What should a digital QR menu for a restaurant in Qatar include?

Updated: 2026-09-12 · Dawwerni team

A digital QR menu for a restaurant in Qatar should open instantly in the phone browser, switch between Arabic and English, show a clear photo and price for every dish, list calories and allergens, and let you update prices in seconds. The best menus also take table reservations, link to a short game that brings guests back, and feed the same content to TV menu boards.

Why does a restaurant in Qatar need a bilingual QR menu?

A restaurant in Qatar needs a bilingual QR menu because its guests read different languages at the same table. In one evening a restaurant in Al Sadd or Msheireb can serve Qatari families, Arab residents from across the region, South Asian and Filipino workers, Western expats and visitors on a stopover. A printed menu in one language leaves part of the room guessing; a QR menu lets each guest switch to the language they are comfortable with.

The second reason is change. Prices, specials and availability move faster than a print shop can follow, especially around Ramadan, National Day and big event weeks. With a digital menu, the owner changes a price once and every table sees it immediately. Our page on loyalty and growth tools in Qatar explains how the menu fits with the rest of the customer journey.

Which fields should every dish have?

Every dish should have a name in Arabic and English, a short description, a real photo, a price, calories and allergens. The table shows what each field does and a common mistake to avoid.

How do you set up the menu step by step?

You can have a working bilingual menu in an afternoon if you prepare the content before you open the software.

Prepare the content first

• Export your current menu into a simple sheet: category, dish, price, Arabic name, English name
• Photograph dishes in daylight on the same plate and background, one dish per photo
• Ask the kitchen to confirm allergens recipe by recipe, and estimate calories with a nutrition tool or your supplier
• Choose 3–5 “signature” dishes to put at the top of each category

Then build and test

• Create categories in the order guests eat: starters, mains, grills, drinks, desserts
• Add each dish with both languages, photo, price, kcal and allergens
• Print the table QR codes and test them on three different phones, on Wi-Fi and on mobile data
• Ask one Arabic-speaking and one English-speaking guest to order from it and watch where they hesitate

Can guests reserve a table or order from the QR menu?

Yes, guests can reserve a table directly from the QR menu: they choose a time and party size, and the owner accepts the request, assigns a table and seats them on arrival. This is useful for Thursday and Friday evenings in Lusail or The Pearl, when families plan ahead and want a confirmed table.

QR table ordering, where the order goes from the guest’s phone to the kitchen ticket or kitchen display screen, is part of the Dawwerni POS. The POS currency list does not include QAR today, so ask us about POS availability in your currency before you plan around table ordering. The menu, reservations, games and loyalty card work without it.

How does Dawwerni connect the menu with loyalty and reviews?

Dawwerni adds a “play & win” banner to the top of the digital menu. While guests wait for their food, they tap it, play a short game such as mystery doors or the spin wheel, and win a reward the owner chose, usually valid on their next visit. That turns a menu view into a reason to return. After playing, guests are invited to follow you on Instagram and to leave an honest Google review; the invitation is optional, and the reward never depends on a review.

Each player’s profile (name, phone, birthday if given) is saved in your own CRM, so you can send a birthday offer or a win-back message later. The loyalty card adds points per visit or a digital stamp card, with VIP levels for regulars. Read how it works for food businesses on the restaurant page, and for coffee and dessert spots on the café page.

Should the same menu run on TV screens?

Yes, if you have a counter or a waiting area, the same menu should feed your TV screens so prices never disagree between the wall and the phone. Dawwerni Screens turns any smart TV or HDMI stick into an animated menu board or promo screen, with 13 menu-board styles and promo templates for a dish of the day, a combo, a Wi-Fi QR or a “review us” slide.

Dayparting lets you show breakfast in the morning, lunch combos at noon and a Ramadan layout after iftar, and the screen keeps playing offline if the connection drops. Put a QR on the screen so guests in the queue can open the menu on their own phone. The full screen setup is covered in our guide to a digital menu board on a TV.

What are the most common mistakes with QR menus?

• A QR code that opens a heavy PDF: slow on mobile data and unreadable without zooming
• English only, or Arabic only, in a city where guests at one table speak both
• No photos for the best-selling dishes
• Forgetting to remove items that are out of stock, then disappointing guests
• QR codes printed too small or placed where the table light reflects on them
• No reason to come back: a menu that informs but never invites a return visit

Launch checklist for your Qatar restaurant menu

1. Collect names, prices and descriptions in Arabic and English for every dish
2. Take consistent photos and confirm allergens and calories with the kitchen
3. Build categories, add dishes and set the default language per table area if needed
4. Turn on reservations and decide who accepts requests during service
5. Add the play & win banner with small, affordable rewards valid on the next visit
6. Print table tents, the door sticker and a QR for the bill folder
7. Connect your TV screens to the same menu and set breakfast, lunch and evening playlists
8. Review prices and sold-out items every week, and before Ramadan and holidays