Menu Design
QR Menu Best Practices for Chinese Restaurants
A QR menu should make ordering easier. It should not become a slow PDF, an image-only menu, or a barrier for older diners.
QR menu principles
| Principle | Practical requirement |
|---|---|
| Mobile-first | The menu must be readable without pinch-zooming. |
| Text-based | Use HTML text, not only images or PDFs. |
| Fast | Compress photos and avoid unnecessary scripts. |
| Accessible | Use readable contrast, semantic headings, and keyboard-friendly navigation. |
| Stable URL | Use one canonical menu URL that search engines and customers can revisit. |
| Print backup | Offer printed menus for diners who cannot or do not want to use QR codes. |
On long menu pages, WCAG expects a way to bypass repeated blocks such as navigation, which is why skip links and clear main-content landmarks matter. ADA guidance treats accessible digital communication as part of serving the public effectively, not just as a design preference. WCAG expects link purpose to be clear from the link text or surrounding context, so labels like "Lunch menu PDF" are stronger than "click here." WCAG 2.2 sets a 4.5:1 contrast minimum for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
Avoid these QR menu failures
- A QR code that opens a large PDF.
- Image-only menus that search engines and screen readers cannot read.
- Menus that require account creation before viewing.
- Menus that hide prices or allergen notes.
- QR-only access with no printed fallback.