Written By Eva Wen On 7th February 2023
With more than 40 million restaurant visits per day, digital menu boards are a must-have in order to draw in customers. Furthermore, they can help reduce food waste while also targeting specific customer groups. Digital menu boards are becoming an essential way to engage your customers and get them excited about what’s on offer. This article covers everything you need to know about digital menu boards from their purpose, design trends and cost savings benefits.
What is a Digital Menu Board?
A digital menu board is a screen that allows diners to browse and choose from menu items. In order to make it easy for customers to find their favourite foods, menu boards also use photos, graphics and other visuals to attract attention. Fast food chains in particular have found that digital menu boards are a great way to increase sales. Although digital menu boards are used more often in the food service industry, they can also be found in retail stores, restaurants and hotels. With the popularity of mobile devices, more and more non-food businesses are also introducing digital menu boards to increase customer engagement.
Why Have Digital Menu Boards?
Menu boards are a great way to advertise your restaurant or store's food options to potential customers. Digital boards can also be helpful in offering healthier options, such as fresh salads and grilled meats, while reducing food waste. Menu boards are also an excellent way to build brand awareness.
How Digital Menu Boards Work?
A digital menu board is computer-driven and uses software to allow customers to browse and choose from a variety of dishes. Digital menu boards are generally connected to a network, either via a cable or through WiFi. In order to attract customers, many digital menu boards also use AI, voice recognition and facial recognition technology to aid search. This means that you can target customers by age, gender, dietary preferences, location and other factors. Digital menu boards are also designed with a variety of screen sizes in mind, including counters, tables and wall mounts. Some larger chains even have mobile menu boards that can travel to different restaurants. While digital menu boards can be found in virtually any type of environment, they are most effective in restaurants and other food service businesses.
Digital Menu Board Cost Savings Benefits
Digital menu boards are a relatively low-cost way to advertise, promote and sell food. They are also a good way to increase sales as people are more likely to try new dishes if they are featured prominently on the menu board. Moreover, digital menu boards can help reduce food waste by showcasing items that are less popular, such as side dishes or desserts.
Tips for Creating a Successful Menu Board
When it comes to creating a successful menu board for your restaurant or food business, there are a few considerations you should keep in mind.
- Ensure the menu board is visible from a distance. While you want to make sure that the menu board is visible from the entrance of the store, it should also be visible from the sidewalk or street. The biggest mistake many restaurant owners make is not positioning their menu board properly, making it difficult for customers to find.
- Include photos and visuals - Customers are 25% more likely to choose a dish if it has clear visuals. In addition, including photos and visuals makes the menu board more enticing and easy to understand.
- Keep the board updated - Not only should the menu board be updated on a regular basis, but it should be updated multiple times per day. This ensures that it is always fresh and up to date. Not updating the menu board shows customers that the restaurant is disorganized and unprofessional.
- Include multiple prices - One of the most frustrating things a customer can encounter is paying too much for their meal. Including multiple prices on the menu board will help prevent this issue by giving customers a quick reference point.
- Maintain a clear and concise menu - A menu board that is unclear and difficult to understand is a menu board that will constantly be ignored by customers. Keep the menu board as simple as possible, with menu items and prices written in simple and easy-to-understand language.
- Have a welcoming and professional atmosphere - When it comes to creating a welcoming and professional atmosphere for your customers, the wait staff and the menu board are two of the main places to start. A welcoming menu board will immediately help create a more welcoming atmosphere.
- Use digital menu boards as often as possible - While digital menu boards can be expensive, they should be used as often as possible. This will help you maximize the amount of money you spend on the menu board and ensure that it is fresh and easy to understand.
Digital menu boards are a great way to engage your customers and get them excited about what’s on offer. These menus are generally computer-driven, allowing customers to browse and choose from a variety of dishes. Digital menu boards are also designed with a variety of screen sizes in mind, including counters, tables and wall mounts. With the popularity of mobile devices, more and more non-food businesses are introducing digital menu boards to increase customer engagement.
Eva Wen
Eva Wen is the Digital Marketing Executive at CY Digital Signage.