QR Menu Ordering Guide for Restaurants in Pakistan

RestroAI by Taiz · 26 October 2026 · 7 min read

A QR menu is a printed code that a customer scans with their phone to open your menu. That sounds simple, and it is, but the phrase covers two very different things: a menu you can only read, and a menu you can order and pay from. Choosing the wrong one wastes money or frustrates customers. This guide explains both, where they work best for Pakistani restaurants, and how to set one up. It is also clear about what RestroAI by Taiz supports today, because one common version, ordering from a table, is not live yet.

What a QR menu is, and how it works

A QR code is a square pattern that holds a web address. A phone camera reads it and opens the link. A QR menu simply puts that code where customers can see it: on a table card, a counter stand, a receipt, a box, a flyer or a shop window. The code does not do anything on its own. What matters is the page it opens.

That is why a QR menu is only as good as the page behind it. A slow page, a PDF that needs pinching and zooming, or a menu with out-of-date prices, will cost you more than the print it replaced.

View-only menu vs ordering menu

	View-only QR menu	Ordering QR menu
What opens	A menu page or PDF to read	A storefront where the customer builds a basket
What the customer does next	Tells a waiter or a cashier	Checks out and the order reaches your system
Typical cost to run	Very low	Needs ordering software behind it
Staff effort	Staff still key in every order	No re-keying; the order arrives in the order list
Best for	Dine-in restaurants that want to replace printed menus	Takeaway, delivery and repeat-customer ordering
Risk	Out-of-date PDFs; no data about customers	Needs a clear way to handle payment and delivery

A view-only menu saves printing and is easy to update, but it does not reduce the work of taking an order. An ordering menu removes the re-keying step, which cuts errors and frees up staff, but it needs software that takes the order, handles payment and passes it to the kitchen.

What RestroAI does today

RestroAI works as an ordering QR menu. You print a QR code that opens your branded storefront, either on a RestroAI subdomain or on your own verified domain. The customer browses the menu, builds a basket and checks out for takeaway or delivery. The order lands in the same order list as your POS, WhatsApp, chat and Foodpanda orders, and the kitchen display shows it. Card payments run through Stripe and cash on delivery is supported. Storefront prices are in PKR.

Not live yet: table-number dine-in QR ordering, where a guest scans a code at their table and orders to that table. Today RestroAI QR codes open the storefront for takeaway and delivery. If table ordering is a requirement, ask us for the timeline before you sign up.

RestroAI also puts a QR code on receipts, which makes a handy way to bring first-time customers to your storefront for their next order. See the QR ordering page for the current feature set.

Where QR menus work best

On packaging and receipts: turn every delivery and takeaway customer into a direct reorder. This is the strongest use because the customer is already happy with the food.
On a counter stand: customers waiting to collect can order again or order for later.
In the shop window: people passing at night can see the menu and order for delivery.
On flyers and social posts: one scan goes straight to ordering, with no search step.
On a table card: fine as a view-only menu or as a way to reach your takeaway storefront, but remember RestroAI does not do table-number ordering today.

The packaging use ties into reducing aggregator costs. A QR code in every Foodpanda bag is one of the cheapest ways to encourage repeat orders on your own channel. We cover the tactics in how to reduce Foodpanda commission.

How to set up a QR menu that works

Get the page right first. Photos, clear prices, availability and short item descriptions. If the page is bad, a QR code only helps people find it faster.
Link to the storefront, not to a file. A web page loads quickly and updates itself. A PDF does neither.
Print at a usable size. A QR code that is too small or too glossy fails under restaurant lighting. Keep it large with a plain border, and print a short URL beside it as a backup.
Test on several phones, including an older Android, in the actual lighting where the code will sit.
Add a call to action. "Scan to order" beats a bare square.
Use separate coupon codes per placement (bag insert, counter stand, window) so you can see which one works.
Keep the menu current. If a dish is unavailable, mark it so the customer does not order it.

Pitfalls to avoid

Assuming everyone will scan. Some guests, especially older ones, want a printed menu. Keep a few.
Printing a dynamic code you cannot change. Make sure the code points to a link you control, so a new design never means a reprint.
Forgetting mobile data. In busy places with poor signal, a heavy page loads slowly. Keep images light.
Mixing up channels. If dine-in guests can only view and takeaway guests can order, say so on the card.
Collecting customer details you do not need. Ask for what the order requires and no more.

What it costs

Printing a QR code costs almost nothing. The real cost is the ordering software behind it. RestroAI is PKR 15,000 per branch per month, with the ordering storefront, POS, kitchen display, rider management, inventory, coupons and the Android customer app all included. There is no commission on orders and no setup fee. Hardware, such as a tablet or receipt printer, is billed separately. Extra POS terminals, kitchen screens, riders and users are priced openly on the pricing page.

Start free at restroai.io. One branch. One price. Every feature.

Frequently asked questions

What is a QR menu?

A QR menu is a printed QR code that opens your menu on a customer's phone when scanned. It can open a view-only menu or a storefront where the customer can order. The code only holds a web address, so the page behind it decides how useful it is.

Can customers order from a QR menu in Pakistan?

Yes, if the QR code opens an ordering storefront. With RestroAI by Taiz, a printed QR opens your branded storefront where customers order for takeaway or delivery and pay by card or cash on delivery.

Does RestroAI support table ordering by QR code?

Not yet. Table-number dine-in QR ordering is not live. RestroAI QR codes currently open the storefront for takeaway and delivery. Ask us for the timeline before you sign up if table ordering is a requirement.

What is the difference between a view-only and an ordering QR menu?

A view-only menu shows items and prices, and staff still take the order. An ordering menu lets the customer build a basket and check out, and the order reaches your system without re-keying. Ordering menus need software behind them.

How much does a QR menu cost?

The QR code itself is almost free to print. The cost is the ordering software. RestroAI is PKR 15,000 per branch per month with every feature included, no commission on orders and no setup fee. Hardware is billed separately.

Where should I put QR codes in my restaurant?

The strongest places are packaging and receipts, which bring takeaway and delivery customers back to order directly. Counter stands, shop windows, flyers and social posts also work. Use a different coupon code per placement to see which performs.