Why Restaurants Are Switching to Static QR Codes in 2025

Post-COVID, QR menus became a lifeline for restaurants. But in 2025, savvy owners are ditching dynamic QR services—and saving thousands. Here’s the secret they’re not telling you: If your menu lives on your website, dynamic codes are a scam.

The 3 Problems Killing Restaurants with Dynamic QR Codes

1. Hidden Costs for No Reason

Reality check: Dynamic QR platforms charge $15-50/month per location just to edit a link you rarely change.
“We paid $600/year to update our menu twice. It’s robbery.” – Marco, Pizza Napoli Owner

2. Menus Break When You Need Them Most

Dynamic QR codes rely on the provider’s servers. If they crash (or go bankrupt), your QR codes turn into dead pixels.
True story: When a well known QR Menu website shut down in 2023, 12K restaurants lost access overnight.

3. Overcomplicated Tech for Busy Staff

Why train chefs to navigate a dashboard when you can… just upload a PDF to your website?

The Static QR Code Solution (Used by Top NYC Restaurants)

Here’s the game-changer: Host your menu on your own website (e.g., yourdomain.com/menu.pdf) and link it via a static QR code. When you update the PDF, the QR code stays the same. No high costs. No middleman.

“But What If I Need to Change the Link?”

Myth busted: You don’t need dynamic QR codes for menu updates! Two options:

1. Update the file: Replace menu.pdf on your server (QR code stays identical).
2. Use a redirect: Point yourdomain.com/menu to any URL (e.g., new PDF, Google Doc).