# TWISTED: Scanning a restaurant QR code can let the restaurant and third-party tech providers collect data such as IP address, device/browser details, time, location signals, and page activity; it is not just viewing a static menu.

> The claim is broadly supported: many restaurant QR menus open a web page or ordering system that can collect normal web analytics data, including IP address, browser/device details, timestamps, cookies, and page activity. Some QR-menu providers disclose collection of IP address, browser type, and interaction logs. The context: the QR code itself is usually just a link, and a simple static PDF or low-tracking menu may

- Canonical: https://factpage.ai/v/scanning-a-restaurant-qr-code-6iukv
- Markdown: https://factpage.ai/v/scanning-a-restaurant-qr-code-6iukv.md
- Published: 2026-06-19T06:37:22.921Z
- Updated: 2026-06-19T06:37:57.551Z
- Product: FactPage

## Claim
Scanning a restaurant QR code can let the restaurant and third-party tech providers collect data such as IP address, device/browser details, time, location signals, and page activity; it is not just viewing a static menu.

## Verdict
- Label: TWISTED
- Source match: Weak
- Confidence: High
- Score: 27
- Meaning: Yes, but the QR square is not the tracker.

## Copy-Ready Comeback
FactPage check: TWISTED. NEEDS_CONTEXT — restaurant QR menus can collect web-tracking data, but the QR code itself is usually just the link.

## Bottom Line
The claim is broadly supported: many restaurant QR menus open a web page or ordering system that can collect normal web analytics data, including IP address, browser/device details, timestamps, cookies, and page activity. Some QR-menu providers disclose collection of IP address, browser type, and interaction logs. The context: the QR code itself is usually just a link, and a simple static PDF or low-tracking menu may

## Evidence Lines
1. Provider policies name the data - A QR-menu provider privacy policy says its service collects usage data such as IP address, browser type, and interaction logs, and uses cookies. That directly supports the idea that scanning a menu can be more than pass
2. The website does the tracking - The FTC says websites and apps can collect analytics such as pages visited, time spent, device type, and browser type, and can allow third-party tracking. A QR menu commonly opens a browser page, so the scan can become a
3. The claim needs limits - A QR code by itself does not magically read your phone or exact GPS location. It usually opens a link. Exact location generally requires app/browser permission, while IP-based location is approximate. A static menu page

## Source Trail
1. [Source 1: MenuHatch Privacy Policy](https://menuhatch.com/privacy-policy)
   - Publisher: MenuHatch
   - Used for: Shows a QR-menu service disclosing IP address, browser type, interaction logs, cookies, and third-party processors.
2. [Source 2: FTC Website Tracking Guide](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-websites-apps-collect-use-your-information)
   - Publisher: Federal Trade Commission
   - Used for: Explains website/app tracking, analytics, device/browser data, page activity, cookies, pixels, fingerprinting, and third-party tracking.
3. [Source 3: Washington Post QR Privacy Explainer](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/10/07/are-qr-codes-safe/)
   - Publisher: The Washington Post
   - Used for: Explains that QR codes are not inherently the tracker, but the websites they open can connect offline scans to online tracking and third-party sharing.

## Citation URLs
- https://menuhatch.com/privacy-policy
- https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-websites-apps-collect-use-your-information
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/10/07/are-qr-codes-safe/

## Citation Note
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