As the restaurant industry faces the uncertainty and challenges associated with the COVID-19 global health crisis, finding ways to save on expenses and keep guests safe is at the top of everyone's mind. One of the biggest challenges surrounds the future of paper menus and plastic reusable menus. In an effort to limit the spread of viruses, many municipalities and other governing bodies have implemented restrictions on reusable menus, forcing many restaurants to produce costly single-use paper menus. But taking on this additional expense is not easy given the financial situations facing many restaurants. The solution lies in the area of QR code menus and digital menus. Here are three ways these digital solutions can save your restaurant money:
Cut down on the cost of printing paper menus
The cost of printing a basic color paper menu at FedEx ranges between $0.71 - $1.02 per sheet depending on how many you order and if it is double-sided. Say you order 100 paper copies, which appears to be the largest number you can purchase at one time, at $0.71, that is approximately $71.39 plus tax. By using a small laminated, framed or even sticker QR code, you could save thousands by just wiping them off or placing them somewhere like in a frame mounted on the wall, behind the bar, the hostess stand or the server can bring them over for a quick scan. Now the customer doesn’t even have to touch them. Furthermore, if you make a mistake, such as misspelling a word, you have reprint your menus, which will cost you even more. Your QR code never changes, so your QR code menus never need to be reprinted! You just log in and correct your mistake and the change takes effect immediately.
Eliminates spending money on pricey design software
Everyone knows that designing a menu can be a pain and takes a lot of time. The first step in the process is purchasing a software tool that enables you to create a customized menu that harmonizes with the look and feel of your restaurant. Adobe Creative Cloud is generally the tool of choice; however, it comes with a hefty price tag. In order to have access to all adobe applications the cost is $79.99 per month for one license. If you just want to purchase on application the cost is $33.99 per month for one license. Perhaps you need a single license for yourself, your day manager and your night manager, the total cost of the full suite for all of these users would be $2,879.
Reduces time spent on developing menus, which manifests into lower labor costs
Who at your establishment handles the menu? Is it an hourly or salaried manager? How much time do they spend developing the menu? Do you change your menu daily, weekly, monthly, or seasonally? Who all provides input on the menu? All of these questions have one thing in common, time. And time is money. By offering a digital menu solution, you enable your staff to easily log into the website application and adjust menu items in real time. If you already have a menu created, these adjustments will already be in the aesthetic of your menu. This is much simpler and less time consuming than going to a computer, initiating software, messing around with design elements, and printing the menu. The beauty of the QR code menu is that your QR code never changes, so you do not need waste time printing or reprinting menus.
MenuSavvy provides a free digital menu solution that allows customers to access your menus digitally via customized QR menus You can build a menu on our platform and have your QR code printed and ready for display in your restaurant within minutes. Click here to get started.