You can create a QR menu for a restaurant in one evening: register with a service, upload dishes with photos and prices in three languages, set up options, generate QR codes for the tables and print them. Basic setup on User-QR takes about 5 minutes; a full menu of 60–100 items takes a few hours. Below is a step-by-step guide with a checklist, common mistakes and answers to frequent questions.
What to prepare before you start
The better the materials, the faster the launch. Gather in advance:
- The item list with prices — from your current paper menu, an Excel file or your previous service.
- Names in three languages. The Kazakh version is mandatory under Article 21 of the Law “On Languages”; Russian and English are for guests and tourists.
- Dish photos. A smartphone is enough: daylight, a plain background, the same shooting height for every dish.
- Options and modifiers: portion sizes, milk types, doneness, sauces, add-ons.
- Venue details: address, opening hours, phone and WhatsApp for orders, social links.
- The table list — how many QR codes to print and how to number them.
Step 1. Register the venue
Open the sign-up page, enter the venue name, your name and a phone number — it becomes your login. No card is needed: the first 14 days of the Pro plan are free. After registration you land in the admin panel, where everything else is done from a phone or a computer.
Step 2. Set up the profile and brand
In the venue settings add the logo, brand colour and background, address and opening hours. These appear in the menu, on the Taplink page and in link previews in messengers. Here you also pick the menu theme — light or dark, list or cards.
Step 3. Create kitchens and categories
Categories are menu sections: starters, mains, desserts, drinks. If the venue has several “kitchens” (main kitchen, bar, hookah), set them up as separate tabs with their own categories — the guest switches between them with one tap. Category order changes by drag and drop.
Step 4. Add the dishes
There are three ways, and they can be combined:
- By hand. Name, description and ingredients in Kazakh, Russian and English, price, photo, portion weight and, optionally, nutrition facts.
- From Excel. Download the template in the admin, fill in the rows and upload the file — all items appear at once. Handy for menus of 50+ items.
- By link from another service. If the menu is already published on some QR-menu services, paste the link — categories, dishes, prices and photos transfer automatically, and the photos are re-hosted on User-QR servers in the background.
Tip: upload all items without photos first, check prices and translations, then add photos in batches.
Step 5. Set up options and recommendations
Option groups are created once and attached to any number of dishes: “Size” (S/M/L), “Milk” (regular, lactose-free, plant-based), “Doneness”, “Sauce”. The guest builds the dish, and the waiter receives an order with nothing to clarify. You can also set “often ordered together” pairs — wine with the steak, dessert with the coffee; for new venues they are generated automatically from orders.
Step 6. Generate QR codes for the tables
In the tables section enter the number of tables and halls. The system creates a separate QR code for each table, a general QR for the menu without a table and a QR for the delivery page. Download the codes in the format you need and print them on table tents, stands or stickers. For delivery and takeaway the link can go into Instagram via the Taplink page.
Step 7. Check the menu through a guest's eyes
Before a big print run:
- scan the QR with your own phone and walk the guest's path: categories → dish → options → cart → order;
- switch the language to Kazakh and English and check there are no empty names;
- open the menu on iPhone and Android, in the light and dark theme;
- check that a table order reaches the admin with the right table number;
- send a test delivery order and confirm the message arrives in the venue's WhatsApp.
Step 8. Launch and train the staff
Show waiters the orders screen in the admin and agree who takes table orders on each shift. Keep a few paper menus for the first week in case of guests without a smartphone. Run the stop-list in the admin: a dish runs out — hide it in a second and guests will not see it.
Common mistakes when creating a QR menu
| Mistake | Why it hurts | How to fix | |---|---|---| | Russian-only menu | Violates the language law | Fill in Kazakh names for every item | | Photos in different styles and lighting | The menu looks untidy | Shoot all dishes in one spot in daylight | | One QR for the whole venue | Orders arrive without a table number | Generate a separate QR per table | | Options written as text in the description | Guests cannot choose, waiters ask again | Move sizes and add-ons into option groups | | QR printed too small or on gloss | Does not scan in low light | At least 3×3 cm, matte print, contrasting background | | Menu not updated after launch | Guests see old prices and stop-list | Assign someone responsible for the admin on each shift |
How much a QR menu costs
User-QR has two plans: Starter at 150 000 ₸ per year (up to 100 items, 10 tables) and Pro at 180 000 ₸ per year (unlimited items, up to 100 tables, WhatsApp delivery, Taplink page, hall booking, Meta Pixel). The first 14 days of Pro are free with no card. See the full comparison on the pricing page.
FAQ
Can I create a QR menu for free? Yes, the first 14 days of the Pro plan are free and need no card — that is enough to build and launch the menu completely. After that a yearly subscription is required.
Do guests need to install an app? No. The QR menu opens in the phone browser after scanning, on iPhone and Android.
How fast does the menu update after an edit? Instantly: change a price or hide an item in the admin and guests see the current version the next time they open it.
Can I migrate the menu from another service? Yes, from Excel — always; by link — from some QR-menu services, photos included. See the kamiqr comparison for details.
Key takeaways
- Prepare the item list, translations, photos and options — that is half the work.
- Registration takes minutes; a 60–100-item menu takes an evening.
- Fill in Kazakh names without fail: the law requires it.
- Print a separate QR for every table so orders arrive with a number.
- Walk the guest's path on your own phone before the big print run.
Ready to start? Sign up for User-QR and create a QR menu for a restaurant, cafe, coffee shop or bar today.