The food service industry stands on a solid foundation of efficiency, particularly for multi-unit operations. From kitchen and dining room layout to drive-thru flow at QSRs, every aspect of a restaurant must be designed to maximize speed and efficiency while minimizing the effort of your staff. It’s all meant to add up to reduced costs, greater ROI and, most importantly, a better customer experience.
So why wouldn’t your menu design strive for the same ideals?
Unfortunately, print and static display menus are the antithesis of efficiency. They’re cumbersome to design and update – requiring a multi-step process for even the most simple additions or alterations. Changes may take days or weeks to produce. Suddenly, it’s easy to see where you’ve strayed from the goal of efficiency in your business.
That’s why more and more multi-unit concept restaurants are going digital – leveraging the power and allure of digital menu boards.
Digital menu boards are an effective and affordable way to maximize your flexibility and improve the quality of your menu displays. Designed to be easy to use, digital menu boards ensure your ability to quickly and efficiently update your menu content so that you can focus more of your efforts on what you do best – providing great meals and exceptional service.
Below we’ll break down a few of the most significant ways that digital menu boards can help you maximize efficiency and drive sales.
#1: Centralized Content Management
One of the most important features found in today’s best digital signage solutions is the ability to centrally manage content for one or multiple locations. This feature is even more important for franchise groups and corporations that want regional and enterprise-level control over the content displayed at each of their locations.
With online cloud-based portals, users can log in, select the location or groups of locations and begin editing and scheduling content – all with just a few simple clicks. Having this ability allows you to quickly and easily execute any number of changes:
- Remove and/or add menu items
- Edit pricing and caloric information
- Set dayparts for breakfast, lunch and dinner menus
- Schedule promotional content for seasonal items
It all adds up to maximum efficiency and consistency – not to mention a boost in check averages and happier customers (see #3).
#2: They’re ideal for FDA menu compliance
If you have 20 or more locations then federal law requires you to show the calorie count for each food item on the menu. The use of digital menu boards is instrumental in helping you comply with these new FDA regulations, allowing you to easily display and adjust nutritional information on your menus.
#3: They help you influence purchase decisions
Digital menu boards can be displayed through a variety of templates, giving you the flexibility to promote seasonal items and specials alongside menu content. Animated graphics attract attention and influence ordering. As we touched on previously, having the ability to control content for multiple locations ensures that special items are being promoted at each of your locations. This capability also provides opportunities to conduct A/B testing that can further increase ROI.
#4: They’re great for generating greater customer loyalty
The benefits don’t end with the ability to influence purchase decisions. In fact, digital menu boards are a great place to showcase your brand story and values.
When a customer shares and appreciates your core values, they become more than just weekly visitors – they become full-fledged brand advocates. Using a supplemental screen to display information about your values is a great way to help customers feel more connected to your brand.
For example, maybe your organization is committed to sustainability or serving only hormone-free meats. Perhaps you have a specific commitment to your local community. If so, it’s worthwhile to display such information alongside your digital menu boards, since your support of these causes can make customers have a stronger affinity with your brand.
Furthermore, displaying this information gives customers something to look at even after they’ve made their choice, helping reduce perceived wait times in line. The result is a greater customer experience that differentiates you from the competition even more.
Where to start…
If you really want to get the most ROI out of your digital menu boards, it’s important to work with an experienced provider that is capable of rolling out and supporting a consistent solution across all of your locations. Some important offerings to look for in a potential vendor include:
- Local service and installation
- Custom content development
- Content management support
- Commercial-grade screens
- On-site and remote training
- Bundled solutions, such as music and drive-thru equipment
- Experience working with multi-unit organizations
Make sure you do your due diligence and find a provider that can fulfill those essential needs. If you’re interested in learning more about how digital menu boards help your operations maximize efficiency and drive sales, contact Mood Media today and let our experts show you the many possibilities for your business – and your brand.
– Submitted by Jeff Sheerin, Marketing