Digital Menus

QR Menus for Bakeries

By Thmenu Team · Published 28 October 2026 · Reviewed by Kerim Sağlam, Founder, Synaltix LLC — approved for publication in bulk (owner decision 2026-11-06)

A bakery's QR menu is only useful if it keeps up with the trays. Show photos of what is on the counter, mark items sold out as they run out — or let a count do it — show bakes only when they are available, and put allergen information on every item. A QR code by the counter and in the window lets people decide before they reach the front of the queue, and order ahead if you take pickup orders.

Why bakeries are different

• Stock is made in batches and sells out during the day — sometimes by mid-morning.
• What is available changes by the hour: morning pastries, lunchtime savouries, afternoon cakes.
• Guests choose with their eyes, so photos matter more than descriptions.
• Many items share ingredients — flour, butter, eggs, nuts — so allergen questions are constant.

Keep the menu in step with the trays

1. Give each batch item a count when the tray comes out, and let sales bring it down.
2. When it reaches zero, the item shows as sold out — still visible, so guests know it exists.
3. Mark items sold out by hand when a tray is dropped or a batch fails.
4. Set categories by time of day, so lunchtime savouries appear at lunchtime.

Allergens on every item

In the UK, the Food Standards Agency says food businesses must tell customers if food contains any of the 14 listed allergens as an ingredient. For food that is not prepacked — a croissant from the counter — the information can be written or given by staff. Food packed on the premises before it is sold, such as a sandwich, salad or pie made and wrapped on site, is "prepacked for direct sale" and needs a label with a full ingredients list and the allergens emphasised; a menu does not replace that label. Outside the UK the rules differ, so check what applies where you trade.

Photos and layout

• Photograph your own bakes in good light; a picture of the real cinnamon bun sells it.
• A photo grid works well for the counter; keep drinks as a compact list.
• Name items the way staff say them, so a guest can point at the screen and be understood.

Where to put the codes

• In the window, for people deciding whether to come in.
• Along the queue, so the decision is made before the till.
• On boxes and bags, if you take orders for pickup.

Orders ahead

Pickup orders suit bakeries well: a guest orders on the way and the bag is ready when they arrive. If you allow a later time slot, guests can also order for a set time. Keep the counts honest, or you will promise a loaf that has already gone.

More on running out gracefully: how to mark menu items sold out without confusing guests.

See also Thmenu for bakeries.

A bakery menu in Thmenu

In Thmenu each item can carry a stock count: every order lowers it, and at zero the item is marked sold out and staff get a notification. You can also mark an item sold out by hand; on the guest menu it stays visible, labelled "Out of stock", and cannot be ordered. Categories can be set to show on certain days and hours, each item can carry the 14 EU allergens and photos, and a grid layout suits a counter full of bakes. Pickup has its own switch, with later time slots if you allow scheduled orders. The QR code keeps working through all these changes because it points at the live menu.

See menu management in Thmenu.