Dive Brief:
- Over 45% of consumers said they aren’t comfortable using QR codes via their mobile phones to view menus, order and pay, according to a survey from William Blair.
- Consumers are becoming less comfortable with the technology over time, with 43% saying they felt uncomfortable during a December survey, which bumped up to 47% during a March survey.
- Among those most uncomfortable using this technology are consumers over the age of 60, with 65% saying they weren’t comfortable viewing menus and ordering at restaurants in this manner.
Dive Insight:
QR codes are becoming increasingly popular among restaurant operators as they seek ways to improve labor efficiency in the front of house. Allowing customers to order and pay would alleviate pressure from servers who could focus on bringing food and drinks to the table rather than spending time taking orders, experts previously told Restaurant Dive. But a lack of comfort among certain populations could crimp some operators’ plans.
William Blair’s data is inline with the National Restaurant Association’s findings in its State of the Restaurant Industry 2023 report, which revealed that 46% of baby boomers were interested in accessing menus on their phones via a QR code versus 73% of Gen Z adults. Baby boomers also are less willing to use contactless or mobile pay options (57%) and only 53% said they would order and pay using a smartphone app.
While older consumers are not comfortable with the technology, younger adults, those aged 18 to 29, were among the most comfortable. Thirty-eight percent of this demographic said they would use the technology versus 23% within that age group who weren’t comfortable with this ordering method, according to William Blair’s survey. Comparatively, 29% of those aged 30 to 44 were comfortable using the technology, while only 6% of consumers aged 45 to 60 said they were willing to use QR codes.
