QR Code menus are growing even less popular

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Why we asked about QR code menus: Thinking a lot about bars and tabs and tipping and changed pandemic behaviors, we wanted to check in on this poster child for Things That Changed: the QR code revival as a menu replacement in restaurants.

What we found: Over the four years we have trended this question, usage has grown from 42% (2022) to 57% (2023) to 65% now. But as usage has grown, our interest has shrunk. Fewer agree that they like the digital menus because they save paper (46% down from 55% in 2022). Fewer agree that they like the experience generally (now just 37%). More say they would like to go back to paper menus (now 58%) and fewer say they hope the use continues (now just 39%).