# Different Prices per Branch: When It Makes Sense and How to Keep It Clear

> Branch pricing can reflect rent, location and delivery costs. Here is how to decide when it makes sense, explain it clearly to guests and keep taxes and payments right.

Operations · July 29, 2026 · https://qrcodemenu.co.uk/blog/different-prices-per-branch/

Running the same menu at the same price in every branch sounds simple, but your costs are rarely the same. Rent in a busy centre, wages in a tourist area or the distance a courier has to travel all differ from place to place. Branch pricing lets prices follow reality, as long as guests can still understand them.

## When different prices make sense

Not every difference in cost deserves a different price. Branch pricing is easiest to justify when the gap is clear and lasting:

- Rent and running costs are noticeably higher at one location, such as an airport, a station or a prime shopping street.
- A branch serves a wide delivery area, and packaging and courier costs add up on every order.
- Local demand and the usual price of similar dishes nearby are clearly different.
- The format differs, for example a takeaway counter versus a full-service dining room.

If the only reason is a small, temporary rise in costs, a short promotion or a portion adjustment is often a better tool than a permanent price gap.

## Keep it understandable for guests

Most guests do not mind that a city-centre branch costs a little more. What they dislike is surprise. A few habits help:

1. Make sure guests always see the menu of the branch they are sitting in or ordering from.
2. Keep the price gap moderate and consistent across the menu, not random from dish to dish.
3. Never give the same dish a different name just to hide a price difference.
4. Prepare staff to give a short, honest answer if someone asks why prices differ.

With QR Menu Manager, each table QR code belongs to a branch, and the timed QR session remembers branch and table. A guest scanning in one location sees that location’s prices, so mismatches between the menu and the bill become much less likely.

## Taxes and payment methods per branch

Branches can also differ in what is legally and practically required. Depending on your country, tax rates may vary by location, or by whether food is eaten in or taken away. Some branches accept cash at the counter, others only card or online payment. QR Menu Manager supports branch-specific taxes and payment methods on top of WooCommerce, but the rules themselves should come from your accountant, not from a guess.

> Keep a one-page sheet per branch listing its tax settings and accepted payment methods, and check it whenever you change anything at checkout.

## Review prices on a fixed rhythm

A price that made sense last year may be wrong today. Set a fixed rhythm, such as once a quarter, to compare ingredient costs, rent and sales per branch. Say a dish costs 4 to make and sells for 12 in one branch and 10 in another: check whether the cheaper branch still covers its costs. Exporting products as CSV and opening them in Excel or Google Sheets makes this review much faster than opening every item.

Start by listing what truly differs between your branches. If the reasons are clear, set a modest, consistent price gap, explain it simply and put the next review date in the calendar.