Eating Out In 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered our very way of life in so many ways. Even dining-in at a restaurant has a different shape now. Once, we would enter the establishment, sit down, look at a menu, relay what we want to a waiter and wait for the food to come before consuming it and leaving. Now, the process has become a little easier in an effort to avoid the spread of the virus. But is it really easier, or more tedious?

We are of course talking about online menu QR code Malaysia. This is a digital menu that customers are able to view through scanning a QR code with their smartphones. On paper, this might seem like a godsend but sometimes, things are not always as it seems.

Here are a few pros and cons of virtual menus.

Advantages

• It’s COVID friendly

The rise of the QR code menu owes it all to the worldwide pandemic. Once restaurants were allowed to operate again, menus posed a problem as the virus could be spread through touch. Through virtual menus, the need for contact is minimized.

• It benefits the staff

QR code menus do not only display what’s for sale, customers are also able to order what they want online. This eliminates the need for waiters to go to each table to take orders. Customers can simply order food themselves using their smartphones.

• It leads to high customer satisfaction

Allowing the customers to take charge of their own dining experience leads to many positive things. It minimizes order errors, allows them to order at their own leisure and add on or change their orders at will. High customer satisfaction increases the chance of repeat customers, which is always the goal for establishments. 

Disadvantages

• It’s only for people with smartphones

The number one setback for QR code menus is that it assumes everyone has a smartphone. This assumption reeks of privilege and is a little tone deaf. The elderly, the poor and adolescents are some of the demographics less likely to have smartphones. It is unfair to put them in a position where they are not able to visit a restaurant solely because they do not own one.

• It’s only for the tech savvy

In a similar vein, QR code menus require a certain degree of proficiency in technology. Not everyone possesses that. There have been countless recounts from workers in the F&B industry about elderly people in particular struggling to use their phones for online ordering. 

• It’s impersonal

Dining out is an experience. It’s not only a way to socialize with loved ones, it’s also a way to connect with people around us including waiters, servers and other staff. No man is an island, after all. Having to pull your phone out when you’re at a restaurant with your family and friends is already bad enough. QR code menus also take away most if not all interaction with restaurant staff. It’s an isolating experience.

Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. In the wake of the pandemic, one thing has been made clear, QR code menus are here to stay. In order to benefit everyone, restaurants should offer alternatives for ordering and provide both digital and physical menus for all their patrons.