"Restaurant menu maker" covers a lot of ground. Some tools produce beautiful PDF menus for print. Others generate mobile-ready digital menus linked to a QR code. Some do both. Pricing ranges from genuinely free to $50+/month.
This guide focuses on what most independent restaurants actually need in 2026: a tool to create a menu guests can view on their phone via a QR code, preferably without paying a monthly fee to start. For a broader look at what to consider, see our guide on what to look for in an online restaurant menu creator.
What to decide first: print or digital?
Before choosing a tool, decide what output you need.
Print menu: You want a designed PDF to send to a printer. Tools: Canva, Adobe Express, MustHaveMenus. These are excellent at this. Not relevant if you want a QR menu.
Digital/QR menu: You want a mobile-optimised web page guests access by scanning a QR code. Tools: ArrivaMenu, Menubly, Instalacarte, GloriaFood. Canva and Word are wrong for this.
Both: iMenuPro and MustHaveMenus can produce both from one source. Higher cost, more setup time.
This guide covers digital/QR menu makers.
Free online menu makers for QR menus
ArrivaMenu
Best for: Independent cafés and restaurants starting out.
Currently free during early access - no credit card, no trial period, no item limits. You add your categories, dishes, prices, and photos. A QR code is generated automatically. The menu is mobile-optimised and loads quickly.
Setup time: around 15 minutes for a typical café menu.
Limitations: No ordering system, no POS integration. Built for display-only menus where guests order from staff.
Price: Free
Menubly
Best for: Restaurants wanting a polished look with optional ordering.
Free plan exists with item limits. Paid plans from around $10/month unlock more features. Clean interface, good mobile output. More feature-rich than ArrivaMenu if you want optional ordering down the line.
Price: Free (limited) to ~$10/month
Instalacarte
Best for: Restaurants wanting free forever with ordering capability.
Genuine free plan - no time limit. Includes ordering with a small processing fee. Interface is functional but less polished than some competitors. Good multilingual support.
Price: Free (with 1% ordering fee on free plan)
GloriaFood
Best for: Restaurants prioritising free online ordering.
GloriaFood's core product is commission-free online ordering, with a digital menu included. If ordering capability matters to you and you want to keep costs at zero, this is worth a look.
Price: Free
Canva (for print only, not QR)
Canva has excellent restaurant menu templates and a large free plan. But the output is a PDF - not a proper mobile menu. Including it here only to be explicit: Canva menus linked to QR codes give guests a poor experience on a phone. Use Canva for printed menus, not digital ones.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Free plan | Item limit | QR included | Ordering | Mobile quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ArrivaMenu | Yes (unlimited) | None | Yes | No | High |
| Menubly | Yes (limited) | ~20 items | Yes | Optional | High |
| Instalacarte | Yes | None | Yes | Yes (+1%) | Good |
| GloriaFood | Yes | None | Yes | Yes | Good |
| Canva | Yes | N/A | No | No | Poor (PDF) |
For a more detailed breakdown of these tools and others, check out our best QR menu app comparison.
Features worth checking before you commit
Update speed: Can you change a price or mark something sold out in under a minute? Test this before you rely on it during service.
Mobile preview: Does the platform show you how the menu looks on a phone before you publish? Some don't - you have to publish and then check.
QR code format: Is the QR code downloadable in a print-ready format (SVG or high-resolution PNG)? A low-resolution QR code that pixelates when printed is a problem.
Branding on free plan: Does the platform's logo appear on your menu on the free plan? Usually yes - check whether this matters to you.
Photo uploads: Can you add photos to dishes? This increases order rates for the items featured. Most platforms support this even on free plans.
The honest recommendation
For a first digital menu with no budget to spend: start with ArrivaMenu or Instalacarte. Both are genuinely free QR menu solutions for restaurants with no meaningful time limit and no item restrictions. Get your menu live, put QR codes on your tables, and see how guests respond.
If you decide you want ordering capability, GloriaFood or Instalacarte are logical next steps. If you want a more polished paid product later, Menubly or iMenuPro are worth a look.
Don't spend time comparing every option before you've tried any of them. The setup is fast enough that you can switch tools if the first one doesn't suit you - your menu content (dish names, descriptions, prices) transfers easily between platforms.
Ready to create your digital menu? Try ArrivaMenu free - no credit card, no time limit.
Create your QR menu today
Free during Early Access. No credit card required.