Digitising a menu: from PDF or photo to a digital menu
An existing menu does not have to be typed out to be digitised: an AI import reads a PDF or photo and turns it into categories, dishes, descriptions and prices as an editable draft. Taking over a typical menu takes minutes instead of hours; checking prices and allergens remains the business’s job. After that the menu is maintained centrally, and changes are visible on every table at once.
For a long time the biggest hurdle before a digital menu was the typing: 80 dishes with descriptions and prices are an evening’s work, and the next menu change starts it all over. That drudgery is exactly what an AI import takes over today.
How the import works
- Upload the existing menu — as a PDF from the print file or simply as a photo of the printed menu.
- The AI recognises structure and content: categories, dishes, descriptions, prices, often additional details too.
- The result appears as an editable draft — nothing goes online unchecked.
- Check, correct, release. From then on the menu is live and maintained digitally only.
What the import does well, and what it does not
| Task | Reliability |
|---|---|
| Dishes and prices from a clean PDF | very high |
| Recognising categories and menu structure | high |
| Photo of a printed menu | good with a legible original, weaker with decorative type and poor light |
| Assigning allergens and additives | suggestion only — responsibility for the labelling stays with the business |
| Handwritten daily specials | not reliable — better to enter daily dishes digitally from the start |
After the import: the menu is alive
- Price changes are a matter of seconds and apply on every table immediately — no reprint, no stickers over old prices.
- Sold-out dishes can be hidden or marked unavailable before the third guest orders them in vain.
- Images, allergens and labels such as vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free are maintained per dish.
- For international guests the menu is translated automatically into eight languages, and the guest picks their language on the menu itself.
Do I have to type out my menu to digitise it?
No. The AI import reads the existing menu from a PDF or photo and produces an editable draft with categories, dishes and prices. Checking and releasing is done by hand — typing is not.
How accurate is the AI import with prices?
Very accurate with a clean PDF, dependent on typeface and image quality with photos. Prices should be read over regardless: a mistake on the digital menu is immediately visible to every guest, and what binds you towards the guest is the menu the business releases.
What happens to the menu when dishes change?
After the import the menu is maintained digitally only: add dishes, change prices, hide sold-out items — everything takes effect at once. Importing again only makes sense when the menu is created from scratch.