Short Links for Restaurants: Menu, Booking, and Review Links Made Simple

Running a restaurant means juggling online menus, booking systems, Google reviews, social media, and delivery platforms — each with its own long, ugly URL. Short links turn all of those into clean, memorable URLs you can print on menus, stick on tables, and share on social media. Here's how to set it up in under ten minutes.

The links every restaurant needs

Most restaurants need to share between four and eight key links regularly. Here are the most common ones:

How to set up your restaurant's short links

Step 1 — Gather your URLs

Open each platform you use (Google Business, OpenTable, Deliveroo, etc.) and copy the direct link to your listing or page. For Google Reviews, search for "Google review link generator" to find the direct review URL for your business.

Step 2 — Create short links

Go to TheLinkSpot and shorten each URL with a custom slug. Choose slugs that are short, lowercase, and easy to remember. Your staff and customers will be typing these.

Step 3 — Download QR codes

Every short link automatically generates a QR code. Customise the colours to match your restaurant's branding, choose XL size for print, and download the PNGs.

Step 4 — Print and place

Add QR codes to your table tents, menus, receipts, window signs, and takeaway bags. Include the short URL as text underneath for people who prefer to type.

Where to put your QR codes and short links

Getting more Google Reviews with a short link

Google Reviews directly affect how high your restaurant appears in local search results. More reviews = more visibility = more customers. But most customers won't leave a review unless you make it effortless.

The review link strategy

1. Find your Google Business direct review URL (Google "Google review link generator" and enter your business name)
2. Shorten it on TheLinkSpot with the slug /review
3. Print the QR code on your bill holders or receipt paper
4. Add a small line: "Enjoyed your visit? Leave us a review: thelinkspot.com/review"
5. Track how many people actually click it

Restaurants that add a review QR code to their receipts or bill holders typically see a 20–40% increase in monthly reviews. The key is placement — catching customers immediately after a positive experience.

Tracking which links get scanned

Every short link on TheLinkSpot comes with a stats page showing total clicks. This is surprisingly useful for restaurants:

• Menu link clicks tell you how many people checked your menu digitally before or during their visit
• Review link clicks tell you how many customers opened the review form (compare against actual reviews to see your conversion rate)
• Booking link clicks show demand for online reservations — if clicks are high but bookings are low, the booking process might be too complicated
• Flyer link clicks show whether printed marketing is actually driving traffic

Using expiring links for specials and events

Running a weekly special or a one-night event? Create a short link with an expiry date. When the event is over, the link stops working automatically — no outdated promotions floating around.

For example, create thelinkspot.com/friday-special with a 7-day expiry every week. Share it on social media and print it on that week's specials board. After the week ends, it expires cleanly.

One bio page for everything

Instead of printing five different QR codes, consider creating a single TheLinkSpot bio page for your restaurant. Add all your key links — menu, booking, reviews, delivery, social media — in one place. Print one QR code and use it everywhere.

Your bio page URL would be something like thelinkspot.com/bio/your-restaurant — clean, memorable, and easy to say to customers.

Real-world example setup

Here's what a complete short link setup looks like for a small restaurant:

Total setup time: about 10 minutes. Total cost: free. The click data alone — knowing that 92 people opened your review link but only 15 left a review — is worth the effort.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a website to use short links?

No. A short link can point to anything — a Google Drive PDF, an OpenTable page, a Google Maps listing, or a social media profile. You don't need your own website at all.

Can my staff create and manage the links?

Yes. TheLinkSpot requires no sign-up or account. Anyone can create a short link by pasting a URL. You could even bookmark the stats pages so multiple staff members can check click counts.

What if I change my menu or booking system?

Create a new short link pointing to the new destination. Update the QR codes on your printed materials. Since short links are free and instant, creating a replacement takes seconds.

Will the QR code work if the restaurant has no Wi-Fi for customers?

QR codes are scanned using the phone's camera, which works offline. But the link that opens requires an internet connection. Most customers have mobile data, so this is rarely an issue. If you're in an area with poor signal, consider offering Wi-Fi and using a /wifi short link to share the password.

How big should I print the QR code?

For table tents and menus, 2–3cm (about 1 inch) is usually sufficient at normal reading distance. For window signs visible from further away, go larger — 8–10cm minimum. Always download the XL size (500px) for print to keep the image crisp. See our guide on customising QR code size for more detail.

Get started in ten minutes

Go to TheLinkSpot, shorten your menu, booking, and review URLs with memorable slugs, download the QR codes, and print them. Ten minutes of setup gives you trackable links, professional QR codes, and real data on how customers interact with your restaurant online. All free, no sign-up required.