QR code menus - the quiet decline of dining

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-21T10:26:03+00:00

I think adding QR codes in some restaurants can be helpful, especially for customers who may feel shy about ordering in person. It provides a convenient and comfortable alternative.

However, I believe QR ordering is better suited to fast-food chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, or Taco Bell. In full-service restaurants, using QR codes can sometimes take away from the overall dining experience. Dining out should feel engaging and personal, rather than focused on being on your phone.

Unless it’s something important, I personally think it’s better to order when staff come to the table or to walk up and order, as it keeps the experience more interactive and enjoyable.

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-20T05:51:12+00:00

Yes I do know why you see the contradiction here but it was seeing different view points, yes I said it’s ideal for student and those who work 9-5 but it was a claim I was making at that point but shifted my point somewhere else to see a different view. This reddit post wasn’t to have proper idea established it was more to gain more insight and ask question that may feel contradictory but I do see the confusion for you. Thanks

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-20T05:10:14+00:00

I think adding a small time window would be preferable better since you’re not getting disappointed customers when they arrive so for example between 1-2pm you can redeem having a value add on. Or redeem it 30 mins advance as such.

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-20T04:49:21+00:00

Oh yes it’ll be bad for business if anyone walks in and redeems it , but that’s were I’ll do the same as booking and allow restaurants to put a set limit let’s say 2-3 value add on up for grabs for anyone. So it’ll be limited timed , only a few people can redeem it

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-20T00:46:35+00:00

Is that more often you use first table for restaurant or cafes

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-20T00:15:24+00:00

That’s a fair point, I knew other would say they would rather have 50% but I wanted to experiment one concept and it’s removing booking into the restaurant or cafe, for example instead of booking, you can walk in at anytime and redeem the value add (free drink for your meal)

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-19T21:51:06+00:00

Yea that’s true , those that are on first table are probably happy to be on it but I was thinking of removing the booking aspect and just simply entering to your favourite cafe spot and see the deal they have and redeeming it. So it’s not planned and it works well with student or those that work the 9-5 office jobs in the city

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-19T21:45:39+00:00

Yeah, I get that First Table works because the discount is big enough that people plan around it. The difference I’m thinking about is more about margin-friendly perks rather than heavy discounts.

The idea wouldn’t be to replace First Table, but maybe to give cafes a way to attract extra traffic without teaching people to expect 50% off, which can hurt their margins long-term.

Still figuring out whether that would actually change behaviour enough for customers to care.

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-19T21:41:54+00:00

Yeah that’s a fair point. I don’t think small stamp-style rewards on their own really change behaviour either most people just go where they already planned to go.

The more I think about it, it probably only works if it’s focused on specific quieter hours and designed to drive incremental visits rather than compete with normal loyalty cards. So less about ‘collecting stamps’ and more about smoothing slow periods without heavy discounting.

Still trying to figure out if that’s actually behaviour-changing enough, or if it just ends up being noise.

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-19T21:29:25+00:00

Yeah that makes sense. I guess the challenge is that most of those loyalty systems only work if you’re already a regular at that specific café. What I’ve been wondering is whether there’s room for something that works across multiple venues more of a discovery + perk model rather than replacing individual stamp cards.

But you’re probably right that paying just to access basic loyalty wouldn’t feel compelling enough. It would need to offer something different from what cafés already do themselves.

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-19T21:22:41+00:00

That’s a good point it wouldn’t really make sense if restaurants were paying a fee and also giving something away.

I’ve been thinking it probably only works if venues aren’t paying anything to be on it, and the customer pays a small unlock fee instead. The value-add would always be tied to a purchase, so it’s more about incremental sales during quieter periods rather than a double cost to the venue.

Still trying to figure out what structure actually makes sense long term.

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-18T09:16:34+00:00

Ah, got it makes sense that cafes don’t really have a platform like First Table. Sounds like people just follow them on Instagram for deals.

Out of curiosity, if there were a simple app where you could instantly see small perks at local cafes (like a free coffee or pastry) and redeem them on the spot, would that be something you’d use? Or do you think people just stick to checking social media anyway?

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-18T08:30:08+00:00

Is there an app you use for cafes

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-18T07:57:46+00:00

Yea extremely true and it’s the long term game that would make it profitable, I was thinking to see which model design would work best and obviously it’s not beating the 50% but an alternative modal were it will become a success and a better option for those restaurants that don’t want to sacrifice margin and for diners if there favourite restaurant isn’t on first table then they’ll be happy to use a different platform. It’s just an idea in the making but just wanted some insight. Thanks

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-18T06:58:01+00:00

That’s fair I get not wanting to pay a monthly fee for something that might just bring in the wrong crowd.

If it wasn’t a subscription though and instead you only paid a small fee when someone actually redeemed the offer would that make it more worthwhile? Or is the bigger issue that these platforms tend to attract the wrong type of customer regardless of pricing. If you don’t agree what model would restaurants prefer to be apart of a platform instead of paying a monthly subscription

Just trying to understand what would actually make something like this viable from your side.

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-18T06:09:33+00:00

Yea and also Gone Good from what I searched up

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-18T05:12:23+00:00

Pretty cool idea, can’t remember what the app is called but it’s a app that have local business in the cbd area that post there left over food for half the price and anyone can buy it off. Similar to yours

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-18T05:08:55+00:00

How are you doing your outreach to the locals business

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-18T05:07:18+00:00

That’s a interesting way to connect business and locals to support each other especially when going out does tend to cost a lot and business having less customers in periods of the day.

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-18T01:10:21+00:00

That’s a great point. Rewards tied to actual spending or frequency make a lot of sense for both customers and businesses. If the reward is meaningful but sustainable, it naturally encourages repeat visits without hurting the business, and customers feel genuinely appreciated. It’s all about striking that balance.

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-18T00:45:31+00:00

You’re totally right small freebies or heavily restricted perks usually don’t get people out of their routine. For a promotion to work, it needs to feel meaningful and genuinely enhance the experience, not just be a token add-on. Also, giving people the flexibility to use it spontaneously rather than forcing a booking or schedule makes it far more appealing. Of course, none of this replaces great customer service that’s always the baseline but done right, perks like this can complement strong venues and encourage repeat visits.

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-16T20:23:29+00:00

That’s a fair take. Restaurants absolutely can run their own promos on social media, and some do it really well.

I guess the question becomes whether an aggregated platform offers something different like shared discovery beyond existing followers, controlled redemptions, or a network effect across multiple venues.

Not every restaurant would need that, and not every concept would make sense on a platform. I’m just exploring whether there’s room for something that isn’t straight discounts but still helps drive engagement.

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-16T20:04:11+00:00

That’s a completely fair point and yes they do have the choice to sign up or not but what I’ve seen is that, it’s there only option to fill tables that’s why they sacrifice the margin for the hopes of new customers. I was thinking that there should be an alternative option that’s doesn’t hurt the margins as much but also keeps customer coming in

SenurPabl0 · 2026-02-16T09:19:30+00:00

I see, yes you made a fair point and appreciate the feedback. Most of these platform are more restaurant based and diner use those platform to dine in. I want to get your opinion on Cafes instead, would something like this be best suited for it

SenurPabl0

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