You've decided to put your menu on the phone. Good call.

Most owners we talk to think it'll take a week, need a tech person, or disrupt service for days. It doesn't have to. With the right prep and a done-for-you setup, most independent cafés and restaurants can go live in one working day.

This isn't about replacing anything you already have on the table. It's about giving customers a better way to browse, see photos, check prices, and decide, while you update items from your phone in real time.

Here's the checklist we give owners before launch day.

Block 1: Gather your menu assets (Morning, ~1 Hour)

Your digital menu should look structured and visual, not like a blurry PDF photo. Customers already browse that way on delivery apps. Your dine-in menu should feel the same.

What to collect before you send anything to menuPe:

• ☐ Full category list with item names, descriptions, and prices (half/full, add-ons, combos included)
• ☐ Veg / non-veg / egg labels on every applicable item
• ☐ GST-inclusive or exclusive pricing, pick one and stay consistent across the board
• ☐ Seasonal or weekend-only items flagged separately
• ☐ Photos for hero items, bestsellers and high-margin dishes you want to push this month

Don't wait for a professional shoot. Pull photos from Instagram, customer tags, or a clean phone shot from the pass. A good photo of your signature pasta or cold coffee beats a perfect studio shot you never get around to scheduling.

Block 2: Brief your team (Mid-Morning, ~20 Minutes)

A digital menu only works if your floor team knows it exists and mentions it naturally.

One team huddle. Cover these four things:

• ☐ Where the QR codes are placed (table, counter, entrance)
• ☐ The one-liner: "Menu's on the code, photos and today's specials are all there."
• ☐ Who marks items sold out during service (owner, manager, or shift lead)
• ☐ What to do if a customer prefers to ask verbally (help them, don't make it awkward)

You're not forcing anyone to scan. You're making it easy for the customers who already want to browse on their phone.

Block 3: QR placement checklist (Afternoon, ~45 Minutes)

Placement determines scan rate. Scan rate determines whether launch week feels like a win or a waste.

Where to put your menuPe QR codes (in priority order):

• ☐ Every table, table-mounted codes get the most scans because customers are seated and ready to decide
• ☐ Entrance standee, for walk-ins still choosing whether to sit
• ☐ Counter / billing area, essential for takeaway and quick-service formats
• ☐ Takeaway bag sticker, turns one-time diners into repeat scanners

Before you print standees:

• ☐ Test on Android and iPhone, on mobile data (3G/4G), not just restaurant Wi-Fi
• ☐ Confirm the correct outlet loads if you run multiple locations
• ☐ Add "Scan for Menu" above the code so it's obvious what the QR does

Block 4: menuPe handoff and same-day go-live (Late Afternoon)

With menuPe's done-for-you setup, you send assets and the team builds your structured menu, categories, photos, prices, veg labels, then delivers print-ready QR artwork.

Handoff checklist:

• ☐ Share item list (Excel, Word, PDF, or clear WhatsApp photos of your current menu)
• ☐ Send food photos in one batch; label filenames if possible
• ☐ Confirm name, address, phone, and hours for the menu header
• ☐ Flag daily-changing items (chef's special) so you know how to update them yourself later
• ☐ Review the live menu on your phone before codes go to print

Target: assets in by noon, menu live by evening. Price change at 4 PM? Update from your phone. Item sold out at lunch? Toggle it off before the next cover sits down.

Block 5: Launch week KPIs (Days 1–7)

Treat the first week like a soft opening. You're not judging success on day one. You're watching patterns.

• ☐ Daily scans, are tables using the code, or is placement the bottleneck?
• ☐ Top viewed items, do photos and category order match what you want to sell?
• ☐ Sold-out toggles, mark unavailable items during service, not at billing
• ☐ One launch coupon, test a simple weekday offer visible on the digital menu
• ☐ Average order value, week 1 vs prior month, even a small lift tells you something
• ☐ Customer feedback, ask five guests if the menu was easy to browse on their phone

Your one-day timeline

1. 9 AM. Finalize items, prices, photos.
2. 10 AM. Brief your team on the one-liner and sold-out process.
3. 12 PM. Send asset pack to menuPe.
4. 3 PM. Review live menu on your phone.
5. 4 PM. Print and place QR standees.
6. 6 PM. Open with your digital menu live.
7. Days 2–7. Track scans, top items, coupon redemptions, and AOV.

What to update from day one

Going live is not the finish line. It's when the useful part starts.

Before every lunch rush: check sold-out flags from yesterday, update chef's special, confirm festival banner is live if you're running one.

During service: mark items sold out the moment the kitchen says stop, not when the third customer asks for it.

After close: note which items got the most views, reorder categories next week if your star dish is buried on page four.

The bottom line

You don't need a tech project. You need one hour of asset prep, a team huddle, QR codes in the right spots, and one week of watching what customers actually click on.

menuPe handles the build. You handle the kitchen. Your customers get a menu that loads fast, looks good, and stays accurate through the rush.

Ready to go live? Get started with menuPe, free core menu, done-for-you setup, and print-ready QR codes delivered fast.