A common goal amongst all restaurant owners is to make customers happy whilst at the same time, maintaining low operational costs. Although these two goals seem paradoxical, there is one solid solution to this dilemma – the use of digital menu boards.
Here’s a quick look at the benefits provided by digital menu boards.
- Consistency – changes to content can be made automatically and without having to be on site.
- Reactivity – menu can be adjusted based on inventory management.
- Cost reductions – no more printing hardcopy menus.
- Engaging customers – promotional videos or other engagement tactics such as trivia questions can be displayed to entertain customers while they wait in line.
Main components of a restaurant LED sign
Digital display
It is important to choose the right LED displays to ensure that they can handle the atmosphere in a restaurant and can serve the purpose of the investment. While consumer grade monitors are cheaper, they are only intended to be used for a few hours in a day. Commercial grade LED screens can operate constantly; even for 24 hours a day and have high display resolutions; ideal for restaurant menus.
For your digital menu board, an LED monitor is the best option. Plasma screens sound cool, but they tend to leave a burn-in effect – the image appearing to be ghosted on the screen even after the device is turned off. At LED Craft Inc, our range of LED displays offers premium quality at an affordable price. Before making your purchase, consider the size of the screen and the placement location. The screen should be big enough for consumers to see and the content should be large enough to make it readable.
One last thing to keep in mind about the LED screen is to make sure you have an electric connection in the location where the screen has to be mounted. An electrician can not only help you with a connection but also make sure the power is clean so there are no power spikes that would cause the screen to flicker.
Content management system
Good content management software will consider the reasons why you are switching to a digital menu:
- Do you need to change the menu content frequently?
- Should the menu change automatically based on the time of day?
- Do you want a very creatively designed menu?
- Do you want to include animations?
When evaluating which software to choose, the answers to the above questions will play a big role. Content management systems usually have in-built templates that are useful for operators who don’t have much talent in creating visually appealing content.
Before purchasing the software, consider the following:
- How user-friendly is it?
- Do you need training to use it?
- Can multiple users be added to the account?
- Is it possible to schedule content automatically?
- Does the system allow the operator to add videos and pictures?
- Are there promotional areas to highlight special news?
When it comes to hosting information, an on-premise solution will need a server located on site and an operator to update software and look after any server issues. A cloud based solution on the other hand allows you to download content so even if any network issues are there; your menu will still be displayed.
Customer support is another factor to be considered: will the vendor be around if your system goes down or if you need help getting a template to work? Will such gestures incur extra costs?
Media player
Media players act as a middleman between your restaurant LED sign and the chosen content management system. A media player is what displays the content you have designed on the LED display that you invested in.
A media player comes in varieties of small and inexpensive devices to reasonably priced digital media players. To know which one works best for you, you need to understand which media player will be compatible with your content management system. If your software won’t work with the hardware, your investment will be of no use.
Similar to LED displays, some media players can work for long hours while others are less pricey and easily replaceable. These devices should not just be compatible with the content management system but also with the digital menu board that you will invest in. Some media players are robust and can accommodate high resolution screens.
Wrapping up
These are the 3 main components of restaurant LED sign investments and the considerations you need to keep in mind before making the investment. Don’t be appalled by the cost of the investment. Be aware that digitalization can save time and money, while giving customers an improved experience. Most restaurants that have made the digital shift have experienced an average 5% lift in profits, which means that the investment will pay for itself in just 12 months. Take plenty of time to evaluate all the components of your digital menu carefully in order to ensure your business goals are successfully achieved.
