10 Ways to Speed Up Drive-thru Service

If you can relate to this blog then chances are you have a good problem.  What this likely means is that you are having some level of difficulty handling the volume of cars that are coming through your drive-thru.  For the purposes of this blog, lets pretend for a moment that your current setup is sufficient and that there are no glaring issues that have to be corrected.  What I mean is that at the very least, you have a functional drive-thru and communications system.

[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...]

Opening a Drive-thru? Ask Yourself These Questions

When it comes to adding a drive-thru to a location, for the most part there are four scenarios that you will find yourself in; 1- a new build-out, 2- taking over a location the has had a drive-thru in the past, 3- taking over a location that hasn’t had a drive-thru in the past and 4- adding a drive-thru to your existing location.  It should come as no surprise that in the cases where drive-thrus had previously existed there is less work to be done ahead of time.  That being said, there is a lot more to do than erecting a sign and calling it a day if you are looking for a fully-functional drive-thru.  Today I will turn the table and have you ask yourself the questions that need answering before you jump in with two feet.  Your answers could have a sizable impact on the bottom-line.

[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...]

Honest Digital Drive-Thru Menu Board Perspective

Let’s start with some transparency, I love digital signage. It is the way of the now and the foreseeable future. Digital signage has been hovering around for several years suggesting that “this is going to be the year” where the snowball finally gathers the momentum to run over the traditional signage in it’s path. Although it hasn’t squashed all or even most of static posters, banners, panels and cabinets that you still see today, there is no denying the spike in the last two years.  With this growth has seen countless companies enter the same digital signage space, some of which are pretenders (i.e. graphic designers with a media player) and many other contenders.  It doesn’t take the contenders, or even an every-day-Joe, much to realize that digital signage is poised to expand and adapt to applications where it has never been used before. Enter “Digital Drive-thru Menu Boards.”

[Read more...]

Calories & Menu Boards: What You Need to Know (Part 2)

Last time, we talked about the FDA rules about showing calories on menu boards, in plenty of time before the December 2016 deadline.  So now that we know what the rules are, let’s talk about how to integrate calorie counts into your digital menu board, and make sure you don’t scare off calorie-counting customers! [Read more...]

Calories & Menu Boards: What You Need to Know (Part 1)

If you’re in food service, you might be starting to get nervous about the FDA requirements that govern how calorie counts must be listed on menu boards.  As the December 1st 2016 deadline approaches, if you haven’t already gotten moving, you might be getting really nervous.

[Read more...]

Graphic Design: The Key to Catching Eyes with Digital Signage

So you’ve got your new digital sign installed and you want to put it to work. But what’s the best way to capture attention? A poorly-designed display could end up boring viewers and doing the opposite of what you want.   [Read more...]

Tips for Digital Drive-Thru Menu Boards

When customers are viewing your sign in a vehicle, it becomes even more important to capture attention quickly and make your information easy to interpret.  To that end, here are a few tips to save you from common drive-thru mishaps: [Read more...]

Menu Boards: How to Use Color

So, you’ve just decided on a new piece of digital signage or maybe your content just needs some revamping.  Either way, one of the things you need to know is what colors you should use to get results. [Read more...]