Are digital menu boards right for your business?

A digital menu board is an electronic screen that displays your menu items, products, or services. It can include everything from photos and text to graphs and rotating imagery. In the past few years, digital menus have become more popular in restaurants and other businesses for their ease of use and dynamic nature.

As these signs become more widely used, you may be wondering if digital menus are right for your business. Weighing the benefits against the costs for installation, screens, and design software (though some companies offer more affordable digital menu board templates as an option), and time it would take to set up will be important factors in the decision.

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Below we've listed a few questions to help determine whether a digital display is the right choice for your restaurant or small business.

Is your service a casual walk-up style?

Digital menus are great for businesses that have an open layout or a register and counter that the customer walks up to. Generally, this includes fast-casual restaurants, small stores, buffets, cafeterias, or dispensaries. This style of business allows for easy viewing of the menu from multiple locations in your store. Try and choose a spot that's convenient for you and has the most direct visibility for your customers.

For example, in a cafeteria, placing the digital board near the entrance could be a good location for listing daily or weekly specials, or for pricing for a la carte items. That said, since digital menus allow for enlarged text, it can also be placed further away and still be legible.

In an establishment where customers will be walking up to pay for their food or drink at a counter, placing the menu in a spot that is easy to read prior to the payment counter allows customers plenty of time to view the menu in advance without feeling rushed. Typically, this is seen in quick-service restaurants with the display on the wall behind the cashiers a couple feet above eye level, or on a wall or stand prior to the counter. This can help answer questions about the menu sooner and eliminate any holding up of the line.

Do you frequently update your menu?

Businesses that have frequent menu changes are great for digital menus as it is easier to update your digital menu on the fly than print new menus. Additionally, if you have products or menu items that frequently sell out, this is a great way to stay on top of editing your menu availability or indicating that something is sold out as soon as it happens.

This means the menu is always the most up-to-date version and staff don't need to worry about communicating menu changes to customers. This helps mitigate any frustration a customer might have after already spending time deciding on what they'd like to order.

In addition, this means saving money on reprinting materials. Of course, the upfront cost of installing a digital menu will be hefty — screens, software, installation, and time are all pieces to consider. This cost can vary depending on what services and products you choose, but can easily be in the thousands. After the initial upfront cost, though, digital menus can save your business significant amounts of money down the road if you often spend money on print due to frequent menu changes.

Do you offer specials or promotions?

Grocery stores that want to highlight their sale items, or even daily lunch and dinner specials, could benefit from digital menus. Using a digital menu can make sale items more noticeable with the use of bright or rotating imagery. This is also a great way to highlight new products or products that customers may not be aware of.

Since digital menus tend to be more engaging than traditional print products, customers are more apt to notice these updates or specialty products, making it easier to upsell and increase sales overall.

What's your aesthetic?

Using a digital board instantly upgrades your establishment by giving it a more modern look. Digital menus tend to draw the eye and give your business a sleek aesthetic. And with a more dynamic menu than what paper menus can provide, your customers are more likely to spend time viewing what you offer and seeing more of the menu they might not otherwise have noticed.

Last thoughts

While it may cost more upfront and take time to implement in your business, a digital menu board may be the solution that makes the most sense for your operations in the long term. Once set up, a digital menu is easy to maintain and can increase your sales for ongoing business success.