Three placement principles
- Catch the pause. People scan when they are waiting: for the bill, for their coffee, for their car, at the front desk. Put the code where that waiting happens.
- Eye level and arm’s reach. A code behind the register, on the floor, or across the room does not get scanned. Customers should be able to point their phone without moving.
- One code, one clear message. A single sign that says what happens when you scan (“Tell us how we did — takes 30 seconds”) beats a wall of codes for different things.
Placement by business type
| Business | Best spots | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant | A table tent on every table; the check presenter; the takeout pickup counter. | Only by the exit, where people are already leaving. |
| Café or coffee shop | Next to the register and at the pickup counter, where customers wait for their drink. | Menu boards high on the wall — too far away to scan. |
| Salon or barbershop | The checkout desk; the waiting area; a small card at each station. | Asking mid-service, when the client cannot hold a phone. |
| Auto repair shop | The service counter; the waiting room; handed over with the invoice at pickup. | The shop floor or bays, where customers should not be. |
| Dental practice | The checkout desk and the waiting room. | Treatment rooms — keep the ask to the front desk. |
If you have more than one location, give each its own code so feedback is tagged to the right branch. In DenAdvisor, each branch can have its own QR code and its own Google review link.
Size, contrast and print
- Leave a clear margin. The QR code standard calls for a blank border (the “quiet zone”) four modules wide on every side, according to DENSO WAVE, the inventor of the QR code. Do not crop it or let text and graphics run up to the edge.
- Dark on light. Print a dark code on a white or very light background. Inverted (light on dark) and low-contrast codes fail on some phones.
- Big enough for the distance. A code on a table can be small; a code on a wall or window needs to be much larger. Rather than trusting a formula, print it and test it from where customers actually stand (see below).
- Matte beats glossy. Glare from overhead lights or sunshine on a laminated sign is a common reason codes do not scan. Use matte lamination or an acrylic holder angled away from the light.
- Say what happens. Next to the code, a short line like “Scan to tell us how we did” sets expectations. If you offer a thank-you reward for feedback, say it is for feedback — never for a Google review, which Google’s policy does not allow.
DenAdvisor’s QR kit gives you a print-ready PNG plus three PDF flyers: a full A4 page for walls and windows, a 4×6″ desk card for acrylic holders, and a tri-fold sheet you can cut into three flyers. The QR kit help article shows where to find them.
The staff ask
A sign on its own gets some scans. A sign plus a short, friendly ask from staff gets more — and it is the part most businesses skip. The rule is simple: ask every customer the same way. Not just the regulars, not just the ones who smiled. Choosing who to ask by how happy they seem is review gating; our review gating explainer covers why that is a problem.
“Thanks for coming in today. If you have 30 seconds, scan the code here and tell us how we did — good or bad, we read every one.”
“…and you’ll get [reward] as a thank-you for the feedback, whatever you rate us.”
Some tips to make it stick:
- Make it part of the checkout routine, like asking “receipt in the bag?”.
- Point at the code as you say it. People look where you point.
- Never hover while they rate, and never suggest what rating to give.
- If someone has a complaint, thank them and fix it on the spot — do not steer them away from posting.
Loyalty cards at the counter
With DenAdvisor, punches are added by staff, not by customers scanning a sign — so customers cannot punch their own cards. At checkout, staff open staff mode in the DenAdvisor app and scan the customer’s card from their app wallet, or add the punch by email. A small counter sign (“Ask us to punch your loyalty card”) reminds customers to show their card, and the same ask is a natural moment to mention the feedback code.
Keep the two separate in what you say, though: the punch is for the visit, the feedback is optional, and neither depends on the other.
Testing the scan
Before you print a batch, and after you put signs out, run this check:
- Scan with at least one iPhone and one Android phone using the built-in camera app.
- Scan from where customers actually are — seated at the table, standing at the counter, in the waiting-room chair.
- Test in your real lighting, including evening light and any glare from windows.
- Go all the way through: rate your own business, check the feedback page loads and that the Google link opens.
- Give one star once, too, and confirm the public review link is still shown.
Keeping the code current
- Replace worn signs. Scratched, faded or sticky table tents scan badly and look neglected.
- Check after changes. New location, new Google Business Profile or new review site? Update your links in the dashboard and run the test again.
- Audit each quarter. Walk the room and scan every code. Signs move, fall behind napkin holders and disappear.
- Watch your feedback volume. A sudden drop in feedback from one location often means a sign has gone missing.
Because a DenAdvisor code opens your feedback page rather than linking straight to Google, you can change the review links customers see without reprinting. For the bigger picture on growing reviews, read how to get more Google reviews, or see all features and plans and pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should the QR code go on every table or just the counter?
Where customers sit and wait, put it where they sit — on each table or in the waiting area — because that is when they have time to scan. Where customers stand and leave quickly, the checkout counter is the best single spot. Many businesses use both.
Can I use colors or my logo in the QR code?
Plain dark-on-light codes are the most reliable. DenAdvisor’s QR kit gives you a standard print-ready PNG and PDF flyers; it does not create logo-embedded or custom-colored codes. Put your branding on the sign around the code, not inside it.
Should staff only ask customers who had a great visit?
No. Ask every customer the same way. Asking only happy customers is review gating, which Google’s review policy forbids. Every customer who scans a DenAdvisor code sees your Google review link whatever rating they give.
Do I need to reprint if my Google review link changes?
Not with DenAdvisor. The QR code opens your DenAdvisor feedback page, and the review links on that page come from your dashboard settings, so you can update them without printing new codes.
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