When those photos are provided at sites such as Facebook, it also encourages sharing over social media.
