Tutorial: How to Create a Designed Menu

A comprehensive guide to creating and customizing a beautiful digital menu for your restaurant using the QR Menu system.

Time Required

30-60 minutes for your first menu

Skill Level

Beginner friendly

What You'll Learn

Complete menu creation from start to finish

Table of Contents

Introduction

What is a Designed Menu?

A designed menu is an interactive, fully customizable digital menu that you build from scratch using our visual editor. Unlike uploaded menus (where you simply upload a PDF), designed menus give you complete control over:

  • Layout and appearance
  • Colors and fonts
  • Individual menu items
  • Real-time updates
  • Multilingual support
  • Advanced features like dietary options and order buttons

What You'll Achieve

By the end of this tutorial, you'll have:

  1. Created your restaurant in the system
  2. Built a complete menu with sections and items
  3. Customized the design to match your brand
  4. Published your menu with a unique URL and QR code
  5. Learned how to maintain and update your menu

Creating Your Restaurant

Before you can design a menu, you need to create a restaurant entry in the system.

Access Restaurant Management

  1. Log in to your account
  2. You will be redirected to your restaurant dashboard

Add a New Restaurant

Click on Add Restaurant at the bottom of the page. A multi-step modal will appear.

Step 1: Restaurant Details

Display Title:
  • This is how your restaurant name appears to customers
  • Example: "Joe's Italian Kitchen"
  • Can include spaces, special characters, and capitalization
  • This is what customers see at the top of your menu
Web Address:
  • This creates your unique menu URL (subdomain)
  • Format: yourname.quericomenu.com
Requirements:
  • Use only lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens
  • Must start and end with a letter or number
  • Maximum 63 characters
  • Must be unique (system will validate availability)

Example: If you enter "joes-italian", your URL becomes joes-italian.quericomenu.com

Important: Choose carefully! Changing this later will break printed QR codes

Step 2: Menu Setup

Menu Type:

Choose Designed (not Uploaded). This enables the full menu editor with customization options.

WhatsApp Number (Optional):
  • Add your WhatsApp business number
  • Customers can contact you directly
  • Format: Include country code (e.g., +1234567890)

Step 3: Review

Review all your information and click Save to finish.

Your restaurant is now created! You'll see it appear in your restaurant list.

Accessing the Menu Editor

Now that your restaurant exists, it's time to design your menu.

Opening the Editor

  1. Find your restaurant card in the restaurant list
  2. Click on
  3. Select Design from the dropdown menu

Understanding the Interface

The menu editor has two main panels:

Desktop View

  • Left Panel: Menu editor with sections, items, and controls
  • Right Panel: Live mobile preview of your menu

Mobile View

  • Toggle between Editor and Preview tabs using the footer buttons
  • Edit in one view, preview in the other

Setting Up Menu Information

Before adding items, configure your basic menu information.

Edit Menu Info

Click on Edit Menu Info at the top of the editor panel.

Restaurant Name/Title

  • Your restaurant name as it appears in the menu
  • This is the same as your Display Title when you created your restaurant
  • Appears at the top of the customer-facing menu

Logo Upload (Optional)

  • Upload your restaurant logo
  • Supported formats: JPEG, PNG, WebP
  • Appears at the top of your menu, replacing the restaurant name
Tips:
  • Use a square or rectangular logo
  • Minimum 200x200 pixels recommended
  • Keep file size under 2MB for fast loading
  • Use the PNG format with a transparent background

Header Text (Optional)

  • Welcome message or announcement
  • Appears below the logo/name
  • Example: "Welcome to our family restaurant! All dishes made fresh daily."
  • Support multiple lines

Footer Text (Optional)

  • Contact information, hours, or closing message
  • Appears at the bottom of your menu
  • Example: "Open Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-10pm | Call for reservations: (555) 123-4567"
Click Update to apply your changes.

Building Your Menu Structure

Now comes the fun part: building your actual menu with sections and items.

Creating Sections

Sections organize your menu (e.g., "Appetizers", "Main Courses", "Desserts", "Beverages").

Add Your First Section

  1. Click on New Section
  2. A modal appears with the following fields:
Section Name (Required):
  • Example: "Appetizers", "Main Courses", "Drinks"
  • Keep it clear and simple
Section Header Text (Optional):
  • Brief description that appears at the top of the section
  • Example: "Start your meal with these delicious starters"
Section Footer Text (Optional):
  • Additional notes at the bottom of the section
  • Example: "All appetizers are served with house sauce"
  1. Click Add to add the section

Managing Sections

Reordering:
  • Click and drag the grip icon on the left of each section
  • Drop it in the desired position
  • Order changes appear immediately in the preview
Editing:
  • Click the section's gear icon
  • Select Edit Section
  • Modify any field and update
Hiding/Showing:
  • → Hide Section or Show Section
  • Hidden sections don't appear to customers but remain in your editor
  • Useful for seasonal menus or out-of-stock items
Deleting:
  • → Delete Section
  • Confirm the deletion
Warning: This also deletes all items in the section

Adding Menu Items

Items are the individual dishes, drinks, or products in your menu.

Add Your First Item

  1. Click the section's gear icon where you want to add an item
  2. Select Add Item
  3. A form appears with these fields:
Item Name (Required):
  • The dish or product name
  • Example: "Margherita Pizza", "Grilled Salmon"
  • Keep it concise but descriptive
Description (Optional but Recommended):
  • Describe the dish
  • List key ingredients or preparation method
  • Example: "Fresh mozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes, basil, extra virgin olive oil"
  • Good descriptions increase orders!
Price (Required):
  • Enter the price without currency symbol
  • Example: 12.99 or 15
Dietary Information:

Check the boxes that apply:

  • Gluten-Free: For items without gluten
  • Vegetarian: No meat or fish
  • Vegan: No animal products
Image (Optional but Recommended):
  • Click Choose Image
  • Supported formats: JPEG, PNG, WebP
Tips for great food photos:
  • Use natural lighting when possible
  • Show the dish from a slight angle (not directly overhead)
  • Keep the background simple
  • High resolution (at least 800x800 pixels)
  • File size under 5MB
  1. Click Add to add the item

Managing Items

Reordering:
  • Drag the grip icon to rearrange items within a section, or to move it to a different section.
  • Items appear in the order you set
Editing:
  • Click the item's three-dot menu
  • Select Edit Item
  • Modify any field (including replacing images)
Hiding/Showing:
  • → Hide Item or Show Item
  • Hidden items don't appear to customers
  • Perfect for sold-out or seasonal items
Deleting:
  • → Delete Item
  • Confirm deletion
  • Images are also removed

Building Out Your Menu

Repeat this process to create all your sections and items. A typical restaurant menu might have:

3-8 sections
5-15 items per section
Don't worry about perfection now, you can always edit, reorder, or change anything later.

Customizing Your Design

This is where your menu becomes uniquely yours. The design settings let you customize colors, fonts, and layout to match your brand.

Accessing Design Settings

Click on in the editor toolbar, next to . This opens the Settings modal.

Layout Options

Choose between two layout styles.

Card Layout (Recommended)

  • Modern, visual design
  • Each item appears in a card
  • Images are prominent
  • More spacing between items
  • Best for menus with images

List Layout

  • Traditional, compact design
  • Items listed one after another
  • Less spacing, more items visible at once
  • Good for text-heavy menus
The preview updates immediately when you change layouts.

Color Customization

Customize eight different color elements to match your brand

Elements You Can Customize
Title Text Color: Your restaurant name at the top
Header Text Color: Welcome message and header text
Section Title Color: Section headings
Section Border Color: Dividing lines between sections
Item Name Color: Individual dish names
Item Description Color: Description text below item names
Item Price Color: Price text
Background Color: Page background
Using the Color Picker
  • Click any color box to open the picker
  • Choose from the palette or enter a hex code
  • Changes appear instantly in the preview
  • Click outside the picker or 'Done' to close
Color Tips
  • Maintain good contrast (dark text on light background)
  • Use 2-3 main brand colors consistently
  • Test readability on different devices
  • Consider your restaurant's atmosphere (elegant, casual, modern, rustic)

Typography Settings

Customize fonts for different text elements. Each element has its own typography controls

Elements You Can Customize

  • Title (restaurant name)
  • Header/Footer text
  • Section titles
  • Item names
  • Item descriptions
  • Body text (general content)

Typography Controls

Font Family:
  • Choose from curated serif, sans-serif, or decorative fonts
  • Preview updates in real-time
Font Size:
  • Ranges from small to extra large
  • Maintain readability and hierarchy
Font Weight & Style:
  • Light, Normal, Bold
  • Italic works well for descriptions or quotes
Text Alignment & Transform:
  • Align left, center, or right
  • Transform: none, uppercase, lowercase, capitalize
Line Height:
  • Adjust spacing between lines for readability
  • Tighter for headings, looser for paragraphs

Typography Best Practices

Font Pairing: Use decorative fonts for titles and simple fonts for body text. Max 3 fonts.
Hierarchy: Title largest, section titles medium bold, items medium normal, descriptions smaller lighter.
Readability: Minimum 14px for body text, line height 1.5–1.8, clear contrast.
Consistency: Keep similar elements styled the same way.

Saving Design Changes

After customizing colors and fonts, click Apply All Changes in the editor to apply them to your live menu.

Advanced Features

Multilingual Menus

Offer your menu in multiple languages with automatic or manual translations.

Setting Up Languages

  • Click on in the editor toolbar, next to . This opens the Settings modal.
  • Under Language Settings, add or remove languages. By default, all languages are enabled
  • Choose a default language (usually your primary language)
Language Switcher
  • Appears in the editor
  • Switch between languages to edit translations
  • Each language can have different text for menu info, section names/descriptions, and item names/descriptions
Translation Indicators
  • Fields show if content is translated or using default
  • Help text indicates when you're overriding default language content
Translation Workflow
Default Language Mode:
  • Edit your content normally, this is the source content. Automatic translations will use this language as the source.
Secondary Language Mode:
  • Switch to another language
  • Fields show the automatic translations from default language
  • Options:
    • Manual Translation: Type the translation yourself
    • Auto-Translation: Keep the default automatic translation
Customer Experience:
  • Language selector appears at the top of the menu
  • Customers choose their preferred language
  • Menu updates instantly
Tips:
  • Keep translations accurate, use professional translators if needed
  • Some items (like dish names) might not translate well, that's okay. By default translated item names will not be used.
  • Test each language thoroughly

Order Buttons (Optional)

Enable customers to build an order directly from your menu.

Enabling

  • Go to Settings in the editor
  • Enable "Display Order Buttons"
  • Save changes

How It Works

  • Each item gets quantity controls (+ and -)
  • Customers add items to a running order
  • Order summary shows at the bottom
  • Total price calculates automatically

Use Cases

  • Sharing desired items with staff
Note: This feature doesn't process payments, it's for displaying orders that customers can share or communicate to staff.

Dietary Information Display

When items are tagged with dietary information:

Legend Display
  • Icons appear at the top of your menu
  • Shows: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan
  • Helps customers quickly identify options
Item Tags
  • Icons appear next to tagged items
  • Clear visual indicators
Tips:
  • Be accurate with dietary tags
  • Include allergen warnings in descriptions
  • Note if items can be modified (e.g., "can be made vegan")

Previewing Your Menu

The preview panel is your best friend while designing.

Real-Time Preview

As you make changes in the editor:

Instant Updates

Preview updates immediately

Customer View

Shows exactly what customers see

Mobile-First

Mobile-first design (most customers use phones)

Testing Your Menu

Before publishing, thoroughly test:

Content
  • Check all text for typos and accuracy
  • Verify all prices
  • Confirm descriptions are clear and appetizing
Images
  • Ensure all images load properly
  • Check image quality and consistency
  • Verify images match their items
Navigation
  • Test scrolling through sections
  • Check section navigation
  • Verify dietary icons work
Responsive Design
  • Test on actual mobile devices if possible
  • Check different screen sizes
  • Ensure text is readable
Languages (if multilingual)
  • Switch between each language
  • Verify translations appear correctly
  • Check that language selector works
Order Buttons (if enabled)
  • Add items to order
  • Check quantity controls
  • Verify total calculates correctly
Remember: Most customers view your menu on mobile phones. The preview shows mobile view because that's what matters most.

Saving and Publishing

Saving Your Changes

When you're happy with your menu:

Save Process

Click on Save All Changes in the editor toolbar

The system performs a batch update including:

  • All sections
  • All items
  • All design settings
  • All translations

Wait for the confirmation message

Your menu is now live!

Understanding Batch Updates

The system collects all your changes and saves them together:

Efficient

More efficient than saving each change individually

Consistent

Prevents inconsistent states

Transparent

Shows progress indicator while saving

Unsaved Changes Warning

If you try to leave the editor with unsaved changes:

Browser Alert

Browser shows a warning dialog

Confirmation

Confirms you want to leave without saving

Protection

Prevents accidental data loss

Best Practice: Save frequently, especially after major changes.

Your Menu is Live

Once saved, your menu is immediately available:

Unique URL

At your unique URL (yourname.quericomenu.com)

QR Code

Via QR code

Instant

No additional publishing step needed

That's it! Your changes are live and visible to customers immediately after saving.

Sharing Your Menu

Now that your menu is ready, share it with customers!

Getting Your Menu URL

Restaurant Dashboard

  • Navigate to the Restaurant Dashboard
  • Locate the card belonging to your restaurant
  • This contains the URL customers use
  • Format: https://yourname.quericomenu.com

Sharing the Link

Copy the URL from the card

Share via:

  • Social media
  • Email
  • Website
  • Text message
  • Printed materials

Generating QR Codes

Create QR Code

  1. → Generate QR Code
  2. Opens the QR code generator page
  3. Your unique QR code displays
  4. Download options:
    • PNG image
    • SVG image

Using QR Codes

  • Print on table tents
  • Add to printed menus as backup
  • Display at entrance
  • Include on business cards
  • Add to promotional materials
QR Code Tips:
  • Test the QR code before mass printing
  • Use high resolution for printing
  • Ensure adequate white space around the code
  • Include a call-to-action: "Scan for our menu"

Updating Your Menu

The beauty of digital menus:

Easy Updates

Update anytime in the editor

Instant Changes

Changes appear immediately

QR Never Changes

QR codes never need reprinting (unless you change the web address)

Always Current

Customers always see the current menu

No reprinting needed! Make unlimited updates without worrying about outdated printed materials.

Maintaining Your Menu

Keep your menu fresh and accurate with regular maintenance.

Regular Updates

Adding Seasonal Items

  1. Open the editor
  2. Create a new section (e.g., "Summer Specials") or add to existing
  3. Add seasonal items
  4. Save changes
  5. Remove when season ends

Updating Prices

  1. Edit the affected items
  2. Change prices
  3. Save, customers see new prices immediately

Refreshing Images

  1. Edit items
  2. Upload new photos
  3. Better photography = more orders!

Adding New Items

  • Regularly expand your menu
  • Feature new dishes
  • Keep customers interested

Using Hide/Show Features

Manage availability without deleting items:

Temporarily Unavailable

  • Hide items that are out of stock
  • Hide sections for time-based availability (breakfast only, dinner only)
  • Show them again when available

Seasonal Availability

  • Hide seasonal items off-season
  • Show them when season returns
  • Keeps your menu organized without recreating items
Benefits:
  • Quick updates without restructuring
  • Keep item history and images
  • Easy to reverse

Menu Maintenance Schedule

Stay on top of your menu with this maintenance routine:

Daily
  • Check for sold-out items
  • Hide unavailable items
Weekly
  • Review prices
  • Update specials
  • Check for typos or issues
Monthly
  • Refresh images if needed
  • Review menu organization
  • Analyze what's popular
  • Consider adding trending items
Seasonally
  • Add/remove seasonal sections
  • Update header text for holidays
  • Refresh design if needed
Pro Tip: Set calendar reminders for your maintenance schedule to ensure your menu always looks its best!

Best Practices

Expert tips to create an exceptional digital menu experience.

Design Best Practices

Color Schemes

  • Use 2-3 primary colors from your brand
  • Ensure high contrast (dark text on light background)

Consider color psychology:

  • ●Red/Orange: Energy, appetite stimulation
  • ●Green: Fresh, healthy, organic
  • ●Blue: Trust, calm
  • ●Brown/Earth tones: Natural, rustic, comfort

Typography

  • Readable fonts over decorative fonts
  • Consistent hierarchy (title > sections > items)
  • Adequate size for mobile viewing
  • Limit font families to 2-3 maximum

Layout

  • Use card layout if you have good images
  • Use list layout for text-heavy, traditional menus
  • Consistent spacing throughout
  • Group related items together

Images

  • Use high-quality, professional photos
  • Consistent style and lighting across all images
  • Show the actual dish (no stock photos)
  • Consider investing in professional food photography
  • Not every item needs an image, highlight your stars

White Space

  • Don't overcrowd the menu
  • Let items breathe
  • Adequate padding around elements
  • Easier to read = more orders

Content Best Practices

Item Names

  • Clear and descriptive
  • Include key ingredients or style

Examples:

  • Good "Grilled Atlantic Salmon"
  • Better "Herb-Crusted Atlantic Salmon"
  • Not "Fish Dish #3"

Descriptions

  • Concise but enticing
  • Highlight unique aspects
  • Include preparation method
  • List key ingredients
  • Mention sides or accompaniments

Example:

"Grilled to perfection and topped with a lemon butter sauce. Served with seasonal vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes."

Pricing

  • Clear and consistent formatting
  • Include prices for transparency

Section Organization

  • Logical flow (appetizers → mains → desserts)
  • Group similar items
  • Consider customer journey
  • Not too many sections (3-8 is typical)

Dietary Information

  • Accurate tagging
  • Include common allergens in descriptions
  • Note modification options

Example:

"Can be made gluten-free upon request"

Mobile Optimization

Most customers view menus on mobile devices, optimize accordingly:

Design for Mobile First

  • 80%+ of customers view menus on phones
  • Test on actual mobile devices
  • Optimize images for mobile bandwidth

Readability

  • Adequate font sizes
  • Good contrast
  • Short paragraphs
  • Avoid tiny text

Performance

  • Optimize image file sizes
  • System handles this automatically, but start with reasonable sizes
  • Fast loading = better experience
Remember: If it works well on mobile, it will work perfectly on desktop. Design mobile-first!

Brand Consistency

Match Your Restaurant

  • Colors reflect your brand
  • Font style matches your atmosphere (elegant, casual, modern)
  • Image style is consistent
  • Language and tone match your vibe

Update Regularly

  • Keep content fresh
  • Remove outdated items
  • Update seasonal references
  • Maintain accuracy

Test Everything

  • Before major launches, test thoroughly
  • Get feedback from staff
  • Try it yourself as a customer
  • Fix issues before customers see them
Excellence is consistency: A well-maintained menu with consistent branding builds trust and enhances the customer experience.

Troubleshooting

Quick solutions to common issues.

Common Issues and Solutions

Find fast fixes for the most frequent problems:

Images Not Uploading
  • Check file size: Maximum 5MB recommended
  • Check format: Use JPEG, PNG, or WebP
  • Check internet connection: Stable connection required
  • Resize image: Use online tools to reduce file size
Changes Not Saving
  • Check internet connection: Must be stable
  • Click Save button: Changes aren't automatic
  • Check for errors: Red error messages indicate problems
Translations Not Working
  • Verify language settings: Check languages are properly configured
  • Switch language in editor: Confirm content in each language
  • Save after translating: Changes must be saved
  • Check customer view: Test actual menu with language selector
QR Code Not Scanning
  • Test QR code: Use multiple QR code readers
  • Check URL: Verify it matches your restaurant
  • Regenerate: Create a new QR code
  • Print quality: Ensure high resolution and contrast
  • Size matters: QR code must be large enough (minimum 2x2cm)
Menu Not Loading
  • Check URL: Verify correct web address
  • Clear browser cache: Force reload (Ctrl+Shift+R or Cmd+Shift+R)
  • Try different device: Test on phone, tablet, computer
  • Check internet: Customer needs connection to view menu
Design Issues
  • Text not readable: Increase contrast or font size
  • Colors not appearing: Check if colors saved properly
  • Images not showing: Verify images uploaded successfully
Section/Item Issues
  • Can't reorder: Ensure using drag icon (six dots)
  • Missing items: Check if items are hidden
  • Wrong order: Save changes after reordering
  • Deleted accidentally: Cannot recover, need to recreate
Pro Tip: Most issues are resolved by checking your internet connection, refreshing the browser, and ensuring you've clicked Save. Try these first!

Getting Help

When you need additional assistance:

Built-in Help

  • Click the question mark icon in the editor toolbar
  • Opens help modal with quick tips
  • Basic guidance for common tasks

Contact Support

If issues persist, contact support

Include details:

  • Restaurant name
  • What you were trying to do
  • What happened instead
  • Error messages
  • Browser and device
We're here to help! The more details you provide, the faster we can resolve your issue and get your menu back on track.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You now know how to create, customize, and maintain a beautifully designed menu for your restaurant.

Quick Recap

Here's your journey from start to finish:

The Complete Process

  1. 1Create restaurant with unique web address
  2. 2Choose "Designed" menu type
  3. 3Access editor from restaurant card
  4. 4Set up menu info (name, logo, header/footer)
  5. 5Create sections (appetizers, mains, desserts)
  6. 6Add items (name, description, price, image, dietary info)
  1. 7Customize design (colors, fonts, layout)
  2. 8Enable advanced features (multilingual, order buttons)
  3. 9Preview thoroughly before publishing
  4. 10Save and publish with one click
  5. 11Share via QR code and URL
  6. 12Maintain regularly to keep menu fresh

Next Steps

Continue improving your digital menu:

Experiment

Experiment with different designs

Get Feedback

Get feedback from staff and customers

Update Regularly

Update your menu regularly

Explore Features

Explore advanced features

Professional Photos

Consider professional photography

Promote

Promote your digital menu

Benefits You've Gained

By creating your digital menu, you've unlocked:

Professional Advantages

  • Professional, branded digital menu
  • Easy updates without reprinting
  • Real-time changes
  • Multilingual capabilities

Business Benefits

  • Better customer experience
  • Reduced printing costs
  • Environmentally friendly
Your menu is now live and ready to serve customers.

Welcome to the future of restaurant menus!

Need Help?

Click the help icon in the editor or contact support.

Keep Learning:

Explore advanced features as you grow more comfortable with the system.

Have Fun:

Your menu represents your restaurant, make it uniquely yours!

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