# 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.

Source: https://useqr.app/docs/print/qr-code-size-for-a-table-tent · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, no signup.

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## 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](/glossary/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](/docs/design/qr-code-frames-and-cta-labels): 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](/docs/spec/error-correction-levels-explained) is built for. As with
[menus](/docs/print/qr-code-size-for-a-menu), 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](/menu-qr-code) or review link at version 2–3 keeps
modules above 1 mm even at 3.5 cm. Confirm with the [size calculator](/size-calculator),
and before ordering fifty tents, [verify the artwork decodes](/validate) 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](/docs/print/qr-code-print-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.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/menu
- https://useqr.app/url
- https://useqr.app/size-calculator
- https://useqr.app/validate