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Top Reasons Why You Need A Digital Menu Board

‘Digital menu board’, you may or may not have heard of this phrase. If you have, you may be pondering about it because it may be a new phrase to you. Before diving deeper into the digital menu board, let’s first understand what it is. Digital menu board is the alternative to the old menu book. It works like the usual menu book, to display a food menu and what a restaurant has to offer. A digital menu board uses a digital screen while a traditional menu uses a static display or print materials. Besides, a digital menu board is managed by a content management system (CMS). It also gives sleek and modern vibes.

Digital Menu Board

A digital signage solution that helps to display menu attractively and improve customer experiences.

However, this digital menu board has more to offer, and it is a good new approach for business owners. To keep up with this rapid development of innovation, many businesses have taken a new approach. For instance, the retail industry has changed from traditional signage to using digital signage for their brands. Now, it is also the time for the food & beverage industry to do the same. Restaurant owners should really consider installing digital menu boards at their restaurants to replace the traditional menu.

In this article, we will explore the advantages of a digital menu board that make it special from the usual menu book.

Digital Signage - Digital Menu Board - Pop Meals Bandar Sunway

Attractive and High-definition Display

The digital menu board is richer in colour than the usual menu book. Food images appear more tempting with digital menu boards. Even more when a digital menu board has a high-definition resolution. Colours are very crucial when it comes to food images. Would you be attracted to any food if the image is in black and white mode? Or when the colour is fading? No, right? It will not make anyone swallow their saliva or the stomach growls.

On the other hand, the bright and crystal-clear images from the digital menu display give the food so much power. It could make anyone stop and stare at it, contemplating whether to get it or not.

Reduce Waiting Time

Furthermore, a digital menu board is time-saving. It is said so because it reduces the waiting time. If customers only get to see the menu once they reach their turn, then they will be taking quite some time to look through the menu and to make their choices.

It is different from a digital menu board that has a longer viewing distance. A customer gets to see the menu from a distance and can decide while queuing up. This will reduce the waiting time for the customers, and it will smoothen the order process for both parties.

Efficient and Easier Operation

Moreover, a digital menu board is more efficient. This is because the menu can be updated anytime and instantly. Unlike a printed menu, it has to be compiled first and then printed. Some restaurants will change their menu from time to time and it will be very easy with a digital menu board. The menu can be changed few times a month and it will not cost a cent for printing expenses.

The same goes to when there is a special discount or price changing. Restaurants do not have to print banners or printed menus for that. It can be displayed easily on the digital menu board. Some restaurants may dislike the idea of making a promotion because they have to go through the hassle of doing all the printing and designing.

Having a digital menu board will motivate restaurant owners to do promotions frequently. Automatically, customers will fall in love with the restaurants and the restaurants will be remembered for being generous to the customers. Who does not love promotion, right?

Next, the digital menu board will be very handy when a restaurant wants to switch from breakfast to lunch menu or from lunch to dinner menu. It makes the process more efficient.  With a digital menu display, restaurants can set the menu to be switched at a certain time. The menu will automatically be switched then and again, no delaying issue will occur. Everything is sharp on the dot and the process will not complicate the day. The content management system helps to automate menu changing.  It will not be time-consuming for the staff.

Digital Menu Display at counter.

Flexible Content Management

The menu is also more flexible with a digital menu board as it can always be changed anytime. You can set your menu based on the inventories available. So, it will not disappoint customers when you are displaying unavailable items on the menu. Moreover, this can avoid ingredient wastage. Restaurants can utilize the in-store raw inventory and make the most out of it. Restaurants can create their ‘today’s special’ menu based on what is available, and update on the digital menu display board conveniently.

The digital menu board also has the upper hand in content creation. The traditional menu has limited capability and the creativity is restricted. However, that is not the case for digital menu boards. Your creativity is boundless. Your content can be in a static or dynamic format such as video, image, and animation. The font size and the font type are not limited too. What more, content management system helps to make content creation much easier and faster.

As stated, menu content can be static images or videos. How amazing is that to have food videos being displayed. It helps customers to get a clearer vision of the food. Indeed, videos are more powerful than images.  Thus, this is one way of how a digital menu board helps to engage customers.

Uniformity and Consistency

Digital menu boards will also maintain a restaurant’s consistency. How? This benefit is best for businesses with many outlets. For example, if you have an expired promotion, with a digital menu display board, all you need is one click, and everything will be changed at the same time for all outlets. There will be no delaying issues or such.

This can be done because the digital menu board is managed centrally by a content management system (CMS). Changing the menu can be done remotely by just one supervisor assigned. The CMS can control multiple digital menu boards that are located separately at the same time. If you are wondering what a CMS is, it is a content management system. The software is used to manage all digital signages within a system, including the digital menu boards.

Often, we see the inconsistency when Outlet A still has the banner for last month’s menu, but the Outlet B does not have it. Customers may think the Outlet A has more menus, but the real scenario could be the staff forgot to bring down the banner. Therefore, a digital menu display board ensures uniformity for all outlets. It may seem like a small matter, but if we can avoid such issues from arising, then it puts us on a higher level from other competitors.

Split-screen Format

One of the best features of a digital menu board is the ability for the screen to be split into two. You may have seen how engaging digital menu boards can be from all the points mentioned above. The features a digital menu board has to offer are all correlated to ‘engagement’ because it is undeniable that a digital menu board has helped to increase engagement with customers. This is said by restaurant owners who have installed the digital menu boards.

Digital Menu Board - Digital Signage

The split-screen feature is among the features that help in increasing engagement. One example is when the screen will be showing the food menus and the food videos at the same time. It attracts customers to stay engaged on the menu board instead of looking down at their smartphones. Another option could be displaying the food menu and also the merchandise the restaurant offers, such as mugs, tumblers and toys.

Besides, if you are planning to give more exposure of your restaurant to the customers, you can use the split-screen feature to display the real-time menu on one side and display ‘what is coming tonight’ or ‘what is special for lunch’ on another side. This is a great way to unconsciously give exposure to them. When customers visit for lunch, they also get to know what is offered for dinner beforehand. This will attract customers to come and try the dinner menu offered. ‘Mash two potatoes with one fork’ is best to describe this feature.

And yes, these all can be done with just one digital menu board.

Conclusion

Last but never least, the digital menu board has more to offer than what is mentioned. By time, it is safe to say that this innovation will keep on expanding. It is easy to manage and very efficient.

The fact that the digital menu board will cost more than a traditional menu cannot be denied. But that is only if you are looking at a short-term perspective. A digital menu board will be a useful long-term investment. It is a one-time investment, unlike a traditional menu that has to be replaced from time to time. So, it is an ongoing investment that will benefit the restaurant owner over the long term.  Lastly, what you must know is that a digital menu board will not cost an arm and a leg.