How to Maximize Your Investment With a Digital Menu Board

The benefits of digital menu boards go beyond the aesthetics of effective product presentation. In fact, as more and more restaurants create digital menu boards to enhance customer engagement and streamline menu updates, benefits such as operational efficiency and an increase in revenue are being realized. A digital menu board solution plays a crucial role in managing and displaying dynamic menu content across various locations. Though restaurant digital signage is certainly eye-catching, there are five more areas that restaurants can tap into in order to maximize the ROI of their digital menu board software.

Staying ahead of the competition requires innovative solutions that enhance customer engagement, boost sales, and streamline operations. One such solution is digital menu boards, which have revolutionized the way restaurants display their menus and interact with customers. With digital menu boards, restaurants can create a dynamic and engaging dining experience that sets them apart from the competition.

These digital menus not only offer a visually appealing way to present menu items but also provide the flexibility to make real-time updates and push promotions with just a few clicks.

In this article, we will explore the benefits of digital menu boards, how to create and manage them, and provide tips for measuring their success.

1. Easily Change Menu Items

Digital menu boards make managing food items more efficient because they facilitate both dynamic and manual menu updates, making it easy to add new items, remove non-performing ones, and rotate product displays relative to the time of day. Take the case of MGM Resorts, a hospitality and entertainment company that operates around the world. The company used restaurant digital signage to efficiently manage their restaurants’ product displays. With restaurant digital signage, they were able to quickly change product photos and pricing, and could easily display promoted items.

Digital signage templates play a crucial role in enhancing the visual appeal and organization of digital menu boards, making them more attractive to customers.

Previously, MGM used printed posters and menus, with production times that occasionally took months. With Poppulo digital menu boards, changing menu items, descriptions, and prices only takes a few minutes. Customized menu templates allow restaurants to link to a database of images, pricing information, descriptions, and more.

2. Comply With Government Policies

Complying with laws and policies is another benefit of digital menu boards. A law established in 2014 states that restaurants with 20 or more locations are required to disclose the calories in the food they serve. While this law requires companies to overhaul their menu boards for healthcare compliance, it was also a good opportunity for restaurants to consider digital menu boards as part of their overall strategy.

3. Increase Upsell Rate

When placed near a point of sale (PoS), restaurant digital signage can be an effective tool to increase a restaurant’s upsell rate. Scrolling text can be used to display dynamic content like item descriptions and promotional messages, enhancing the visual appeal and effectiveness of upselling strategies. A best-case implementation of this strategy is linking the digital menu board to POS systems to effectively suggest complementary items relative to customer purchase. Burger chains can use digital signage to suggest fries or dessert, while a frozen yogurt shop can use digital signage to advertise limited edition flavors and toppings.

4. Reduce Perceived Wait Time

There is nothing more frustrating than getting stuck in a long line on a lunch break. Restaurant digital signage can be used to distract customers by displaying fun facts, trivia or promotional material. Since digital menu boards are highly configurable, a certain area on the screen can be dedicated to displaying special content that will help keep customers in long lines less frustrated. Using restaurant digital signage to reduce perceived wait times is something that not only keeps customers from abandoning a restaurant’s line on the day of their visit but also helps attract more customers and encourages them to come back in the future.

5. Manage Content From Anywhere

One of the key benefits of digital menu boards is the ability to manage content from anywhere. With digital signage software, restaurants can update their menus, promotions, and other content in real-time, from any location. This means that restaurants can respond quickly to changes in demand, update menu items, and promote special offers without having to physically visit each location. This flexibility ensures that digital menu boards are always current and engaging, which can significantly boost sales and enhance customer satisfaction. By leveraging the power of remote management, restaurants can maintain a consistent and appealing presentation across multiple stores, all with just a few clicks.

Another benefit of using restaurant digital signage is the capability to update, configure, and monitor a network of digital menus regardless of where you are located. In addition, because digital menu boards can be hooked to the POS, it can generate sales reports in real-time, giving a good picture of how each store is doing with their daily sales targets.

Although customers’ initial response to digital menus is more of functional awe, restaurants can unlock many more benefits with their digital menus. Efficient menu management, compliance, upselling, reducing perceived wait time, and easy management are the top five things that restaurant digital signage can do for your business.

Measuring the Success of Your Digital Menu Boards

Measuring the success of digital menu boards is crucial to understanding their impact on customer engagement and sales. There are several ways to measure the success of digital menu boards, including:

• Tracking sales data: By analyzing sales data, restaurants can determine how digital menu boards are influencing sales and identify which menu items are performing well.
• Conducting customer surveys: Gathering feedback through customer surveys can provide insights into how effective the digital menu boards are and highlight areas for improvement.
• Analyzing customer behavior: Observing customer interactions with the digital menu boards can reveal patterns and preferences, helping to tailor content more effectively.
• Monitoring social media: Social media platforms can offer valuable feedback on customer perceptions and experiences with the digital menu boards, allowing for timely adjustments.

By employing these methods, restaurants can refine their digital menu board content and strategies, ultimately improving the overall customer experience and driving higher sales.

Future-Proofing Your Digital Menu Boards

As technology continues to evolve, it’s essential to future-proof digital menu boards to ensure they remain effective and engaging. Here are some tips for future-proofing digital menu boards:

• Invest in scalable digital signage software: Choose software that can grow and adapt with your business, ensuring that your digital menu boards remain relevant and functional as technology advances.
• Use high-quality hardware: Reliable and durable hardware will ensure that your digital menu boards operate smoothly and consistently, minimizing downtime and maintenance costs.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest trends: Keeping an eye on emerging trends in digital signage and menu boards can help you stay ahead of the competition and continuously improve your customer experience.

By taking these steps, restaurants can ensure that their digital menu boards remain a valuable asset, capable of adapting to future changes and continuing to drive customer engagement and sales for years to come. Want to learn more? Contact us, we’re here to help!