4 Reasons to Avoid Used Menu Boards

A few months back and really out of no where, when you Google “menu boards” eBay became the first company to come up.  When you click on the link and check out some of the available (cough, cough) menu boards, you can see that you’re able to pick something up for relatively cheap- which is the operative word.  If you dig a little further there are some decent, custom menu boards that you could snag as well but that’s irrelevant to my point.

[Read more...]

Blog Excerpts Part IV- Display Fixtures & Graphics

Here at Origin we focus a lot of our time and energy on our big 3, menu boards, digital signage and drive-thru menu boards.  Make no mistake about it, we hang our hat on those items but when you take a look at any “big guy” in the quick-service world the majority of signage on-site belongs to display fixtures and graphics.  There is a reason for this, they can have an impact all over your location.  How you go about deploying them is not something that should be done haphazardly.  In part four of five we’ll share some notes that should help you out.

[Read more...]

Blog Excerpts Part V- Random Thoughts

When we sit down weekly to write our blogs we have a list of notes to draw ideas from. In most instances there is enough that we can pull to warrant a post around a sole topic. However, at other times it hasn’t been the case. Rather than bypassing a week, we’ll take a collection of these notes and put together some “random thoughts.” Looking back, I have liked how the random blogs have come together. They cover a lot of area and offer some particular insights that would otherwise not be shared. In the last of installment of five we take a look at some of them.

[Read more...]

The Inexact Science of Menu Board Design

As I put my thoughts together for this blog post, I can’t help but think that there are a number of other companies that can both relate to what I am going to write about as well as empathize with it. Up for discussion today, the cost associated with Menu Board Design. To put it simply, there is no easy way to charge for design. If you attach an hourly rate, it gets called in to question, if you combine it  with a particular display fixture, you may price yourself out. Added to this, is the unknown factor of how the design process will go with the individual(s) or company you are working with.

[Read more...]

5 Signs You’re Working with the Right Menu Board Company

“Price” and “quality” tend to be the two most important factors when considering a relationship with a product-based company. I am not here to tell you any different. As a matter of fact, for the most part, I would agree. However on the flip-side, what good is quality if the product arrives 2 weeks late?  Or, what good is cheap if you can’t get a human on the phone to ask questions?  What I am saying is that while cost and quality are important, there are certain criteria that, in my opinion, supersede these two. Ultimately, the quality will exist if you are working with a vendor that has these attributes. I can also tell you, they won’t be the cheapest on the block.

[Read more...]

LED Improvement via Biology

The digital industry is always looking for better ways to make displays: whether by making them more cost-effective and efficient or by making them easier to look at.   [Read more...]

Economical Menu Board Options

When opening any new restaurant there are a tremendous amount of “boxes to check” in regards to equipment, furniture, signage, etc that you need to acquire prior to opening.  It is not uncommon that the menu boards are one of the last things to be looked at prior to “cutting the ribbon.”   [Read more...]

Menu Boards- What We Saw in 2014

As we get set to bookend another year (crazy) we always like to take a look back at some goings-on and trends that have happened over the course of 365 days.  In that time we have seen a lot, some of which is good and others not-so-good.  Either way, when you sit back and analyze what has transpired it is crazy to think that it all happened in 2014.

In this blog we’re not going to hit you with hard stats and charts about where things are going from where they’ve been.  It is more subjective; through sales on our end, things we’ve read and thousands of conversations we’ve had.  So without further adieu, take a read of what we’ve seen and let us know if you agree.

[Read more...]

5 Items That Will Increase Your QSR Sales

It is the nature of the SEO beast that companies like ourselves are quite often found online for menu boards, drive-thrus, and digital signage.  As a result, the conversations and the emails that are sent back and forth are often centered around one of those items.  Make no mistake about it, when it comes to quick-service-restaurant signage these are of the greatest importance.  They are the hub from which you can directly affect purchasing decisions in a way that meets your preference.   [Read more...]

4 Thoughts Regarding Deli Menu Boards

Delis are unique when compared to your typical quick-service restaurants in that they usually have a lot more offerings when it comes to choosing what to eat. Here in Long Island NY, it seems that you’ll find a deli on each and every street corner. Having been to several in my time here, I have noticed that when it comes to the menu board signage, one of three scenarios plays out; 1- there is way too much, 2- there is none at all, 3- the content is barely relevant.  If you hadn’t already made the assumption, none of these situations are ideal. Through a conversation I shared just yesterday, it got me thinking more and more on this deli + menu board equation.    [Read more...]