Outdoor menu boards have been a part of fast-casual and quick-service restaurants since the drive-thru phenomenon began. These listings made it easy for customers to decide on their meals before pulling up to the window to pay.
While traditional menu boards still promote efficiency, food and beverage businesses need more advanced drive-thru solutions in today’s increasingly digital world. Discover the benefits of digital drive-thru menu boards and how they enhance productivity and quick-service restaurants.
What Is a Menu Board?
A menu board is a display used in restaurants, cafes, fast-food chains, and other food establishments to showcase their menu items, prices, and promotions. Traditionally, menu boards were static displays made of printed materials such as paper or cardboard. However, with technological advancements, many menu boards are now digital, utilizing screens or monitors to display dynamic content through digital signage.
Static Menu Boards: Traditional menu boards made of printed materials such as paper, cardboard, or vinyl. These can include simple laminated menus, chalkboards, or boards with interchangeable letters or tiles.
Digital Menu Boards: These boards utilize screens or monitors to display dynamic content digitally. They can use either LCD or LED screens that are placed on walls or stands. These menu types can offer flexibility in content, showcase images and real time updates.
Interactive Touchscreen Displays: Allow customers to interact with the menu by browsing through options, customizing orders, and viewing additional information. They can enhance customer engagement and provide a more personalized experience.
Outdoor & Drive-Thru Menu Boards: Designed specifically for outdoor and drive-thru use, these boards are weatherproof and durable to withstand outdoor conditions such as rain, sunlight, and temperature fluctuations. They can be static or digital and are commonly used in drive-thru lanes or outdoor seating areas.
Why Use Digital Drive-Thru Menu Boards?
Using modern technology to improve digital signage enables quick-service restaurants and similar establishments to leverage the advantages of conventional listings and attain new conveniences, yet many businesses are reluctant to implement them. According to a recent Drive-Thru study conducted by QSR Magazine, many of the nation’s most recognizable drive-thru chains have digital menu boards at less than half of their operations.
Not having easy to read drive-thru menu boards, digital or static could possibly impede efficiency, such restaurants could be missing out on accelerating the ordering process and reducing long wait times. The following are other benefits of digital drive-thru menu boards:
Customizable Menus
A common request among people who frequent quick-service restaurants is the ability to personalize their meal selections. Digital menus may include notifications that let guests know where they can customize their order, such as substitutions for side dishes or options that meet dietary restrictions. Giving guests a personalized drive-thru experience is likely to elevate their satisfaction, as well.
Enhanced Visibility
While restaurants can use bright, bold fonts to make listings on traditional menus more pronounced, they cannot adjust them for different outdoor conditions. Digital drive-thru menu boards tend to be better illuminated, and you may alter their brightness level depending on the time of day or weather conditions. For instance, at night, you may tone down the outdoor digital menu board to be easier on the customer’s eyes. This simple feature is significant for boosting the guest experience.
Increase Sales
Although digital signage is sometimes more expensive than standard illuminated menu boards upfront, they tend to be a more cost-effective investment long term. With a digital drive-thru system, you can pair the items that guests frequently purchase together to increase cross-selling opportunities. You can also advertise for promotional, seasonal items, or limited-time offers (LTOs). Coupled with the augmented customer experience that digital menu boards afford, your restaurant could see a higher return on investment in approximately one year.
Streamlined Editing Capabilities
While not necessarily difficult, switching out conventional menu boards can be a time-consuming task. You need to edit changes on the computer, reprint paper copies, and situate the new listings in the drive-thru case. With digital drive-thru menu boards, you can seamlessly make modifications and menu changes for weekly specials, seasonal offerings, and price changes, in real-time.
Modernize your Brand
Digital menu boards can help modernize a brand by providing a new technical edge to your brand’s messaging and visibility. Menu boards, especially digital menu boards, help to promote your restaurant’s unique brand by allowing it to be more visible and ever-changing. Being able to change the menu with the click of a button for breakfast, lunch, and dinner can further engage customers and pique their interest with new menu items. Digital menu boards can help your brand stay technically savvy and current, while looking unique and different from other brands. Lastly, digital menus can be highly customizable as far as functionality to engage further with customers, such as camera interaction, media players, auto messaging and more.
How Much Does a Digital Menu Cost?
The cost of a digital menu can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the type of digital menu board, its size, features, installation requirements, and ongoing maintenance expenses. Here’s a breakdown of some cost considerations:
Hardware Cost: This includes the price of the digital display itself, whether it’s an LCD/LED screen, projector, or interactive touchscreen. Larger screens with higher resolutions generally cost more. Prices can range from a few hundred dollars for smaller screens to several thousand dollars for larger, high-quality displays.
Content Management System (CMS) Software: Many digital menu boards require specialized software for content creation, scheduling, and management. Some CMS software options are available for a one-time purchase, while others may require a monthly or yearly subscription fee.
Installation Costs: Depending on the complexity of the installation and any additional equipment needed (such as mounts, brackets, or wiring), installation costs can vary. Professional installation may be necessary, especially for larger or more intricate setups.
Additional Features: Advanced features such as touchscreen interactivity, real-time updates, remote monitoring, or integration with POS systems may incur additional costs. Customization options, such as branding or design services, may also affect the overall price.
Content Creation: If you require professional content creation services, such as graphic design, animation, or video production, these services may come with their own costs.
In general, the total cost of a digital menu can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars or more, depending on the specific requirements and preferences of the business. It’s essential to carefully consider factors such as budget, desired features, and long-term ROI when investing in a digital menu solution.
Trust DSA Signage for Digital Drive-Thru Menu Boards
If you want to reap the benefits of using eye-catching digital menu boards at your fast casual or quick-service restaurant, turn to DSA signage for high-quality, sleek products. Our menu board solutions engage guests, encouraging them to make quicker decisions and speeding up ordering times. We tailor digital menu boards to meet the unique needs of various restaurants and support all-in-one drive-thru menus with products such as directional signs and order point canopies.
At DSA Signage, our diverse team of engineers, fabricators, and customer services experts draw on over 50 years of experience to develop durable and beautiful next-generation signage solutions. Contact us today to learn more about our drive-thru solutions or receive a quote on restaurant signage.
