The restaurant industry today is rapidly growing, and technology has taken a central place in the improvement of customer experience. Among them, the most prominent is the usage of restaurant digital menus and digital menu boards. These are some of the trends that are changing the way customers engage with menus, increasing productivity, and sales.

What is Restaurant Digital Menu?

A restaurant digital menu is an electronic form of a menu which has replaced the conventional paper or printed menus. It can be done through a tablet or through a code that is scanned with a smartphone within the restaurant. In contrast to printed menus, digital menus have dynamic content, which means that restaurants can easily change items, prices, and promotions on the menu.

Advantages of Using Digital Menus in Restaurants

1.     Easy Updates & Real-Time Changes

o      There is no need to reprint menus every time there are changes in price changes or the addition of new dishes.

Built-in features include the ability to change seasonal or daily special offerings at the click of a button.

2.     Enhanced Visual Appeal

High quality images and videos of dishes can trigger customers’ appetite and thus encourage them to order the foods.

o      Animated descriptions and chef’s recommendation enhance viewers’ interest.

3.     Cost-Effective & Eco-Friendly

o      Saves on printing costs and also does away with the use of paper.

o      Economies in the long run compared to menu printing in the usual manner.

4.     Improved Customer Experience

o      Interactive menus also enable the customers to select food items based on their restrictions (vegan, gluten intolerance, etc.).

o      Fast and easy ordering through the use of touch screen or quick response code.

What is a digital menu board?

A restaurant digital menu board can therefore be described as an electronic display that is used in quick-service restaurants (QSRs), cafes and fast foods. These boards are usually large and are in the form of LCD or LED screens that advertise the various foods and drinks, special offers, and combination offers.

Advantages of Digital Menu Boards

1.     Dynamic Pricing & Promotions

o      Restaurants can alter their prices depending on the time of the day (happy hour, lunch, dinner, late night).

o      Combo deals and items help in upselling conveniently.

2.     Increased Sales & Upselling Opportunities

p      Aesthetic animations and promotions make people want to give new products a try.

o      There is a possibility to make promotions based on time, such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

3.     Centralized Control

o      Chain restaurants can manage all their stores at once from the central control panel.

It also ensures that all the outlets selling the same products have the same branding and pricing.

4.     Reduced Perceived Wait Time

Entertaining content keeps the customers busy when they are waiting in line.

Ordering updates such as “Now Serving” are good for the order.

How to Implement a Digital Menu or Menu Board

1.     Choose the Right Display

o      For dine-in restaurants: Tablets or wall-mounted screens.

o      For QSRs: Electronic signs, preferably at the counter or the drive-thru area.

2.     Select a Digital Menu Software

o      Cloud-based solutions allow remote updates.

o      Avoid complex interfaces that do not allow for easy dragging and dropping of objects.

3.     Integrate with POS & Kitchen Systems

o      In order to avoid such mistakes, it is important to synchronize the changes made in the menu with the POS system.

o      Make sure the real-time updates are consistent with the inventory of the product.

4.     Optimize Content for Engagement

o      Use high-resolution images and videos.

o      Highlight bestsellers and limited time offers.

Conclusion

The use of restaurant digital menus and digital menu boards has become an exciting development in the eating establishment industry. These tools prove useful as they improve the aesthetic of the design, the functionality of the business and its profitability. Increasingly, more restaurants will incorporate the use of technology in their business to meet the growing demands from the consumers.

It is no longer a question of whether or not to implement a digital menu system, but when, for restaurants that want to gain operational advantages, save money and enhance the customers’ experience.