How it works
From your first menu to your first order
MenuBeacon works in eight simple steps: create an account, build or import your menu, generate table QR codes, print them, and let guests scan, order, and pay while your kitchen dashboard updates live. Here is exactly what happens at each step.
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Step 1
AccountCreate your free account
Sign up with an email address. No credit card. Add your restaurant name, logo, and brand colors so the menu looks like yours from the first scan.
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Step 2
Menu size variesBuild or import your menu
Add sections and items with prices, photos, and dietary tags. On Pro, the owner can upload a menu photo or PDF and review the AI-extracted draft before saving it, or use the separate CSV import.
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Step 3
Table setupGenerate table QR codes
Create table-specific QR codes, style them with your colors and logo, then download supported print assets and table cards.
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Step 4
Before servicePrint and place them
Print at home or use a print shop. Ordinary menu changes keep using the same code; deleting or rotating a table code is a separate security action.
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Step 5
Guest flowGuests scan, browse, and order
Guests open the menu in their phone browser with no app or account. On every plan they can add items, choose modifiers, and send an order.
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Step 6
ServiceTrack orders through the kitchen
Confirmed tickets appear on the live kitchen dashboard. Waiter calls and bill requests appear in the restaurant workflow too.
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Step 7
Plan + editionChoose how guests pay
Free supports cash or pay-at-counter. On Pro in the US, UK, and EU editions, restaurants can connect Stripe for card and wallet payments, tips, and equal splits.
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Step 8
After serviceReview what happened
Analytics cover scans and restaurant activity. Advanced views, loyalty, gift cards, and reports depend on the plan and workflows in use.
What guests see
Scan the code. Open the menu.
Guests point their phone camera at the code and tap the link. A mobile-first menu opens with your branding, photos, dietary filters, and an order button — on every plan, including Free. No app store or guest account is required.
- Works in supported phone browsers with no download
- Responsive menu designed for mobile screens
- Restaurant-supplied dietary and allergen information
- Waiter call and bill request buttons available
Setup questions
How long does it take to set up MenuBeacon?
It depends on the size of your menu and how you add it. Creating the restaurant and generating table QR codes is a short guided flow; building a large menu manually takes longer, while available import tools can reduce data entry.
Do I need to reprint QR codes when the menu changes?
Not for ordinary menu edits. The table QR keeps pointing to the live menu, so saved price, item, and availability changes appear through the same code. Deleting or deliberately rotating a table code is different.
What do guests see when they scan?
A fast, mobile-first menu in their phone browser with your logo and colors, sections, photos, prices, dietary tags, and an order button on every plan.
Can I try card payments before paying?
Pro is month to month with no contract: upgrade for $20, connect Stripe, take card payments at the table, and cancel anytime if it is not for you. Everything on Free — menus, ordering, and the kitchen dashboard — keeps working after you cancel.
Set up your menu. Test your first table.
Add your dishes, print your table QR codes, and try an order. The Free plan does not expire, and no credit card is required.
Start freeWant to look around first? Open the live demo — a sample restaurant, no sign-up needed.
Free forever · Pro $20/mo with a 30-day money-back guarantee · No commission
