Everyone is familiar with being in a new place and trying to figure out which of the cafes and restaurants is the best one to pick. A menu with captivating images of what’s on offer inside can be the deciding factor in attracting customers into your establishment. Rather than using printed menus which need to be replaced every time you update your menu a vibrant digital menu board is the easiest way to stand out from the competition with an impactful and positive impression. Fast food restaurants have long since used this technology and with studies showing that restaurants with digital signage attract an 80% rise in unplanned purchases why not put your restaurant on the same footing? In this article, we will explain how digital menu boards work.
Firstly, what is a digital menu board? The menu board is an LCD display with a digital signage media player & software to display menus, images, special offers etc in an eye-catching way. You can update the display using a USB stick for plug and play or opt for a cloud-based content management system (CMS) subscription to allow you full flexibility over the displays’ content even when you are off-site. We’ll go into further detail in this article.
So, how do digital menu boards actually work? There are three major components covering hardware and software that you need to consider. They are as follow:
1) Digital Signage Display vs Screens with HDMI ports; Both consumer grade and commercial grade displays are available on the market. Below are the key points for each solution for you to consider when making your choice between them:
- Commerical grade displays; these are designed for operation 24/7 and typically come with a 3-year warranty. Their designed to really amplify your message; a very narrow bezel and brightness ranging from 700cd/m² all the way through to 3500cd/m² the content will never look washed out even in direct sunlight
- Consumer grade displays; these can be purchased at a lower price point. However, the warranty will typically be voided if it’s used in a commercial environment. Another major consideration is that these displays aren’t designed for 24/7 use and with a brightness usually in the range of 150-200 nits it’s substantially dimmer than a commercial grade solution meaning your content will be hard to see in direct sunlight. These displays also typically have a much larger bezel which can detract from your visuals.
2) Digital Signage Player; The digital signage (media) player helps run the digital software and displays the menu content on the screen. Many digital menu boards have an inbuilt HD android media player allowing you to load your content via a USB stick; once the files have been copied onto the internal memory the pictures and videos will play in a continuous loop, Alternatively, you might prefer to have an external media player to manage your content. If that’s the case, you need to consider the following:
- Size; a small, sleek device for an uncluttered window
- Simple to install; minimal wires and easy to get up are key features
- Maintenance; you need to be able to update the device without having to remove it
- Designed specifically for digital signage; some solutions are designed for personal use and they will have a number of limitations
3) Digital Menu Board Software
You can use the inbuilt media player with many displays for simple content using a USB stick to upload content. But if you’re looking for the most flexible system you would almost certainly benefit from a cloud-based Content Management System so you can remotely manage your commercial display from anywhere in the world; be that the flexibility to edit your content based on real-time data or advance scheduling, so you can plan your content ahead of time and with ease.
Conclusion
It’s increasingly the case that your business needs to stand out from the crowd and that digital menu boards will give you the perfect platform to promote yourself with the ability to make changes on the fly.
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