Table tent ideas that actually get scanned

A table tent is the only ad a guest reads while trapped at a table with nothing to do. Most of them waste it on a dessert photo. Here is what gets picked up, scanned and acted on.

The rule: promise something, in five words

A guest decides whether to pick up a tent in about a second. "Scan to play, win dessert" wins that second. "Follow us on Instagram" does not. The front of the tent is a headline, the QR code is the button, and the back is where the explanation goes.

Ideas ranked by how often they get scanned

1. A one-minute game with a reward. The highest scan rate we see. The guest plays while waiting for food, the reward is for the next visit, and the tent gets passed around the table. See what that looks like.
2. A secret menu item. "Scan for tonight's off-menu dish." Scarcity plus curiosity.
3. Vote on next week's special. Participation, and you learn what they want.
4. The birthday club with an instant reward. Sign up at the table, get the dessert now, the birthday later.
5. Order a round for the kitchen. Novel, cheap, and guests tell people about it.

Mistakes that get a tent ignored

• A QR code with no promise next to it.
• A tent that only sells. Guests already ordered; they want something to do.
• Tiny type. The tent is read from a slouch at arm's length.
• A code that opens a page that needs a download or a login. Scan rate drops to nothing.

Measure it

Put a different code on the tent, the check presenter and the host stand so you can see which one works. Count scans and redemptions weekly. If a tent gets no scans in a week, the promise is wrong; change the headline before you change the design.