How a Restaurant Saved 180,000₽ a Year on Menu Printing
For one restaurant with 20 tables, paper menus became a source of constant problems and costs. Due to the need for frequent updates—adding new dishes, changing prices, and introducing seasonal offers—the menus had to be reprinted every month.
The Problem: Constant Expenses and Lack of Analytics
For one restaurant with 20 tables, paper menus became a source of constant problems and costs. Due to the need for frequent updates—adding new dishes, changing prices, and introducing seasonal offers—the menus had to be reprinted every month.
Monthly printing expenses amounted to 15,000 rubles, which annually added up to a significant sum—180,000 rubles. In addition to financial losses, there were other drawbacks: paper menus wore out quickly, losing their presentable appearance, and management had no tools to analyze the popularity of dishes among guests.
The Solution: Implementing a QR Menu via QR Ecosystem
The restaurant's management decided to switch to a modern digital format. Using the QR Ecosystem platform, an interactive menu was created, which allowed for a fundamental change in their approach to work.
- Creating a 'Menu' type digital menu on the platform.
- Uploading high-resolution photos of all dishes to make them more appealing to guests.
- Structuring the menu by categories: Appetizers, Main Courses, Desserts, Drinks.
- Adding detailed descriptions and current prices for each item.
- Setting up multilingual support (Russian and English) for the convenience of tourists.
- Implementing filters for guests with special needs: vegan, gluten-free, spicy.
- Indicating allergens to enhance guest safety.
The final step was customizing the QR codes in the restaurant's corporate colors, adding the logo, and printing them on stylish laminated plaques for each table.
The Results: Savings, Increased Average Check, and Valuable Analytics
| Metric | Result of QR Menu Implementation |
|---|---|
| Printing Savings | 180,000₽ per year |
| Average Check | 15% Increase |
| Update Speed | 5 minutes to add a new dish |
| Most Popular Dish | 'Pasta Carbonara' (3 times more views) |
| Peak Activity | 18:00 - 20:00 |
| Guest Geography | 65% Russia, 20% tourists |
The switch to a digital menu brought impressive and measurable results. The most obvious advantage was direct financial savings—the restaurant completely eliminated printing costs, saving 180,000 rubles a year.
Furthermore, thanks to appetizing photos of the dishes, guests began to make more informed and expensive choices, which led to a 15% increase in the average check. Now, any update, whether adding a new dish or changing a price, took only 5 minutes and required no expense.
The analytics obtained allowed for the optimization of the menu and marketing promotions, focusing on the real preferences of visitors. The investment in the system paid for itself within the first month, and all subsequent months brought net savings.
Additional Benefits for Guests and the Business
Beyond the direct financial gains, implementing the QR menu provided several additional benefits that improved both customer service and operational efficiency.
- Multilingual Support: The English version of the menu significantly simplified the selection process for tourists, increasing their loyalty.
- Dietary Filters: Guests with dietary restrictions (vegans, people with gluten intolerance) could easily find suitable dishes.
- Allergen Information: Listing the ingredients of dishes increased safety and trust from guests.
For the business, these features became a competitive advantage, attracting a wider audience and demonstrating care for every customer.
Scaling: Easy Replication of Success
The effectiveness of the QR menu system proved to be so high that when opening a second branch, the restaurant used the same technology without hesitation. The platform's flexibility made it easy to adapt the content for the new location while maintaining a consistent style and approach.
The ability to manage menus for multiple locations from a single, centralized interface became a key factor for successful scaling. This proves that digital solutions are not just a one-time optimization but a reliable foundation for the growth and development of the restaurant business.