QR code size for a table tent

Size table-tent QR codes at 3–4 cm: the diner directly in front sits 30–40 cm away, but the person across a four-top is 70–80 cm out and must lean in or turn the tent. Print the same code on both faces; a single-sided tent shows half the table a blank back.

The geometry of a table

A tent stands in the middle of the table, which means no two diners share a scanning distance:

Seat	Distance to tent	10:1 width
Directly in front	30–40 cm	3–4 cm
Beside it on a two-top	45 cm	4.5 cm
Across a four-top	70–80 cm	7–8 cm

An 8 cm code does not fit a tent panel once the quiet zone and a caption join it, so the honest compromise is: 3–4 cm minimum, 5 cm where the panel allows, and accept that the far seats lean in or pull the tent closer, which diners do without thinking, provided the tent is within reach and light enough to move.

A standard tent panel is roughly A6 (105 × 148 mm) or DL folded. On A6, a 5 cm code plus quiet zone and a one-line caption occupies about half the panel, the right amount. The panel's other job is the call-to-action: a tent with "Scan for the menu" converts; a bare code is furniture.

Print both faces

The failure unique to tents: a beautiful code on one face, and the blank back presented to half the table, or worse, the printed face turned toward the aisle because it looks tidier to staff resetting tables. A tent is a two-faced object; duplicate the code on both faces so orientation stops mattering. It costs nothing on a duplex run and roughly doubles the code's availability. (Triangular tents have a third face: use it.)

Error correction and finish

EC Q. Tents live at arm's length of every drink on the table; splashes, wipe-downs and scuffed corners are the localised damage error correction is built for. As with menus, specify matt laminate, tents stand directly under the table's light source, and gloss turns that geometry into a permanent hotspot.

Keep the payload short, a menu link or review link at version 2–3 keeps modules above 1 mm even at 3.5 cm. Confirm with the size calculator, and before ordering fifty tents, verify the artwork decodes and scan a made-up proof from the far side of a real table, the two-minute test that catches everything the pre-press checklist lists.

FAQ

What size should a QR code be on a table tent?

3–4 cm minimum, 5 cm if the panel allows. Diners directly in front are 30–40 cm away, but seats across a four-top are 70–80 cm out, so bigger is genuinely better here.

Should the QR code be on both sides of a table tent?

Yes. A tent faces two directions, and a single-sided print shows half the table the blank back. Duplicating the code on both faces costs nothing on a duplex print run and doubles availability.

Can people across the table scan a table tent code?

At 70–80 cm a 4 cm code is below the ten-to-one line, so they lean in or slide the tent closer, normal behaviour as long as the tent is movable. If the tent is fixed or weighted, size up to 5 cm or more.

What error correction level should a table tent use?

Q. Tents collect splashes, wipe marks and dented corners, which are exactly the localised damage that 25% error correction repairs. Pair it with matt laminate to avoid glare under overhead lights.