AR menu FAQ for London restaurants
Everything restaurants, bars, cafés and hotels ask us before they start.
Quick answer
An AR menu lets guests scan a QR code and see each dish at real size on their table through their phone, with no app. VR Express scans your own dishes in your kitchen, checks every model in our studio and publishes a menu page with print-ready QR codes, usually in about two weeks. Pricing is a one-off set-up plus a fee per dish. Below are the questions we are asked most.
The short version
- No app for guests: Apple AR Quick Look on iPhone, Google Scene Viewer on Android.
- Your real dishes, scanned freshly plated, with a manual quality pass.
- About two weeks from onboarding to printed QR codes.
- In-person captures in London; we work across the UK and the EU.
See it and read the case study
Try it on your phone: open the demo menu and tap “See it on your table”. VR Express has built AR, VR and WebXR since 2015, including the AR Menu platform for restaurants and bars. Start with the overview of AR menus for London restaurants, see what an AR menu costs in the UK or compare AR and QR menus.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AR menu?
A menu where each dish can be opened as a 3D model that appears on the guest's table at real size through their phone camera. It sits alongside your normal menu.
Which phones does it work on?
Most iPhones from recent years open the dish in Apple's AR Quick Look, and ARCore-compatible Android phones in Google's Scene Viewer. Phones without AR show an interactive 3D model instead.
Do guests need to download an app?
No. Everything opens from the browser after scanning the QR code.
How are the dishes made into 3D?
Each dish is scanned freshly plated in your kitchen with an iPhone Pro (LiDAR) or a guided photo set from a recent Android flagship. Our 3D team then repairs holes and glare, checks the scale and keeps the file light.
Can we scan the dishes ourselves?
Yes. We send a capture kit (guide, matte mat, turntable) and your own upload code. Every scan still goes through our quality pass before it goes live.
How long does it take?
About two weeks for a typical menu.
How much does it cost?
A one-off set-up plus a fee per dish that covers the quality pass and hosting. See our UK AR menu cost guide for the ranges, or ask for a quote with your dish count.
What happens when a dish changes or comes off the menu?
New dishes are scanned and added; retired dishes are hidden from the menu page. Printed QR codes stay valid.
Is it hygienic?
Guests use their own phones, so there is nothing extra to hand around or wipe down.
Do allergens and prices still show?
Yes. The menu page carries sections, prices and allergen information alongside each dish's 3D view.
Is it a VR menu or an AR menu?
People search for both. Guests don't wear a headset: the dish appears in augmented reality through the phone camera. The same models can be reused in VR or web 3D later.
Do you work outside London?
Yes, across the UK and the EU. London is where we do in-person captures first.
Which dishes should we start with?
Signature dishes, sharing plates, desserts and anything guests often ask staff about. Most venues start with a handful and add more once they see how guests use it.
Can we use stock 3D food models instead of scans?
You can, but guests notice: a generic burger looks like a generic burger. Scans of your own plates are what make the dish recognisable when it arrives and worth sharing.
Will the dishes load on restaurant Wi-Fi?
Yes. We keep each model light enough to open in a few seconds on 4G. Test a dish on your own Wi-Fi and on mobile data before printing the QR codes.
How do we measure whether it works?
Track QR scans per dish and compare orders of the AR dishes with the weeks before launch. Social posts and tags showing the AR dishes are a useful second signal.
How do we choose an AR menu provider?
Ask each one for a model of one of your own dishes, the first-year total cost, who does the scanning, whether guests need an app and two references. Our UK provider comparison lists the main options, including where another provider fits better.