For many guests, a printed menu is simply part of eating out. At the same time, prices and dishes change more often than they used to, and on paper every change means reprinting. Which option fits better depends on your venue. Here are the key points side by side.
The printed menu
Pros:
- Familiar: every guest knows how it works, no phone needed.
- Look and feel: a high-quality menu can be part of the atmosphere, for example in fine dining.
- No technology needed: no battery, no signal, no Wi-Fi.
Cons:
- Every change costs money: new price, new dish, sold out? Then it gets taped over, crossed out or reprinted.
- Quickly out of date: in practice, tables often have menus with old prices or dishes that no longer exist.
- Several languages are awkward: either the menu gets thick or there is a separate menu per language that also has to be kept up to date.
- Wear and hygiene: menus get stained and creased and have to be replaced regularly.
The digital QR menu
Pros:
- Always up to date: prices and dishes are changed online, the QR code on the table stays the same. Nothing has to be reprinted.
- Several languages with one code: guests choose their language right in the menu.
- Descriptions and photos: dishes can be described in detail and, with the photo add-on, shown with a picture, without cluttering the menu.
- Ordering at the table if you want it: guests can order straight from the menu, see QR ordering at the table.
Cons:
- Not every guest likes a phone at the table: older guests in particular often prefer paper.
- Needs a smartphone with internet: if the signal is poor, guest Wi-Fi helps.
- Running costs: instead of printing costs there is usually a yearly fee.
Costs compared
With paper you pay for design and printing, and again with every bigger change. How much depends on quantity, paper and format. With a digital menu you usually pay a fixed amount per year, with changes included. For a closer look, read How much does a digital QR menu cost?
Or both?
Many venues combine the two: a QR code on every table and a few printed menus for guests who prefer to leaf through one. That way the digital menu is always current and nobody is left out. The paper menus then rarely need replacing.
Quick guide
- Go digital if prices or dishes change often, you have daily or weekly specials, you get many international guests or you want to add ordering at the table later.
- Stick with paper if your menu stays the same for years, most of your guests don't want to use a phone at the table or the menu is an important part of your design.
- Use both if you want the benefits of a digital menu without leaving any guest out.
How it works at Smart Menu Solutions
You send us your menu, for example as a photo or PDF, and we set up the digital menu for you, QR code included. When something changes, you send us the change and we update your menu.
| Plan | Price per year | Languages |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Start | €119 | 1 language |
| Smart Pro | €129 | main language + 1 more |
| Smart Premium | €169 | main language + 5 more |
All prices include VAT, with no setup fee. Details on our pricing page.
Conclusion
The printed menu wins on familiarity, the digital one on being up to date, on languages and on less work when things change. For most venues the combination makes the most sense: a QR code on the table, plus a few paper menus as a backup.