How the Restaurant Industry is Benefiting from Using Digital Signage

Cheeky Chicken digital signage by Mandoe

Today’s economic landscape is populated by a lot of struggling businesses, in particular, restaurants, bars and cafes. Their rates, power, equipment and raw ingredient costs are rising steeply. They are struggling to recruit and retain staff, which is pushing up wages. To make things worse, all of this happens at a time when customers have less disposable income.

The pressure on the industry is enormous, which has sped up the rate at which modern technology is being adopted. This includes the use of digital screens loaded with special software that is designed with restaurants in mind. Business owners are using them to trade smarter, make things easier for their staff and customers, and save money. Here are just a few examples of how these digital tools are being deployed.

Stanley Burgers digital menuboard by Mandoe

Digital menus for pricing flexibility

One of the primary functions of digital signage software for restaurants is the ability to create a digital menu, which makes life easier for restaurant owners, their staff and customers. Because it only takes a moment to edit an entry on a digital menu, it is possible to quickly solve problems such as removing menu items that have sold out. This saves customers from being disappointed and the staff from making extra trips from the kitchen to announce that the dish is no longer available.

Digital menus also make it easy for restaurateurs to change prices. When the cost of raw ingredients rises, some of the additional cost can potentially be passed on to customers. Conversely, when the restaurant owners pick up a bargain, they can pass on the savings.

Kimmie’s Cafe digital signage by Mandoe

Flash promotions to reduce food waste

Digital menus make it easy to run a flash promotion. This is especially good for selling food that would otherwise end up in the bin. According to the NRDC’s Food Waste Report, US restaurants alone throw away 7 to 11 billion pounds of food every year, an astonishing number that can be tackled by the smart use of digital tools.

JP McCaffrey’s menuboard by Mandoe

Maximum flexibility with daily specials

Customers like daily specials and enjoy having the option to occasionally switch from ordering their favorite dishes to trying something new. Specials are also an effective way for restaurateurs to test out new menu ideas and ingredients.

Street Taste digital signage by Mandoe

Encouraging customers to join loyalty programs

According to UEAT, boosting customer loyalty by just 5% can increase overall profits by as much as 95%. Having people come in regularly improves cash flow and makes it easier to predict how much food to buy. In addition, customers tend to recommend to others the businesses they use. Word-of-mouth marketing is a powerful tool that accounts for as much as 13% of all consumer sales, according to Invesp.

Running a loyalty program and encouraging as many customers as possible to join is extremely valuable for the success of a business. Digital screens are an effortless way to make people aware of them and to maximize the benefits of restaurant loyalty programs.

Ribs and Burgers digital signage by Mandoe

Enhancing the restaurant ambience

For most people, going out for a meal is a treat. The more special and pampered they feel when entering a restaurant, the better the owner’s chances to secure yet another returning customer. The decor and ambience of the restaurant play a significant role in tempting them to dine here and do so repeatedly. The look and overall vibes can create a bit of extra buzz and interest around the eatery. This is one of the reasons why the themed restaurant business model is so lucrative.

Digital screens can play a significant role in helping create this winning ambience. They are an extremely versatile type of wall decor that can display still images, videos or slide shares. They allow the owner to set the scene and change what customers see at any moment. This makes it possible to create a different ambience for different days of the week, seasons, or times of the day.

Ribs and Burgers digital signage by Mandoe

Getting started with digital signage software is not expensive

Many restaurant owners are amazed by the significant difference that a couple of digital screens make in their businesses. If you are not yet using them, consider this option now. Leasing a couple of screens and the appropriate software does not cost much, yet the benefits it brings you in operating your business, minimizing food waste and attracting loyal customers are impressive.

Stanley Burgers digital signage by Mandoe

If you are thinking to open a new business or are in the process of rebranding and remodeling your existing business, contact us to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting. Click HERE to price your project design.

Also, take a look at the “Branding By Interior” e-book, the only book written on this subject at this time. It brings insight into how you can turn your business into a market-dominating competitor by using human cognitive responses.