QR Codes are Quickly Becoming the ​Go-To Link Between Our ​Physical ​and Digital Worlds

​Largely ignored in the US for years, QR codes are proving daily how much of a productive and trusted asset they are to restaurant owners in today’s unpredictable market climate. The pandemic has seen a huge increase in the use of QR codes across food and beverage, hospitality, and retail. Now that many brands are using QR codes to enable contactless experiences, these little square matrix barcodes are appearing everywhere. ​ QR codes are quickly becoming the go-to link between our physical and digital worlds. With eight out of ten people carrying a smartphone camera in their pockets, consumer demand for touch-free experiences is skyrocketing. Customers are utilizing QR codes because they use their “own smartphone” to self-manage a variety of experiences and services (paperless menus, place orders, scan-and-pay at the POS, web-based payments, leave cashless tips, receive paperless receipts, gain loyalty points, trigger curbside pick-up, and more). The overall contactless payment market is expected to surpass $4.6 trillion by 2027, with North America poised to be the leading market for QR code-based transactions. * ​ As restaurants move to cloud-based technology platforms, QR codes are becoming a necessity for both staff and customers for increasing productivity, reducing errors, and improving service levels and satisfaction.