# QR codes for ghost kitchens

> A ghost kitchen has one physical touchpoint: the packaging. That makes the insert card the entire QR strategy: a direct-ordering code that routes the next order around marketplace commission, and a per-brand review code so each virtual brand builds its own reputation. Print on the card, not the box; steam ruins box print.

Source: https://useqr.app/qr-codes-for/ghost-kitchens · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, no signup.

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## The packaging is the shopfront

A ghost kitchen has no window, no signage, no counter. The delivery bag is the only
physical object a customer ever touches, which makes it the only place a QR code can
live. Everything below is really one play: use the order you already paid commission on
to make the next order direct.

| Code | Where | Why |
|---|---|---|
| [Direct-order menu](/menu-qr-code) | Insert card in the bag | The next order skips the marketplace |
| [First-order offer](/coupon-qr-code) | Same card, front | A reason to switch channels now, not someday |
| [Review](/google-review-qr-code) | Card, per virtual brand | Each brand builds its own rating |
| [Social](/social-qr-code) | Card, back | The only brand surface that persists after the meal |

## The commission arithmetic, honestly

Delivery marketplaces typically take **15–30%** of each order. An insert card does not
beat them at discovery: the customer found you on the app, and many will keep ordering
there for the tracking and support. What the card converts is the repeat order from the
fraction of customers who would rather order direct for a small discount. That fraction
does not need to be large: at those commission rates, a modest discount on a direct order
still leaves you ahead. Do not print a code that points back at your marketplace listing.
That is paying commission on your own printing.

## Print on the card, not the box

Hot food in a sealed bag means condensation. Ink printed directly on boxes and bags
smudges, and coated stock warps. A separate insert card on **300 gsm** stock stays flat
and dry long enough to be read at the kitchen table. Size the code at **3 cm** (it is
scanned from 30 cm or less), and never below the **2 × 2 cm** print floor. The card is
part of [the unboxing moment](/docs/ecommerce/qr-code-in-the-unboxing-experience), the
one piece of marketing a ghost kitchen physically delivers.

## One kitchen, several brands

Most ghost kitchens run multiple virtual brands from one line. Each brand needs its own
menu, offer and review codes, a shared review code cross-contaminates ratings and, under
[Google's review rules](/docs/ecommerce/qr-codes-for-google-reviews), each listing must
be a real distinct business. Generate the full per-brand set in one pass with the
[bulk generator](/bulk) from a spreadsheet of brand names and URLs.

## What goes wrong

- One review code shared across virtual brands, blending every brand's reputation.
- Codes printed on the bag itself, unreadable after ten minutes of steam.
- The insert linking to the marketplace listing instead of the direct channel.
- An offer code with no expiry logic behind it, the card outlives the promotion.

## FAQ

### Where do you put a QR code when there is no storefront?

In the bag. An insert card is the only physical marketing surface a delivery-only kitchen
has. Print the direct-order code and offer on card stock rather than on the packaging
itself, which steams and smudges in transit.

### Do QR insert cards actually convert delivery customers?

Some, not all. Many customers stay on the marketplace for tracking and familiarity. But
with commissions typically at 15–30%, converting even a minority of repeat orders to
direct pays for the cards many times over.

### Does each virtual brand need its own QR codes?

Yes. Separate menu, offer and review codes per brand keep ratings, analytics and customer
expectations clean. A spreadsheet plus a bulk generator produces every brand's set in one
run, so there is no per-brand design cost.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/menu
- https://useqr.app/google-review
- https://useqr.app/coupon
- https://useqr.app/social