It's even worse when you you don't have internet access, and have to use a restaurant WiFi that requires you to sign up.

Also, if you are dining with someone who has a food allergy, then all the "convenience" of online menusgoes away when a waiver has to bring their book of allergens to the table and manually take the order anyway.

right, dining with someone with allergies remains as inconvenient as usual.

And dining as someone with allergies is more inconvenient.

Well that also assumes you live in a part of the world that's civilized and has an allergy book. Seen it plenty in Europe and almost never in the US. Most of the time, in the US, if you say you have an allergy to something the waiter says "I don't know" or "I'll tell the chef".

That's a bit weird to me.

It's often the case in the UK that the mobile app/website in restaurants has full allergy information, including filters to only show items that match certain criteria.

Same. Not a fan of QR menus for plenty of reasons, but allergies isn't one of them.

Printed menus where I live (Seattle) tend to have the exact same info as the QR menus, which includes the allergen info. Which makes sense, because most of the time the QR menu is the exact same as the physical one (just printed out). And those that are not the same just have more info on the website, like full nutritional content and such.

My experience with some restaurants is that they don't.

The QR menu is just a PDF of the printed menu.

> all the "convenience" of online menus goes away when a waiver has to bring their book of allergens to the table and manually take the order anyway.

Which is silly because an online menu is an amazing opportunity to do extensive dietary restriction support. In fact, it's so accomodative to have a filter to narrow/highlight menu choices that I'm surprised restaurants haven't done that and also made "Paleo" and other diets part of it. Plus every single menu entry could have expansions to show exact ingredients, etc., for extra research.

Honestly, a lot of it seems to boil down to that digital menus can be superior to the traditional options, but a lot of places are kind of awful at software and websites so you get a wide spread of quality, a lot of which is hilariously inferior to paper.

That costs money, and some restaurants already struggle with higher costs and fewer customers.

> their book of allergens to the table

Wow, they have book of allergens?

Is that with list of dushes from specific restoraunt? Or ith general reference book?

Never saw that in my country. I guess we don't use these. If you have allergy you are just screwed.

Please let your server know of any allergies or food intolerances. Gluten-free options are available but our kitchen is not gluten-free. Delivery, tax, and document fees extra. Void where prohibited. All rights reserved.

That's as American as Uncle Sam himself.

It's so common in the EU and UK that I think it's probably law, or a good way of complying with the law. It's specific to the restaurant's menu.

Some places will list the allergens directly on the menu, with symbols or footnotes. Less common is a separate menu showing only e.g. lactose free options -- I've seen this at nicer places in the UK.

Places like cafés and fast food where the menu is a blackboard or screen should have a book/file or similar. It is often just printed Word documents in a ringbinder, presumably prepared by the chef.

McDonald's example: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g18704... (just see the picture)

Ryanair in-flight menu example with symbols: https://www.foodsmatter.com/allergy_intolerance/management_t...

(Might _ua mean Ukraine? Then FWIW, I've seen this system in Romania, Bulgaria and Poland.)

> First of, on Android, the camera doesn't magically scan the QR code.

Out of curiosity, what phones do you and your family use? Because my Android phone (a Pixel 4a) has never had any issues scanning QR codes by just pointing the camera at them.

Older Androids definitely needed an app but I’m talking like the Google G1 and G2 etc..

It's vendor specific. Some have camera apps that do have scanners integrated, some don't.

Some OEM camera apps have built-in QR code detection (using Google Lens or something else) but not all do.

Starting in Android 13, a QR code scanner is accessible from Quick Settings on all GMS devices. This QR code scanner is built into Google Play Services though so it's not available on AOSP builds.

Right. I use F-Droid and have Google stuff turned off. I do have an app, Binary Eye, that can scan QR codes, UPC codes, Code 39, etc. But it doesn't have permission to launch a browser. I have to paste the code into Fennec. I need to do this maybe twice a year.

I've never seen QR codes in restaurants in Silicon Valley.

My pixel3 doesn't do this

I have a (normal) pixel 3 and it does do it, but the UI is terrible and sometimes doesn't engage. And when it does the link shows up in what I found to be an awkward place.

I'm about 90% sure this used to work better on an older version of android.

The most awkward thing is that the link is like a tooltip: it fades away very quickly, so you often have to rescan the QR code.

My Pixel 3A does, interesting to see the difference

My Pixel 3a also scans QR codes.

Have you updated your camera app? When I point mine at a QR code of a URL a little bubble appears below it, which you can click on.

I've certainly never tried to stop it from updating. It's on version 8.4.600.440402475.27. When I point mine at a QR code absolutely nothing at all happens

I don't know if this is the same experience for you, but for a while I would just open the camera app without realizing I had to swipe over to Google Lens mode to have it detect QR codes.

Anecdotally, between a Pixel 4a, Pixel 7 pro, OnePlus 6 and 7 Pro, none of them ever successfully scanned QR codes in photos. All required a separate app to correctly recognize QR codes.

Weird - I was using a Pixel 1 until recently and the camera app dealt with QR codes just fine.

I had thought that iPhones were the weird ones for taking so long to natively scan QR codes.

Too long? It shows up immediately for me as soon as i point the camera at a QR code. Like, with a sub-second delay at most, but it feels instant.

Sorry, I meant as far as how many years it took to release an OS that natively supported QR code scanning. However, I double-checked and it looks like Oreo was the first version of Android to offer it natively via built-in Google services, and iOS got it with iOS 11, and both OSes released in 2017.

I've android and don't need an app

> First of, on Android, the camera doesn't magically scan the QR code.

Most Android phones do this automatically - and it's not too hard to write up a quick app for it to scan automatically when it detects a QR code.

> Second, as others have said, the social aspect of looking at it together is totally lost. Which is quite big IMHO.

My friends and I all browse together on our phones and we excitedly point out different menu items, that we can look at independently without having to cram together looking at a piece of paper. Otherwise I don't know how this is any different than having separate menus.

> Third, scrolling through a PDF or a page on a tiny screen makes it much harder to grasp the entire menu quickly. On a paper menu, I often just jump around and get inspired by the various dishes. Randomly scrolling up/down/left/right on a tiny screen feel awful compared to just letting your eyes drift.

Scrolling through a PDF / page has always been fine for my friends and I. I'm also not entirely sure why I would want my eyes to drift when actively looking for something to eat as well?

The security issue is forcing non-technical end users to troll through an app store to find "qr reader" and also not fall for the hundreds of scamware they'll encounter immediately in the search results.

> Most Android phones do this automatically - and it's not too hard to write up a quick app for it to scan automatically when it detects a QR code

You just 'write up a quick app' in the middle of a restaurant?

If you can't write up a full-featured QR code scanner from scratch in 15 seconds, can you really call yourself a programmer?

On a more serious note, though, I wouldn't be much impressed with QR code menus. I usually have my 4G off, I don't trust random wifi networks, and I don't like smartphones as a form factor for any text over 500 characters.

HN is so ironic, they complain and criticize everything but fail to understand QR code. Are they actually a programmer or only acting like it. India already have UPI implementation while in the USA they need apple to save their useless banking system and still fail to move on with tech.

It's weird that people hate QR codes so much. Perhaps is it phenomenon only in the US? It's just a information encoded as a square, not something like Skynet.

If you're a junior dev, sure. Senior engineers just decode the QR mentally.

>and it's not too hard to write up a quick app for it to scan automatically when it detects a QR code.

You're joking, right? In case you forgot the context, "not too hard" is looking at a menu that's in front of you. Writing an app to make up for the absence of the menu is definitely too hard.

It’s 2022, if your phone doesn’t natively scan a QR code from the camera app you need to switch phones.

This post is so entitled. It's 2022 and I am using a Samsung A8 phone from 2018 which is pretty good and perfect size for me, thank you very much.

Not everyone makes $450,000 USD a year and can change phone every month, I am sorry.

Amen.

You want to come in to my business and give me money? Upgrade your phone!

Then scroll through a 4" version of the 18" menu we scanned in and then threw away.

The iPhone 5s from 2013 (109 months ago) scans QR codes from the default camera app just fine. Still gets security updates too. This is unparalleled in the Android ecosystem.

I’m not going to get into yet another platform flame war and I’m sure you have plenty of reasons why you selected your device and they’re valid. But if your post is about longevity and economics iPhone wins hands down.

Indeed. My iPhone 6s (lovely big screen) has worked perfectly since 2015. I'm disappointed that IOS 16 won't be available for it, but I really can't complain after continuous, impeccable compatibility for almost eight years.

And, as the parent noted, my 6s is still getting security updates; current is 15.7.1. I'd swear Apple is sneaking in some UI polishing too.

> It's 2022 and I am using a Samsung A8 phone from 2018 which is pretty good

And if it can’t scan QR codes from the camera app, that’s purely because your carrier is withholding software updates from you. It’s built-in from Android 8.0 and Samsung supports the 2018 A8 up to Android 9.

Only in the US does one's "carrier" have anything to do with what is on one's phone ...

Only in the US on Android…

I have a brand new phone from OnePlus, it does not do this.

I have a One Plus 7 Pro and it can scan QR codes, but you have to press a button in the camera app first. Not entirely intuitive up-front and a bit finnicky even once you know about it, but it's been good enough in practice.

I really would like to know how to scan QR codes without playing 3rd-party app roulette. Which button do you have to press?

I have the OnePlus 10 Pro. I've looked through all of the menus and settings, there's nothing that seems to be QR code related? Maybe they've removed the feature?

If you google your question, you literally get a set of videos showing you how to do it.

"oneplus 10 pro qr": https://www.google.com/search?q=OnePlus+10+Pro+qr

In 30 seconds, I found that you can do it by using the Google Lens feature, which is a button to the left of your zoom button in your camera app. If you don't want to use that, you can use google lens directly.

Ah, the trick is not to have disabled the Google Lens app. I'd seen that video before, but in never clicked that Lens was required. Thanks.

Agreed, why don't poor people just buy more money.

I don't want to scan QR codes. I want to talk to people.

On my android phone, the feature has to be turned on. Fortunately someone showed me how to do that as I fumbled at a restaurant.

This isn't an Android vs Apple thing. Both of them introduced native QR code scanning in the same year -- 2017. That's five years ago. So I don't know what version of Android you're using, or what camera app.

But honestly, in 2022 it's kind of up to you to know how to scan a QR code, the same way you're expected to know how to type a domain name into a web browser. If someone has to teach you the first time then that's fine, there's a first time for everything, but the idea that there are people who haven't done it before isn't a reason to hold us back. And if you have a phone with a pre-2017 operating system or that otherwise doesn't support it in its native camera app, you can install an app for it.

But yes, places always have a backup option, whether a paper menu or tablet. I mean, people's cell phones run out of battery all the time. It's not just the elderly or non-tech-savvy ;)

I’ve scanned QR codes just a handful of times in the last decade, and I can’t remember any of them being useful.

We were using them to "check in" during covid. They were mmmm... moderately useful I guess but of course the whole idea got mired in controversy

And then all that "definitely going to be used for contact tracing only" data got shared around with the police.

They are decent as app shortcuts it seems. In the last two weeks I’ve done it twice as a replacement for typing in the name in the App Store of some targeted one-off app that is for a particular piece of hardware. In the first case it was some LED lights for my nephew. In the second case it was some light up hardware for a KPop concert I went to with my wife.

I absolutely hate it when there is a QR code with text like "Scan here for more Information" or similar - and then there is no link written or no information on how to get there without having to scan the code.

The best use I saw was on some small electronics thing I was looking at in a shop. One brand had QR codes on their boxes, which led to a full specification and the user manual -- more than could possibly have fitted on the box, especially as a European box can have 10+ languages.

Another is joining a Wifi network. I saw this at a couple of small hotels recently -- as well as giving the network name and password, there was a QR code. Scanning it prompted me something like "Do you want to join NiceViewHotel Wifi network? Yes/No" and was much quicker than typing in the key.

If my phone has something like this I would have turned it off when first going over a new phones settings. It's one of the first things I do. Go through every single menu I can find and turn off stuff I don't want. Something constantly using my camera to scan for QR codes is definitely something I will turn off. Just like say "Face ID".

Who thinks those are good ideas?

For the record I have scanned exactly 0 QR codes in my life.

Here we see the HNers in their natural habitat. Please do not take photos as they are frightened by technology.

seen how the sausage is made, etc.

You are aware that this is happening locally on your phone, right?

I have no idea whatsoever what caused you to dislike QR codes, but I kinda want to hear the story. Face Id, I can kinda see as a pin might be more secure.

Technology and software are awesome! After all, I build this stuff myself.

I also see how these things are built. I see how the sausage is made. Sometimes, when you see how the sausage was made, it can sour you. Even if you maybe didn't see how that specific sausage was made. Also, always beware of what the sausage might get used for other than the "intended purpose".

I never understood the premise for QR codes. You're trying to send me to some URL, create an SMS w/ some pre-defined text, automatically follow someone on Twitter or whatever and a bunch of other things. Until I scan the code I have no idea what it will actually do. I don't generally trust something like that not to be used for nefarious purposes. We teach people to be careful what links they click on and such. Here we teach them the opposite. If someone sticks a QR code in front of your face, just scan it! Now you can say that no restaurant ever would send you to a URL that then exploits a flaw in your browser and that there are way easier ways to compromise a system. Fair enough. Doesn't mean I have to start using QR codes for things that worked perfectly well in a non-QR code world.

Now the GP also said that restaurant people tell you to "just point your camera to it". This would indicate that there's an always on camera scanning my surroundings constantly to figure out if there's a QR code there. Frankly if that was actually the case, that would be super creepy. That is why I would disable such a function right away. Even if it's "just happening locally". Sounds a bit like that whole "they only scan your device for inappropriate pictures locally, nothing to worry about". Now combine that w/ all the new rage in "e-health" where you don't have to go stand in line for hours to see a doctor: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32560361 ("Google refuses to reinstate account after man took medical images of son’s groin").

This is exactly the kind of thing I am worried about w/ any of these "advances" in technology. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions".

Anecdote: Just this week I ended up at a restaurant in San Jose that was QR code menu/ordering only. I don't know what format QR code they were using, but my iPhone would not read it at all. I've scanned many many codes with it in the past, but that particular one was just not having it. Luckily I was with a friend whose phone cooperated and I just paid them back. In cash.

You know, if you mention the restaurant name maybe an Apple engineer can expense a lunch to file some bugs on your behalf ^_^

http://www.demi-ya.com/ :)

My favorite! Admittedly I order ahead because the wait is long otherwise

>But honestly, in 2022 it's kind of up to you to know how to scan a QR code, the same way you're expected to know how to type a domain name into a web browser.

Why? I've literally never been in a situation where I've had to scan a QR code. I do mean never.

What benefit does a system like this provide when it's always clunkier than just having a physical object?

On an unrelated note, isn't this why all the scan-this-QR-code ads fall flat? Because it takes a lot of extra effort to actually "check out more info"?

One recent example: paying bills in Switzerland [1]. Although those have to be scanned by a banking app.

[1] https://www.six-group.com/en/newsroom/media-releases/2020/20...

It is not required to pay bills by scanning the QR code. It is perfectly possible to enter the IBAN and reference number manually as long as your banking provider lets you do so.

What is required is that you, when creating an invoice, provide the QR code for doing so.

I’m not sure were I said that it was required? I was responding to the comment. I see a huge benefit from scanning the QR code as it saves me trouble having to manually enter all the info. Older barcode style bills also worked but somehow scanning was always wonky.

Unlike a physical menu, items that aren't available can just be dynamically removed.

But is this actually done in practice?

With a physical menu they just cross it out or tell you

It is supreme when sharing links in a presentation, it is supreme on business cards (since you can quickly get all the details and add them to your contacts), and it is the best thing for wireless access (just point your phone, and you are in).

Menus in restaurants are an exception. Those are better as physical objects.

But why would I want wireless access to a network that you can join by just pointing something at it? That specifically sounds like a wireless network to avoid.

And how is a QR code the best for sharing links in a presentation? Why would people want to look at what you linked during your presentation? And if it's afterwards they would need access to your presentation anyway, no? At that point a regular URL would do too.

Why would it be a wireless network to avoid? I mean, the QR code has the SSID and Password in it. For guest networks, the information is usually put up inside the areas guests go to anyway.

The way it worked at my previous employer, you had the guest network SSID and password on the wall and then the QR code, so you didn't have to type them in. There was no difference in security, just convenience.

As for during the presentation: surprisingly often, if you are doing workshops.

It took me a year to figure out how to scan a qr code natively in android without downloading a sketchy app

I have a OnePlus8 and it does not do QR code scanning. I had to install Google Lens. It's not about version of Android. The cameras are all proprietary and so are the camera apps.

As such I hate QR code menus. I'm with the boomers on this one. QR code menus are no better than touch screen menus to open the glove box.

I went to a restaurant on Friday where the sit-down experience was identical to the online-ordering take-out experience but with a table in front of the pick-up counter. The food was fantastic but I hated the experience.

Some time ago I had coffee with someone in a cafe that did the same thing. I never went back to that cafe again. We spent a full ten minutes of our ~hour time not talking to each other because we were too busy futzing with an awkward online ordering system.

What?? Android had it years before iOS.

Not quite. They both got it at around the same time, in 2017. Both OSes had several apps doing it for quite a while at that point, though.

Most Android OEMs don't use stock camera app but use their own app, and most manufacturers are in Asia, so they support scan QR earlier by default.