Why your Digital Menu Board Sucks
Before we discuss digital menu board mistakes, we strongly suggest watching this SNL skit as it is totally relevant to how you need to design your digital menu boards, and why.
It’s also entertaining in and of itself.
Now that you’ve watched the video, you understand the impact a menu board can have, especially considering that the average person makes more than 200 decisions about food every day, many of them unconsciously. You also now understand how costly digital menu board mistakes can be.
We all know that the restaurant industry is highly competitive, and unless you have a star chef or a haute cuisine, chances are you will have trouble standing out from the crowd. Anyone who has seen an episode of Restaurant: Impossible knows that restaurants need much more than grandma’s classic recipes to survive.
In fact, according to a study by Ohio State University, 60% of restaurants do not make it past the first year, and 80% go under in five years.
The current state of the restaurant industry, and our eating habits are just a few factors that are driving restaurant owners to perpetually look for ways to set themselves apart from the fierce competition. Many are implementing digital menu boards, which is great, but some of these menu boards suck!
Yes, there are more affordable TVs and powerful media players than ever before. And yes, installing digital signage is not as hard a feat as it used to be.
But upgrading from static menu boards to digital menu boards alone is not enough. More effort needs to be put into these menu boards in order to drive sales, engage with customers, and enhance their in-venue experience.
So how can you transform your digital menu board from an eyesore to an eyeful?
Here are a few tips:
- “Visual” is the food language. People eat with their eyes. Do you have big bold mouth-watering imagery?
- Put thought into your layout. 74% of customers say an easy to read menu is a top priority. And did you know that vertical boards relate to how people naturally read a book, as they tend to provide easier communication?
- We know you’ve heard it a gazillion times, but we’ll still say it. Content IS king. What kind of language are you using? Simple text or big complex words? Is your text conversational, inviting the customer to take a closer look?
For more tips, take a look at this free whitepaper.
And avoid making “Pacinos” and “DeNiros” out of your customers.
