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Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

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Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#221

Post by vmception »

saiya-jin wrote: post #204
vmception wrote: post #133

> Before the pandemic, I’d shudder at the sight of a restaurant table full of people all staring at their phones. I was always happy not to be them or be sitting with them. I always kept the lively conversation flowing at my table. I always thought this perspective was funny because it always assumed what the people on their phones were doing. The assumption is that they are disengaged with each other when it's just…

Same crap no matter what... can't believe I am feeling old school for actually wanting to interact with people eye to eye when meeting them. Luckily all our friends have same approach, so we either don't have phones with us at all (because why really), or somewhere in deep pocket and untouched for whole evening. Refreshing feeling, one should try it from time to time

you're only "old school" because you can't imagine the reasoning or are projecting what you would do with a phone and are avoiding. you are imagining that everyone else just showed up at that point and disengaged. could be the case, could not be, you can't distinguish and it isn't your role to. Healthier to assume they aren't disengaged, if you must assume anything.

other reasons I would have my phone with me would be for the uber/shared ride to and from the location, to potentially pay for the meal or incidentals, to potentially take photos, to share my location with someone looking for me usually in that group that hasn't arrived yet, or continue sharing my location to people I always do. I hear this last part is taboo, but maybe even text message someone.

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#222

Post by elric »

dual_dingo wrote: post #207
elric wrote: post #138

It's really simple: if I can't read your menu, I'm not eating. Goodbye. IIRC there's a law here that mandates a menu visible from outside the premises, it isn't always followed to the letter, but but most places comply, and it's a great way to avoid unpleasant pricing surprises. Same with paying. You don't accept cash or credit cards? Goodbye. You only accept apple pay or some other nonsense payment system? Goodbye.…

> And if you really insist on a silly QR menu, then at least include a human readable version of the URL. Seriously. It's not that hard. OK, here is the URL: > http://customer0931.incompetentagency.com/?location=2k12kx&i... Have fun :)

I would argue that doesn't quite qualify as human readable ... Surely something like https://restaurant.tld/menu would make more sense ...

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#223

Post by teddyh »

tluyben2 wrote: post #120
dheera wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ugh. Why can't we have both? First of all it takes a shitton of steps to scan a QR code if you don't have WeChat. On a default Android device you have to click 7 or 8 times to get into the QR scanner thingy inside Google Lens. I carry a 2nd phone with WeChat and I can scan things in 0 seconds flat, but most people don't have it around here in the US. And then many restaurants' QR menus just redirect you to their webs…

This must be a very personal experience as I recognize none of this and never heard this from anyone either. I think you just simply need a newer phone. I have a cheap Samsung and I live in a place where the sun is always on and usually no clouds, and yet I walk kilometers every day doing work on my phone. No issue reading anything. And like the others say: the camera app automatically and very robustly pics up qr co…

> I think you just simply need a newer phone.

“yeah I'll get right on that”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpQQohcHk9Q

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#224

Post by kall »

I‘m visually impaired and QR code menus have been a real boon to me. I‘m gonna be using my phone camera to read the menu either way, It‘s great when I don‘t have to keep the autofocus steady and illuminate half of a dark restaurant with the LED light.

Previously I would often try to find the menu on the website instead, but the QR codes are way more convenient. A direct link to the menu on the google maps listing is also pretty good.

Most importantly it has normalized my previously "weird" behaviour socially.

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#225

Post by lowercased »

elric wrote: post #222
dual_dingo wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And if you really insist on a silly QR menu, then at least include a human readable version of the URL. Seriously. It's not that hard. OK, here is the URL: > http://customer0931.incompetentagency.com/?location=2k12kx&i... Have fun :)

I would argue that doesn't quite qualify as human readable ... Surely something like https://restaurant.tld/menu would make more sense ...

After 20 years of web, I still see commercially printed URLs on signs/buildings/cars/etc that do not understand redirects.

I saw http://www.ourcompany.com/sub/registration.aspx on printed on a glass door the other day - looked like etching at first, but may have something else? This was at a local theater/event space, IIRC.

"ourcompany.com/register" is infinitely more understandable, and unsure why no one in the chain of command for that decision didn't press for something simpler. But they often don't (still). I remember seeing an email printed on a service truck back... 2002? 2003? "Email us as www.myservicename@yahoo.com". I never tried it - perhaps they actually had that email, but I suspect people were still in the habit of saying "www dot" before anything that had to do with "internet".

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#226

Post by lowercased »

NavinF wrote: post #220
elric wrote: post #138

It's really simple: if I can't read your menu, I'm not eating. Goodbye. IIRC there's a law here that mandates a menu visible from outside the premises, it isn't always followed to the letter, but but most places comply, and it's a great way to avoid unpleasant pricing surprises. Same with paying. You don't accept cash or credit cards? Goodbye. You only accept apple pay or some other nonsense payment system? Goodbye.…

> You don't accept cash or credit cards? Goodbye. Where did you encounter such a restaurant? I'd estimate that 99.9% of restaurants accept credit in the US based on the anecdote that I've only had to pay 1 restaurant in cash over the last decade. How would a restaurant refuse both credit and cash? Do they make you pay before eating?

> How would a restaurant refuse both credit and cash?

Might have been at a Czech place. ;)

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#227

Post by dagw »

_delirium wrote: post #58
qbasic_forever wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It varies on Android, some manufacturers ship custom camera apps that include automatic QR code detection and decoding. Many people don't even realize the Android they're using is really a highly-customized vendor skin and suite of apps. Samsung in particular does this, and its camera app auto recognizes QR codes.

I have a Pixel bought directly from the Google Store, so I assumed it'd have the most recent features, whatever they are! The Pixel 3a, though, doesn't seem to do anything special with QR codes, besides photographing them.

I have a Pixel 3a as well. I just point the default camera app at the QR codes and it pops up the relevant link every time.

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#228

Post by YarickR2 »

jbluepolarbear wrote: post #187
makach wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

this. I do not miss 400 options(!) nor the icky stick menus that sticks together like a 80's playboy magazine. Its good to see digital revolution embrace restaurants. I'd much rather struggle with my phone and my own grime than fiddling with the menu.

It’s hostile to the experience. It takes me out of why I went to a restaurant I the first place. I want to sit down and focus on my present company and forget about my digital life. This isn’t a new experience, Red Robin and Ruby Tuesday have/had a tablet checkout system that was a chore to use. I started removing restaurants that used similar systems from my rotation because they ruin the experience.

It's hostile to your experience; others (me included) find QR codes quite handy and saving time and efforts

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#229

Post by yoz-y »

IshKebab wrote: post #217
neither_color wrote: post #12

The worst thing about QR code menus is that they're often just a paper-sized PDF that you have to pinch and zoom around. If they could design QR code menus like responsive mobile sites inspired by food-ordering apps this wouldn't be an issue, they'd be even better than paper menus. When I was in China I enjoyed using their mobile menus. A common layout I saw was a narrow vertical bar on the left with categories(appet…

Every pandemic ordering system I've used has been a proper app or website. Surely you have to have that in order to actually enter your order? You can't click "buy" on a PDF.

Most bars/restaurants I've been to have menus but no ordering system, you order and pay as before.

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#230

Post by keymone »

RalfWausE wrote: post #87

First: I am from germany, so, my perspective may differ from other parts of the world... and due to the pandemic, my last meal eaten in an restaurant was in the early beginnig of 2020. But i really never, never encountered a menu via QR Code... why would anyone want this?! If you are going to eat out, then it is (at least with the people i know) considered ab-so-lu-tely rude to even get your phone out (unless you are…

where in germany are you? in HH it's about 50/50 these days on paper vs QR menus.
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