I subscribe to the print edition of the NY Times. You can find it at your public library.
The article was specific about other "features" of the QR code applications for restaurants.
Some allow you to order directly through the phone, and your information gets stored and the app tries to up-sell you "fries with that?" and suggest more expensive liquor in the cocktails.
Just like Mouser and DigiKey (other for-profit companies), the capitalist press will often ask for your e-mail address when you order a good or service.
Quoting an excerpt from the print edition:
"But the spread of the codes has also let businesses integrate more tools for tracking, targeting, and analytics, raising red flags for privacy experts. That's because QR codes can store digital information such as when, where, and how often a scan occurs. They can also open an app or a website that tracks people's personal information or requires them to input it. As a result, QR codes have allowed some restaurants to build a database of their customers' order histories and contact information. ... 'People don't understand that when you use a QR code, it inserts the entire apparatus of online tracking between you and your meal,' said Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union."