How to digitize your restaurant menu

Digitizing a menu sounds more complicated than it is. In practice, for most restaurants we work with the whole process finishes within one working day. Here is exactly what happens.

In short: prepare a product list with prices, photos of the dishes and your categories. The products are then entered in the admin panel, every table gets its own QR code and the staff get a short training. At EasyOffer we do the entry for you, so it usually takes one to two days from sending the materials to a finished menu.

What do you need to digitize your menu?

Only three things:

1. A product list with prices — ideally in Excel or Word, but a photo of your paper menu works too.
2. Photos of the dishes — they do not need to be professional. A well-lit phone photo is perfectly good to start with.
3. Categories — how you want the menu divided: starters, mains, drinks, desserts.

If you have no photos, the menu can go live without them and you can add images gradually.

Step 1: Structure the menu

Before entering anything, look at your menu critically. This is the moment most restaurants discover they have items nobody has ordered in years. A digital menu makes that visible, so use the opportunity to clean it up.

Rule of thumb: if a category has more than 12 items, guests will not read them all. Split it.

Step 2: Enter the products

We do this part for you — you send the materials and we set up the entire menu. If you prefer to do it yourself, in the admin panel you add a category, then products within it, each with a name, description, price and photo.

Keep descriptions short. Two sentences are enough, and the most important information (ingredients, allergens, portion size) belongs in the first.

Step 3: Place the QR codes

Every table gets its own QR code. This matters — the code is not the same for the whole restaurant but per table, so the system knows where the order came from. Codes are printed on stickers or table stands.

Step 4: Train the staff

This is the step most often underestimated. The system itself is simple, but staff need to know what to do when a guest asks how it works. Training takes under an hour and is part of installation.

The most common mistakes

• Too many categories. Eight categories on a phone screen is already a lot.
• Photos in mixed formats. If some are landscape and others portrait, the menu looks untidy. Stick to one aspect ratio.
• Forgotten seasonal items. A digital menu should be updated when your offering changes — that is the advantage, but it takes a habit.
• No alternative for guests without a phone. Keep a few printed menus just in case.

How long does digitizing the menu take?

From the moment you send us the materials to a fully working menu: usually one to two days. The on-site installation itself takes 1-2 hours.

If you want to see a finished digital menu before deciding, request a demo — we will show you a real example from a restaurant.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to digitize my menu?

Only three things: a product list with prices, ideally in Excel or Word, photos of the dishes, and the categories you want, such as starters, mains, drinks and desserts. The photos don’t need to be professional, and a photo of your paper menu works as the list. If you have no photos, the menu can go live without them.

How long does it take to digitize a menu?

From the moment you send the materials to a fully working menu usually takes one to two days, and for most restaurants the process finishes within one working day. The on-site installation itself takes one to two hours, and staff training takes under an hour and is part of the installation.

Do I have to enter the menu myself?

No. At EasyOffer we do the entry for you: you send the products, prices and photos, and we set up the entire menu. If you prefer to do it yourself, in the admin panel you add a category first, then the products in it, each with a name, short description, price and photo. You can add photos gradually.

What are the most common mistakes when digitizing a menu?

Too many categories, since eight on a phone screen is already a lot, and photos in mixed formats, which make the menu look untidy. Owners also often forget to update the menu when the seasonal offer changes. Another mistake is having no alternative for guests without a phone, so keep a few printed menus just in case.