How to 3D scan food with your phone: a step-by-step guide

How it works, in short

The camera photographs the dish from every side. 3D processing looks for the same details (a basil leaf, the rim of the plate, a crumb) in several frames and works out shape and colour from them. Hence the rules: details must be sharp (no blur), visible from several angles and unchanged between frames (no moving reflections or shadows).

Preparation (2 minutes)

• Light: plenty of it, and even. Near a window without direct sun is ideal. No flash and no single strong lamp from one side.
• Surface: a matte table with some texture (wood, a tablecloth). Glass, steel and glossy counters confuse the processing.
• Space: you need to walk in a circle around the plate. Move chairs and objects out of the way.
• Camera: wipe the lens. A fingerprint softens every frame.
• The dish: exactly as you serve it — the real portion, the real plate, the garnish in place.

Scanning: three slow rounds

1. 01

   Round 1 — at plate level

   Hold the phone at about the height of the plate rim and make a full circle, slowly, in small steps.

2. 02

   Round 2 — diagonally

   Raise the phone to about 45° and make a second circle. This captures the height of the dish and the sides.

3. 03

   Round 3 — from above

   One more circle, almost from the top, to capture the surface (toppings, sauce, decoration).

4. 04

   Check the coverage

   In Menu3D, the rings on screen show which angles you have; fill the gaps before sending.

The Menu3D capture app keeps only sharp frames automatically, one for each new angle, and tells you if you are too close or too far. The whole scan takes about a minute.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Difficult dishes

• Clear soups and drinks, ice, glasses: transparent or reflective surfaces have no stable details. For these, a good photo or an AI preview may be the better choice (see photo, 3D or AI).
• Very glossy sauces: diffuse light reduces reflections; avoid spotlights.
• Very small dishes (a praline, a macaron): get closer, but keep the whole dish in frame.
• Dishes that change quickly (melting ice cream, foam): scan right after plating.

After the scan

3D processing runs automatically and usually takes a few minutes. Then check the model in the dashboard, choose the angle used as the menu picture and enter the plate diameter for real size in AR. All steps are in the “How it works” guide.