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Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

(slate.com)
527 points lxm | 1 comments | 29 Jun 21 03:25 UTC | HN request time: 0.212s | source
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sksksk ◴[29 Jun 21 08:51 UTC] No.27673432[source]▶
When they work well, they're really good, but when they work badly, they're _really_ bad.

The other week, I went for dinner at a place that had a online ordering system. My experience was as follows...

Arrive at the table, scan the QR code

No phone signal in the restaurant, so I need to connect to the wifi.

Connect to the wifi, get a captive portal

Need to put my phone number in to connect to the wifi; there is no signal, so I need to go outside, to receieve the confirmation code.

Connected to the wifi, scan the code again, choose my food.

Go to pay, need to register an account

Put my email address in, I already have an account on this food ordering service!?

Do a password reset

Put in my credit card details (why not use apple pay?).

This whole time, we're sat at a table, in theory to meet friends, but we've spent the first 15 minutes all glued to our phones!

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mxmlndr ◴[29 Jun 21 09:19 UTC] No.27673592[source]▶
I had a completely different situation last year. Checked in via QR (no account needed), ordered my drinks, got them quick, could also pay them with PayPal. The last thing was great because I hate waiting for a waiter to get my bill and pay it. And I could add tips in this 'app' as well. But maybe I was just lucky that my first experience with QR-codes in a restaurant was so positive.
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1. conductr ◴[29 Jun 21 14:47 UTC] No.27676568[source]▶
It's been hit and miss. I've had good and bad. The best I've found are;

1. QR code to PDF of full actual menu. If they direct you to a HTML page is usually awful and is accordion based mobile UI that involves a bunch of clicking in and out. A PDF can be zoomed in/out but all the content is right there.

2. QR code to pay. This is great when it comes on your bill and you can just pay and leave. However, if it allows Apple pay it's very smooth. Unfortunately, most of the systems involve a web based checkout flow including manual credit card entry and capturing more info than is really needed (email/phone) so they can spam you later.