Older adults and technology haven’t always had the smoothest relationship. From learning to use email to operating smartphones, each new wave has brought fresh challenges and frustrations. Now, mastering QR codes is the latest hurdle. USF research shows that when these interactions are difficult, customer satisfaction and loyalty can suffer.
Research published in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights raises awareness of how a key hospitality demographic feels when challenged by poorly designed QR codes.
Luana Nanu
Trishna Mistry
Luana Nanu, assistant professor of hospitality at the University of South Florida, and her team first conducted 15‑minute semi‑structured interviews with adults ages 60 to 82. The research cohort explored seniors' experiences when interacting with QR codes by asking open‑ended questions from ease of use of QR codes to emotional reactions and desired improvements.
Participants had mixed experiences with the technology. Some spoke about their struggles
to scan QR codes due to glare, poor placement or small font sizes, which demanded
more mental effort and often led to frustration and anger. In contrast, seniors who
reported positive experiences with well‑designed QR codes cited a smooth interaction,
greater satisfaction and a stronger desire to return to those businesses.
For the second part of the study, participants were asked to imagine themselves in a hospitality scenario while interacting with a digital QR code. They then responded to standardized measures assessing ease of use, emotional response, satisfaction and loyalty.
Nanu believes this type of research will become increasingly important as older adults interact with even newer technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Authors: Zvijezdana Petkovic, University of South Florida; Luana Nanu and Trishna Mistry, University of South Florida.