By Josh Davis, CRO of Mail Shark

The use of QR codes by restaurant operators has been fast-tracked by light-years due to the pandemic. If you are not familiar with a QR (or Quick Response) code, it is a type of barcode that can be scanned by simply pointing your phone’s camera at it.

They look like this, and you have likely seen these everywhere over the past year.

Many operators began using QR codes to give their customers a quick, easy and sanitary way to view their menu instead of providing a hard-copy menu that is otherwise shared with guests and needs sanitization after each use.

Beyond using QR codes as a replacement for in-house menus, QR codes are recommended for your restaurant’s marketing materials, whether it be direct mail, box toppers, door hangers, flyers, banners, etc. The most common uses are to provide customers easy access to order online without having to type in a long URL and quick access to view your menu, download your app, link to your social platforms like Facebook, Instagram or YouTube, or to opt into a loyalty or rewards plan.

Below are four quick tips to help you get the most out of your QR code marketing:

1. Use a dynamic code. 

Dynamic QR codes not only give you the ability to track the number of scans your QR code is receiving, but they also give you the ability to change the user destination without having to change the actual QR code.

2. Have a clear call to action. 

It’s critical to state why the user should scan the QR code. One of the biggest mistakes we see is using a QR code without a clear call to action. It’s highly unlikely that users will scan a random code for no clear purpose and no understanding of why they should.

3. Draw attention. 

You can easily draw attention to your QR code using a colorful border or adding colors to the QR code itself. In addition, you can add your logo to the QR code or any other image you would like, even an image like a slice of pizza.

4. Test and retest. 

It’s so obvious, which is the reason it’s often overlooked. Testing not only ensures that your QR code works, but also gives you the ability to view it as your customers will and ensure it displays clearly and is mobile-friendly.