The most basic rule is to avoid scanning random codes and stick with those you know come from a trusted source. With a bit of old-fashioned common sense, it’s easy enough for consumers to use QR codes in a safe manner.

In fact, more than half (52 percent) of all adults say they would like to see even more tech implemented to make ordering and paying easier. Guests-especially those visiting full-service restaurant and quick-service restaurant businesses-tend to favor anything that makes their experience more convenient. A few outspoken editorial writers have authored pieces eagerly anticipating the end of the quick-response code era, but they are going to learn to love QR codes as restaurant operators continue to find new uses for them. In its 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Mid-Year Update, the National Restaurant Association reported that 57 percent of adults had viewed a restaurant menu online in the past year. Unsurprisingly, half of all full-service restaurant operators across the United States have implemented QR-code menus since the start of the pandemic last August of 2021, CNBC reported a 750 percent increase in QR code usage over the preceding 18 months. A code that patrons scan using their own phones was a natural solution to view menus, order and pay. The coronavirus compelled restaurant operators to implement contactless solutions to its many health and safety challenges. Of course, the QR code itself is not inherently malicious-and in the restaurant industry, it has become a crucial part of doing business in the COVID era. On January 18, the Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a Public Service Announcement noting that “Businesses use QR codes legitimately to provide convenient contactless access and have used them more frequently during the COVID-19 pandemic.” However, the FBI also warned consumers that “cybercriminals are taking advantage of this technology by directing QR code scans to malicious sites to steal victim data, embedding malware to gain access to the victim's device, and redirecting payment for cybercriminal use.” The ad for cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase clearly intrigued football fans in fact, so many of them scanned the code that it caused the company’s app to crash when overwhelmed with traffic.Īnd then there was that FBI warning. One of the most talked-about commercials to air during this year’s Super Bowl was also the simplest, consisting of a QR code that changed colors as it moved around the viewer’s screen. This has especially been true in the restaurant business, but think about all of the other uses that have cropped up-on proof-of-vaccination documents, for example, or as a means to aid humanitarian efforts. Before 2020, most people probably gave very little thought to QR codes, but in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, their use soared. The scannable black-and-white codes have become ubiquitous, and that has generally been seen as a good thing.

The biggest pandemic comeback story is the QR code, but are they safe for consumers?

Qr code reader for restaurant menu