But hold the hostility, please, say the digital menu's defenders.
They are "much more practical," says Cardoso, the trendy young marketing manager who found herself going vintage at Armazem Sao Thiago.
"You can access it on your phone, there are more pictures of the food. You can explore the menu better. (Traditional) menus get old."
Many restaurateurs love the technology -- and quietly hope clients will learn to love it, too, saying it facilitates innovation, seasonality and freshness.
"I just added Japanese food to my menu. If I had 50 physical menus, I'd have to change 50 copies. With digital, you can change it in a few minutes, with zero environmental impact," says Andre Delfino, 50, manager of elegant Santa Teresa restaurant Casa Nossa.
The technology "is here to stay," he predicts.
At Cafe do Alto, in a historic building near Santa Teresa's iconic tram-line, co-owner Francisco Dantas calls himself a traditionalist who prefers an intimate, tech-free dining experience.
But he loves his QR code menu when it comes to his constantly evolving selection of craft beers.
"It's super fluid. I can change it on my phone any time. Just go in, control C, control V, add the new ones," says Dantas, 43.
The Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants wants the government to leave the decision to owners.
"It's a matter for the market," says spokesman Jose Eduardo Camargo.
"Both systems have their advantages and fans."
The association found in a recent survey that 38 percent of Brazilian restaurants have adopted digital menus; another 25 percent plan to.
That accelerating ubiquity is what worries Rio state lawmaker Rodrigo Amorim, who introduced the new law.
"We're probably heading for a world of all-digital menus. But the change should be respectful and inclusive," he says.
In the meantime, "there's nothing more romantic than arriving in a restaurant, holding a menu in your hands and deciding what to eat," he told AFP.
Source: AFP
