How to Boost Sales with Digital Menus

Correctly used, a restaurants’ digital menu display can be an extremely effective way for it to communicate with its customers. One key element all good, digital menus incorporate is movement, which can range between subtle animations that promote specials, to a full-screen animation that briefly flashes across the entire screen.

In the case of the large BBQ chain, Rib City, digital menu displays work to provide both a boost in the restaurant’s marketing performance and help the company engage with its customers.

“We have multiple corporate locations and franchise locations across the US, plus our catering side. Having the capability to promote our menus at the various locations and cater that menu to each site really helps us maximize our marketing dollar,” Patrick Kasey, Manager of the new Rib City Express said.

Digital Menus in a Nutshell

Many restaurants are choosing digital menu boards in replacement of the more traditional signs and posters. The graphics allow customers to view a more realistic image of what the restaurant’s food looks like, and can even help draw people in with descriptive wording under each item. The right digital menu board creates a great menu that presents a restaurant’s offerings in a dynamic and engaging way that informs customers and captures their attention.

According to Kasey, the company always offers special promotions to their customers and has grown a large royalty program.

“We have our dine-in and take-out surveys where we offer customers free appetizers with their next purchase. We also promote our Join the Rib Club, R.I.B. (Really Into BBQ), where customers can receive a welcome gift for joining, plus an exclusive birthday offer and updates on new menu items. The ability to stay flexible with our digital menu displays keeps us in the loop with our customers,” Kasey said..

Benefits of Using Digital Menu Boards

The right digital menu marketing campaign can boost sales and create a more engaging customer experience. But if not used correctly, restaurant leaders could be flushing their marketing investment dollars down the drain.

Marketing experts suggest paying close attention to how restaurant owners design their digital menus. For example, certain fonts and colors can make it difficult for customers to read. Another tip is to provide customers with additional information on an item, including an image or a short description under the photo to help draw customers in and lead them towards a purchase.

Restaurant owners need to incorporate a clear goal when launching any marketing program, which includes investing in a digital menu solution. There should be a clear purpose and goal in mind when installing a digital menu. For example, when they build a restaurant website, restaurant owners might want to consider building a digital menu that includes an online ordering feature so that customers can place orders on their website.

Digital Menu Boards Pros and Cons

Cost should play an integral part as well. The cost of changing out a print menu to incorporate specials and promotions can be high when looking at a single location, let alone if an owner has a chain of restaurants. The cost of changing out a print menu at multiple locations, at least once a year, adds up. Digital menu boards are more expensive upfront, but the money saved from avoiding a yearly, paper menu switch-out could easily cover the one-time investment of a digital menu solution.