QR Menu — Complete Guide

What is a QR menu?

A QR menu is a digital version of your venue's menu, available to guests via a QR code. The guest scans the code with their phone camera and instantly sees the full menu with photos, descriptions, prices, and translations into their language.

Advantages over a paper menu

Menu structure

Location (your venue)
├── Category: Breakfasts
│   ├── Item: Fried eggs with bacon
│   ├── Item: Pancakes with berries
│   └── Item: Granola with yogurt
├── Category: Salads
│   ├── Item: Caesar
│   └── Item: Greek salad
├── Category: Mains
│   └── ...
├── Category: Desserts
│   └── ...
└── Category: Drinks
    ├── Subcategory: Hot drinks
    ├── Subcategory: Cold drinks
    └── Subcategory: Alcoholic drinks

Category management

Creating a category

1. Go to Menu → + Add category
2. Enter the name in the primary language
3. Upload a category photo (recommended 800×600px)
4. Set the display order (drag & drop)

Editing

• Click the category name to edit
• Translate names manually or use auto-translation
• Changes are saved automatically

Deleting

• Click the 🗑 icon — the category and all its items will be deleted
• This action is irreversible — confirm deletion in the dialog

Menu item management

Adding an item

1. Inside a category, click + Add item
2. Fill in the fields:

Dish photos

• Format: JPEG, PNG, WebP
• Recommended size: 800×600px or larger
• AI enhancement: the system automatically optimizes the photo (brightness, contrast, cropping)
• AI generation: if there's no photo, AI can generate an image based on the dish name

Variants (sizes/portions)

Let guests choose a size or portion:

• Small portion — 200g — ₽350
• Medium portion — 350g — ₽500
• Large portion — 500g — ₽700

Add-ons

Additional ingredients or options:

• Extra cheese — +₽80
• Spicy sauce — +₽50
• Gluten-free — +₽100

Multilingual support

How auto-translation works

1. You enter the name and description in the primary language
2. The system automatically translates into all selected languages (up to 27)
3. You can edit any translation manually
4. Manual edits take priority over auto-translation

Supported languages

English, Russian, Georgian, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Turkish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Malay, Filipino, Ukrainian, Hebrew, Persian, Swahili, Amharic, Nepali.

How is the guest's language determined?

1. The system checks the guest's browser language
2. If that language is enabled in the menu — it's shown in that language
3. If not — it's shown in the venue's primary language
4. The guest can switch the language manually

Design and branding

Brand identity

• Logo — displayed in the menu header
• Cover — banner at the top of the menu
• Colors — the system adapts to your brand colors

Venue information

The menu automatically displays:

• Venue name
• Address
• Opening hours (if provided)
• Contact details

QR code

Generation

1. Go to the location's QR code section
2. Configure:
   • QR code color
   • Logo in the center
   • Dot style (square/rounded)
3. Download in PNG or SVG format

Where to place the QR code

• On tables — stickers, table tents, inserts under glass
• At the entrance — near the host stand
• On business cards — for promotional purposes
• In Instagram/TikTok — link to your menu
• On delivery packaging — for repeat orders

NFC stands

In addition to QR codes, Meni supports NFC — a guest can tap their phone on a stand for instant access to the menu without scanning.

Updating the menu

• All changes (prices, descriptions, photos) take effect instantly
• No need to reprint QR codes — they remain the same
• Change history is saved

Content tips

1. Add photos — items with photos are viewed 3× more often
2. Write descriptions — ingredients, weight, and preparation method help guests choose
3. Specify allergens — this is an EU requirement and care for guests
4. Update prices — instant updates without reprinting
5. Use categories — a logical structure simplifies navigation

10. Stop list (out-of-stock items)

If a dish or ingredient runs out, you can instantly hide the item from guests:

1. In Menu, find the item
2. Toggle Available → the item becomes inactive
3. Guests will not see this item in the digital menu
4. When the ingredient is back — turn it on again

Bulk stop list

• Select multiple items → Actions → Hide selected
• Morning stop list: the manager checks availability → disables unavailable items
• KDS automatically removes hidden items from the kitchen screen

Notifications

• Staff receive a push notification when an item is added to the stop list
• If someone tries to order a hidden item (cache) — the system will show the message "Dish temporarily unavailable"

11. Menu schedule (breakfast / lunch / dinner)

Different menus for different times of day:

Setup

1. Menu → Schedule → + Add schedule
2. Set the time: breakfast (07:00–11:00), lunch (11:00–16:00), dinner (16:00–23:00)
3. Assign categories/items to each schedule

How it works

• During the specified time, guests see only items from the current schedule
• Outside the schedule — the full menu is shown
• You can create special menus: business lunch, brunch, bar menu, kids' menu

Holiday and seasonal menus

• Create menus for holidays (New Year, February 14, Easter)
• Set active dates
• The menu will automatically turn on/off

12. NFC — contactless menu

NFC (Near Field Communication) is an alternative to a QR code. The guest taps their phone on an NFC stand and instantly sees the menu.

NFC benefits

• Faster than QR (no need to open the camera)
• Works even with the screen off (on some devices)
• Premium impression

NFC setup

1. Order NFC stands (recommended: NTAG215, NTAG216)
2. In the admin panel → QR & NFC → Write NFC
3. Tap the phone on the stand → write the menu link
4. Place the stands on tables

Compatibility

• iPhone (XS and newer) — works automatically
• Android (with NFC) — works with an unlocked screen

13. AI features for the menu

AI dish photo generation

No dish photo? AI will create a realistic image:

1. In the item editor, click 🤖 Generate photo
2. AI uses the dish name and description for generation
3. Choose the best option from the suggestions
4. If needed — edit the prompt to refine it

Recommendations:

• Write a detailed description for better results
• Specify plating style: "on a white plate", "rustic", "fine dining"
• Generated photos can be replaced with real ones at any time

AI photo enhancement

Uploaded photos are automatically improved:

• Brightness and contrast correction
• Background removal (if needed)
• Web optimization (conversion to WebP)
• Cropping to the required aspect ratio

AI dish descriptions

AI can generate an appealing description:

1. Enter the dish name and main ingredients
2. Click ✨ Generate description
3. AI creates an appetizing description tailored to your venue's style
4. Edit if necessary

AI translations

All texts are automatically translated into 27 languages using AI:

• Translation takes context into account (culinary terminology)
• You can edit any translation manually
• New translations apply instantly