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QR codes for local businesses, city by city

QR codes help local businesses turn a window, a table or a flyer into a link: a menu, a booking page, a review form or an event schedule opens on the customer's phone in one scan. The guides below collect QR ideas for businesses and events in specific cities, from New York restaurants and Chicago trade shows to London pubs and Sydney beaches.

Why local businesses use QR codes

A local business uses a QR code to skip the step where a customer has to type an address. Someone standing at your counter, reading your poster or holding your takeout bag can reach the right page in two seconds. That matters most for places people pass on foot: shops, cafes, salons, galleries, event venues and market stalls.

  • Restaurants and cafes: a menu code on the table, an ordering code on the bag. See the use cases for menus, reviews and more.
  • Shops and salons: a window code for hours, a booking page or an online store that works when the door is closed.
  • Events and venues: one code on a poster or badge for tickets, schedules or a sign-up form.
  • Hotels and tours: a guest guide, a map or a booking page in several languages.

Why a dynamic code fits a local business

A dynamic code fits a local business because the printed sign stays the same while the page behind it changes. Every linqr code holds a short link, onsonara.com/q/…, and you can change where it points at any time in My codes, as often as you like, on the Free plan too. A new menu, a new season or a new event does not mean reprinting.

linqr is an online tool: it works the same in every city, and it has no local offices or printing partners. The company behind it is based in Katowice, Poland. You can make a code right now with the free QR code generator. What changes from city to city is how you use the code, and that is what the city guides are about.

City guides

Each guide covers local angles that fit that city, with ideas for what to link, where to place the code, what to write in the frame and how big to print it.

Basics that apply in every city

  • One goal per code. A menu, a booking form or a review page, not all three behind one code.
  • Size for the distance. Roughly one tenth of the scanning distance: about 1.5-2 in on a table card, 4-8 in on a window.
  • Dark on light. Dark modules on a light background scan fastest, in sun or in a dim bar.
  • Test before the full run. Scan a printed proof where customers will actually stand.
  • Ask before you post. Rules for signs on sidewalks, walls and public spaces come from the owner, the venue or the city.

Make a QR code for your business

Paste the link to your menu, booking page or review form, add your logo and download the file. You can change the link later without reprinting.

Paste your link

Questions

What can a small local business link a QR code to?

Anything with a web address: a menu page or PDF, an online ordering page, a booking calendar, a Google review form, an Instagram profile or an event ticket page. Pick one goal per code. With linqr you can change that link later, so the same printed code can follow your next promotion.

Does linqr work for businesses outside the cities listed here?

Yes. linqr is an online QR code generator that works in any browser, anywhere. The city guides only collect local ideas; the tool, the plans and the features are the same wherever your business is. You can print the codes with any print shop or your own printer.

Does linqr have local offices or partner print shops in these cities?

No. linqr has no local offices, agents or partner printers. The company is based in Katowice, Poland, and support is by email at hello@onsonara.com. You create and download codes yourself and print them wherever you like.

How much does a QR code for a local business cost with linqr?

It can cost nothing. The Free plan includes 3 active dynamic codes with no expiry date, with unlimited scans and link changes, your logo and frames, and PNG or SVG files, with no trial and no card. Pro costs $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year and adds unlimited codes, print files and full stats.

Do I need permission to put a QR code sign outside my business?

Possibly, depending on where it goes. A code inside your own window is usually your call, but signs on sidewalks, walls, scaffolding or in public spaces follow the rules of the property owner, the venue or the city. Check with them before you install anything; linqr cannot confirm local rules.

Will my local business QR code stop working if I cancel Pro?

linqr codes have no expiry date, and the Free plan has no trial and no card requirement. The terms of service, linked in the footer, set out what happens to codes when a Pro subscription ends. On Free you can keep editing up to 3 active codes, with unlimited scans and link changes.

How do I know if people scan the QR code in my shop window?

Every linqr code counts scans, leaving out bots and link previews. The Free plan shows total and unique scans, a 30-day chart, top 3 countries and devices. Pro adds cities, a day-by-hour heatmap and a full year of history. Use separate codes for the window and the counter to compare them.