Imagine walking into your favorite restaurant and being greeted by a friendly TV screen menu. It’s flashing tempting animations of sizzling fajitas and icy margaritas, making your mouth water before you’ve even ordered.
These enticing visuals displayed on the digital menu boards are not just for show. They are part of a strategic plan by the restaurant to capture your attention and influence what you purchase.
It in a way helps tell a visual story to make you hungry for certain menu items.
The global digital menu market size is projected to grow to nearly $1 billion (about $3 per person in the US) by 2025, up from just $200 million in 2018.
According to data from hospitality research firm Technomic digital menus are already used in some form in over one-third of full-service restaurants. They have become a must-have technology for many modern restaurant operators.
How to Use Digital Menu Boards to Increase Sales like Big QSR Chains
Leading chains are leveraging the flexibility of digital signage menu and their real-time capabilities to engage customers and drive higher average checks.
By implementing an effective strategy for digital menu boards, operators can increase order sizes, speed up service, and strengthen branding.
Quick-service restaurants using digital menu boards account for up to 20% of the digital signage
industry.
As per a comprehensive overview by 360 Research Reports , the hospitality digital signage market is poised for significant growth, with an impressive Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.83%. The market size is projected to increase from $2.476 billion in 2021 to $3.68 billion by 2027.
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Get Noticed
In the past, restaurants could only organize their menus in a static, text-only presentation and hope customers would find something appealing.
But now, with digital menu boards, restaurants can incorporate creativity by using captivating videos, slideshows and menu expertise to showcase dynamic images and animations that boost sales beyond a boring menu.
8 out of 10 viewers made an unplanned purchase of something promoted digitally in a restaurant setting.
Digital menu boards offer flexibility in displaying menus compared to static ones. You can use captivating videos, slideshows, and design the boards as you wish.
Our eyes are naturally drawn to movement. Even though we struggle to find our car keys on the counter, we spot motion instantly.
Digital menu boards take advantage of this by using animated images that attract attention and entice guests with dynamic visuals that prompt impulsive purchases.
Help Drive Revenue
With digital menu boards, restaurants can grab the opportunity to tailor promotions directly to customers.
Offers can be presented based on time of day, high-margin items the restaurant wants to upsell, or even factors like the weather or local events. This personalized approach not only captivates customers but also drives additional revenue for the restaurant.
Digital signage creates an average increase of 3% in margin per transaction.
Digital menus make it easy for customers to explore all the options and add extras like additional toppings, sides, or beverages that lead to larger check sizes.
Streamlining Operations
Digital menus allow restaurants to streamline operations in several keyways:
Faster table turns – Digital menu boards significantly enhance the customer ordering experience, particularly during queue moments.
These innovative displays streamline the decision-making process by presenting visually appealing and easily navigable menus while they wait in line.
Reduced wait times – Digital menu boards revolutionize the dining experience by significantly reducing wait times by 15%.
With visually enticing displays, customers can swiftly navigate through menu options, accelerating their decision-making process. Real-time updates ensure accurate information, preventing delays caused by outdated menus.
Lower printing costs – Digital menus eliminate the recurring costs of printing paper menus which need to be refreshed as items and prices change.
For restaurants that update menus seasonally or even monthly, this can lead to substantial savings over time. Digital menus allow prices and items to be updated instantly without wasteful reprinting.
Make Quick Changes
One of the biggest benefits of digital menu boards is the ability to update menus, pricing, and promotions quickly and easily.
With traditional printed menus, any minor change would require reprinting and redistributing new menus to every location – which becomes an expensive and time-consuming process.
But with digital menus, updates can be made instantly over the network from a central location.
Restaurants can tailor menus, pricing, and promotions for different dayparts, markets, seasons, events, or other changing conditions.
The ability to update menus and pricing quickly gives restaurants tremendous flexibility to respond to business needs.
Slow-selling items can be removed, popular items or specials can be extended, and new products can be promoted faster than ever.
Reinforce Brand Strengths with Visual Storytelling
Digital menu boards allow restaurants to reinforce their brand strengths and identity through visual storytelling and tempting food displays.
Static printed menus lack the dynamic visual appeal that catches customer attention and stirs their emotions.
With digital menus, restaurants can showcase high-quality photos and videos that bring menu items to life.
Appetizing visuals that sizzle, melt, bubble, steam, and glisten make dishes irresistible. Tempting live slow-motioned food videos like a cheeseburger dripping with juicy deliciousness or fries tumbling crisply into a red basket.
Digital storytelling fosters an emotional connection and positions your brand as mouthwatering and craveable.
Improve Operational Efficiency and Speed up Service
Digital menu boards provide a level of flexibility that static menus can’t match.
They allow you to customize and display your menu in various ways, such as incorporating captivating videos, creating engaging slideshows, and designing the boards to suit your specific needs.
Our eyes are naturally drawn to movement. It’s a phenomenon where even if we struggle to find our car keys on the counter, we instantly spot motion.
Digital menu boards take advantage of this human tendency by utilizing animated images that instantly grab attention.
These dynamic visuals not only attract guests but also evoke emotions, enticing them to explore and order from your menu.
Keep Up with Customers Using Digital Menus
Stay in sync with your customers by instantly changing content to match their tastes and the current conditions. For example, when it’s cold, you can promote soups or hot coffee; on hot days, feature ice cream or desserts.
Use digital menus to showcase seasonal or limited time offers that match market conditions. Quickly update menus when new products launch or ingredients are scarce, capitalizing on trends to keep your offerings relevant.
No need for static menus for months or years—you can change items, prices, and promotions whenever necessary. This keeps customers engaged and provides more ways to boost sales.
Data Analytics
Investing in digital menu boards improves marketing insights and provides greater flexibility for restaurants.
By testing various menu formats and analyzing average order sizes, upselling opportunities, and popular and unpopular items, restaurants can develop a more effective product strategy.
Based on the kind of menu items served, different things work out for each restaurant. By understanding the unique ordering pattern and customer behavior, restaurants can design what works best for them.
This approach enables the creation of order-driven menu boards that prioritize customer preferences.
How DotSigange can help?
DotSignage offers seamless management of digital menu board updates, accessible from any location with remotely situated screens.
The versatility extends to choosing from a diverse selection of over 550 menu board templates. Users can effortlessly personalize and modify these templates to suit their specific menu items and branding.
The convenience of swift updates from any location empowers users to dynamically showcase their offerings.
Whether it’s displaying captivating videos, creating engaging slideshows, or strategically scheduling promotional content, DotSignage provides the flexibility to meet varied marketing and operational needs.
Remarkably, our observations reveal a noteworthy 20% boost in sales for restaurants implementing digital menu boards.
This positive impact extends across various aspects, including the average ticket size, overall order turnaround, and the general operational efficiency of the establishments.
Conclusion
Digital menu boards present a powerful opportunity for restaurant operators to influence customer behavior and drive increased sales and profits. By utilizing dynamic, high-impact visuals and messaging, restaurants can capture attention and highlight key products. The benefits of implementing an advanced digital menu system include:
By leveraging the unique advantages of digital menu technology, restaurants can engage customers, improve operations, and maximize sales and profits. Advanced digital menus are an investment that pays back many times over.
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