How to Update a Restaurant Menu Without Reprinting Table Signs

Choose a menu destination you can maintain

A mobile web page is usually easier to update and read than a fixed page-sized document. It can adapt to a narrow screen, expose text to browser zoom and assistive technology, and link directly to ordering or booking. If a PDF is required, check it on a phone and provide an accessible alternative where possible. The Government Digital Service recommends publishing information as HTML where possible because documents can be harder for people to adapt to their needs.

Avoid linking a table sign directly to a temporary file-sharing URL owned by one staff member. Prefer an organisational website path or an account with documented ownership. Test the link while signed out, since guests will not share your permissions.

Decide between a stable URL and a dynamic code

If https://restaurant.example/menu will remain available, a free static QR code can be enough. Change the menu content behind that path and the printed code still opens it. You are maintaining the page, not editing the code.

Use a dynamic code when you may need to move between a breakfast page, dinner page, ordering service, temporary closure notice, or a replacement document at a different URL. The table sign contains a GhostQR short link, and an authorised owner or editor changes its saved destination. Dynamic codes require a paid plan. The static versus dynamic guide covers the cost and continuity trade-offs.

Set up the first menu

1. Publish the menu and open it on a phone while signed out.
2. Check venue name, service period, prices, availability notes, and a visible contact path.
3. Create a static code with the free generator, or create a named dynamic code such as “Dining room - table signs”.
4. Download the final artwork and keep its clear margin intact in the sign design.
5. Scan the exported file, then scan a production proof at the intended size and lighting.
6. Record the destination, GhostQR account or team, website owner, and review date.

Do not treat the QR page as the only route to essential information. Provide a printed summary or staff-assisted option for guests who cannot or do not want to scan.

Keep prices, availability, and allergens accurate

Assign one role to approve menu changes and another person to check the live guest view. A successful upload is not enough. Scan a table sign, follow the complete path, and confirm the page shows the current service and venue.

Food information carries more risk than ordinary campaign copy. Food Standards Australia New Zealand tells food-service businesses to provide clear, current, accurate allergen information and train staff to communicate it. Its food-service allergen guidance also points to the applicable requirements for packaged and unpackaged food. Check the law for your location and operating model. A QR menu does not replace staff procedures or the information your business is required to provide.

Change the destination without changing the sign

Prepare and approve the replacement menu first. Open its public URL while signed out and check the complete guest journey. In GhostQR, open the correct dynamic code, choose Edit destination, paste the new HTTP(S) URL, and save. Existing signs retain the same pattern. Allow about 30 seconds for the redirect cache to update, then scan a sign again.

The detailed editing guide shows this workflow. Changing the colours or logo in the dashboard does not alter signs already on tables. Only the redirect destination changes for an existing print.

If you used one static code pointing to an owned menu page, update that page or redirect its exact path instead. If the static URL belongs to a platform you cannot control, GhostQR cannot adopt it. You may need new signs.

Plan for service changes and handover

• Keep the menu host, domain, and GhostQR billing contacts current.
• Name codes by venue and placement so staff edit the right one.
• Use separate codes for placements you need to compare.
• Keep a rollback URL for the last approved menu.
• Review table signs after a menu, platform, domain, or account change.
• Pause a code only when you intend its saved destination to stop resolving.

For a reusable short link as well as a QR code, see the GhostQR URL shortener. For export choices and proofing, use the PNG versus SVG print guide.