Static QR codes: the URL is baked in
A static QR code contains the final URL itself. If you generate a code for myrestaurant.com/menu.pdf, that URL is literally encoded in the black and white pixels. When a guest scans it, their phone reads the URL and opens it.
What that means:
- No third-party service handles the scan
- No scan statistics of any kind
- No way to change it once it's printed
- Free to generate (any online tool will do it)
- Works for as long as the target URL stays online
Dynamic QR codes: a doorway to somewhere else
A dynamic QR code encodes a short intermediate URL (something like qr.qrmenupro.com/x7p2). That URL points to a server that redirects to the final address in real time.
What that means:
- The destination can be changed at any time (no reprinting)
- Scan statistics available (how many, when, from which country)
- Requires a third-party service to host the redirect
- Usually part of a subscription (QRMENUPRO and other platforms)
- Works for as long as the redirect service stays up
Side by side
| Criterion | Static | Dynamic |
|---|---|---|
| Editable after printing | No | Yes |
| Scan statistics | No | Yes |
| Depends on a service | No | Yes |
| Cost | Free | Subscription |
| QR code size | Bigger with a long URL | Smaller |
| Risk of breaking | Tied to your URL | Tied to the provider |
When static makes sense
There are a few situations where a static QR code is the right call:
- You run your own stable website with a menu URL that will never change (rare in practice)
- You want zero dependency on an outside provider (valid under strict security requirements, uncommon in hospitality)
- Short-term, limited use: a one-off event, a window display for a hiring day
When dynamic makes sense (almost always)
For a restaurant, a dynamic QR code is nearly always the right choice. Three reasons:
1. Your menu will change
Your menu URL will change sooner or later: new software, new domain, new URL structure. With a static code, you reprint everything. With a dynamic one, you update the destination in a single click.
2. You want the numbers
How many scans a day? At what time? From which countries? At which tables? That data is gold for fine-tuning your service, and static codes simply can't give it to you.
3. You can break it down by table
One dynamic code per table tells you which tables get the most activity — and if you connect it to your POS, it can pre-fill the table number on a remote order.
"We saw the sunny side of the terrace getting 3x more lunchtime scans than the shaded side. So we moved our best server over there." — Marc, brasserie in Marseille
The "free dynamic QR code" trap
Be wary of services offering "free dynamic QR codes for life". The economics don't add up: either they sell your scan data, or they inject ads into the redirect, or they shut down after 18 months and your codes go dead.
Go with a paid, transparent provider instead (around €9/month for QRMENUPRO), where you know who hosts the redirect, who owns the data, and who has a long-term reason to keep the service running.
Key takeaways
- Static: URL baked into the code, unchangeable, free, no stats
- Dynamic: redirected URL, editable, paid, with stats
- For a restaurant: dynamic 99% of the time
- Main benefits: flexibility, statistics, per-table tracking
- Avoid "free for life" services: risk of shutdown or ads
- A transparent paid service means long-term peace of mind