In part three of five we take a look at what we’ve discussed on the topic of traditional menu boards in the past. A lot of our writing on this topic is relatable to digital signage and drive-thru menu boards as well. It has a lot to do with the importance of design, placement, selection, etc. In addition we emphasize the importance of working with companies with experience in the industry and who can provide proven products that have shown the ability to positively influence sales.
Menu Boards: Strips & Digits or Full Graphics?
Changes shouldn’t be done haphazardly – Price and menu changes shouldn’t be done on a whim. Most restaurants have an online presence and thousands of print menus that are circulating. Changing your menu items or pricing may seem simple at the local level, but when you consider the man hours and cost to update the POS system, website and print menus, you begin to realize that this should be given more thought.
Speed of Service Affected by Poorly Designed Menu Boards
The more choices, the more time it takes a customer to place an order. The idea of having “catchy” names for your *sandwiches is a cool idea, but all it does is slow down the ordering process. For instance, instead of naming 15-25 (yes 25!) different sandwiches, select 3-5 signature sandwiches that you would like to highlight and the rest can be ordered in a “build-your-own” type fashion, where there is a cost for the meat, per topping, type of bread, etc. Voilà, you have just widdled down from three menu boards to one.
How to Know it is Time for New Menu Boards
There comes a time when you have to replace almost everything in life; your couch, your job, your bed, your girlfriend (just kidding – my wife will kill me when she sees that), and on and on and on. There are a variety of reasons as to why these changes have to be made – some you can control, and some you cannot. Now next time you find yourself replacing something, ask yourself, did I do what I could to get the most life out of it? Chances are you didn’t; a replacement was on sale, or it cost less, or it was a gift. The point I am trying to make is that at the end of the day you have the ability to take preventative measures to maximize the lifetime of your products. Do your due diligence, talk to people, look it up online, check out consumer reports, do whatever you can. Look, I understand that everyone leads busy lives and that time is money – exactly, time is money. So do you spend more time to spend the appropriate money for a quality product, or do you spend less time and spend more money for a lesser product? The choice is yours.
Custom Menu Boards Becoming New Standard
Trying to figure out what a game-changer could be is a constantly moving target. Anybody who tells you different is either lying or on the cusp of making themselves very wealthy. As it stands, there are only so many ways to light a menu board up, or use magnetic graphics, or make it flexible without developing something that would be cost prohibitive for most. So again, what we’re left with are relatively similar (save materials, quality and cost) products in the marketplace that do very little to differentiate themselves from one-another and custom menu boards. As mentioned, we’ve noticed the buying of standardized menu boards trending down while custom menu boards are on the rise. There are 4 main reasons for this.
5 Reasons to Use a Menu Board Company for Your Menu Boards
In order to “get the sale” you have to create value around what you offer. However, at the same time you have to balance whether it is going to be the right solution for them. I often say, “I am a lot of things to a lot of people, but I’m not everything to everyone.” With this mentality as my base, I have no problem telling people that we are not a good fit for one another. It is those that we are a good, sometimes perfect fit for that drive me wild when they go in another direction. Because of this, I have put a list together. This list highlights the 5 main reasons why is makes sense to work with a menu board company for traditional menu boards, drive-thrus, and digital menu boards.
Sometimes ‘Less is More’ When it Comes to Menu Boards
Different footprints and different concepts should lead you in the appropriate direction. As for what goes on the menu boards, that is a different story. We live in a world where it is becoming more and more difficult to carve out a niche in the restaurant industry. I see Chinese restaurants now offering sushi, Italian restaurants with burgers on the menu, convenience stores with fried chicken and the list goes on. As a result these types of restaurants are ending up with enormous menus in an attempt to be “everything to everyone” and are spending way more than they should on their menu board system.
By clicking HERE you’ll be able to go through each and every blog that has been written around Menu Boards. Some may be relevant and some may not. Either way, you should be able to take a little of something that will help you out.
As I mentioned at the beginning, the process of exploring a traditional menu board can carry over to other areas of your restaurant. If you have any questions or require assistance, give us a buzz. www.originmenuboards.com | 888-235-2579
