More People Than You Might Think Find Restaurant "QR Code Ordering" Difficult
QR Code Ordering Spread Rapidly During the COVID-19 Pandemic
You scan a QR code placed on a restaurant table with your smartphone and order from the menu on the screen. What triggered the rapid spread of this style in Japan was the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 onward.
Because you can order without contact, it serves as an infection control measure. There is no need to reuse paper menus. It saves staff the effort of going to the table to take orders. For a restaurant industry struggling with labor shortages, QR code ordering was a solution that killed three birds with one stone.
Adoption advanced mainly at major chain restaurants, and QR code ordering then spread to restaurants of various genres, such as izakaya pubs, family restaurants, cafés, and yakiniku restaurants.
"Finding QR Code Ordering Difficult" Is Not a Minority View
QR code ordering seems convenient, but in fact quite a few people find it "difficult" or "a hassle."
Elderly people: For elderly people who are unfamiliar with operating a smartphone in the first place, the series of steps of scanning the QR code, then opening the menu in the browser, then choosing items, then adding them to the cart, then confirming the order is too complicated. Voices saying "I want to order verbally from the staff" remain deep-rooted.
People without smartphones: There are also children and people who deliberately choose not to own a smartphone. When a group visits a restaurant, not everyone necessarily has a smartphone.
Dead batteries: If your smartphone's battery has run out, you cannot even place an order. Some people feel uncomfortable with a situation where "you need a charged smartphone in order to have a meal."
Network conditions: In basement restaurants or places with weak signals, even if you can scan the QR code, the menu page takes a long time to load. Many people have probably had the frustrating experience of the order screen taking forever to appear.
Cases Where Overseas Travelers Struggle
QR code ordering can also be a barrier for foreign travelers visiting Japan.
There are quite a few restaurants where the menu reached by scanning the QR code is only in Japanese and does not support English or Chinese. A menu with photos is still manageable, but with a text-only menu, you cannot tell what you are ordering.
In addition, there are cases where Japanese QR code ordering systems do not work well on foreign smartphones. Payment methods may also be limited to Japanese cashless payment services (PayPay, Rakuten Pay, and so on), so that foreign credit cards cannot be used.
Multilingual support and support for diverse payment methods are important challenges for restaurants that want to capture inbound tourism demand.
The Surprising Benefits of QR Code Ordering
While some people find it difficult, QR code ordering also has benefits of its own.
You can choose at your own pace: There is no anxiety about keeping the staff waiting. You can look through the menu carefully and zoom in on photos of dishes that interest you. You are freed from the pressure of "the staff came even though I have not decided yet."
Fewer ordering mistakes: With verbal orders, "mishearing" and "misspeaking" happen, but because you confirm the items you selected on the screen before finalizing the order, mistakes are reduced.
Easier to order more: There is no need to call the staff with "excuse me," and you can place additional orders from your smartphone at any time. There is none of the stress of staff not coming for a long time when it is crowded.
Easier to check allergy information: Allergy information, which tends to be written in small print on paper menus, can be zoomed in and checked on a smartphone screen.
The Ideal Is Being Able to "Choose"
Rather than debating the pros and cons of QR code ordering, isn't the important thing "having options"?
At restaurants that support both QR code ordering and verbal ordering, people who are used to smartphones can order with the QR code, and those who find it difficult can order by speaking to the staff. Instead of being forced into one or the other, customers can choose the method that suits them. This is the ideal form.
In fact, some restaurants have introduced QR code ordering while also informing customers that "if you call us over, you can also order verbally." When introducing technology, the fundamental premise is not leaving anyone behind.