In the current digital age, technology is rapidly transforming every aspect of our lives, including the way we order food in restaurants, now by offering digital menus.
A digital menu is a digital version of your restaurant’s printed menu. It’s an easy way to provide customers with more information about what they’re ordering, as well as offer them some additional features that wouldn’t be possible on paper.
In this blog post and video, we will explore the benefits of digital menus for restaurants.
Benefit #1: Reduces Waste
Digital menus for restaurants are a greener choice
When you print paper menus for your restaurant, you’re using up trees.
That’s right, trees. 200 million trees are cut down DAILY to make paper.
And, while ink cartridges are supposedly recyclable, an estimated 375 million ink cartridges end up in landfills every single year.
Benefit #2: Saves Money
Have you ever noticed how many restaurants laminate their menus, or enclose them in expensive covers?
It’s because they don’t want the menus to get dirty. But this increases the cost of creating and using the menus. And, to maintain good hygiene, your staff still should be cleaning the menus after each use, slowing your staff down and keeping them from serving patrons, increasing the amount of staff you need.
If those menus get soiled or you have a minor change on your menu, you’ll have to reprint them—and expend even more paper and ink in the process.
Digital menus for restaurants never get dirty, and eliminate the need for printing new menus every time there’s an update since they can be changed at the click of a button.
Benefit #3: Deeper Information & Safety for Patrons
As a restaurant owner, you know that health-conscious people and patrons with special medical needs can make up a significant portion of your customer base. They require more information about menu items than their peers.
Patrons with allergies to nuts can die if they order a dish that the waitress didn’t realize had nuts in it. Relying on your staff to remember all the ingredients in each dish requires a lot of training and you face lawsuits if mistakes are made.
And allergies aren’t the only concern. People may restrict their diet for weight loss, diabetes, fitness, gluten or dairy intolerances, or even religious reasons.
A simple QR code on the digital menus in your restaurant can easily let people access deeper information on their smart phones.
Patrons can make more informed menu decisions if they call up your menu online and can review all the ingredients themselves to ensure it is safe or fits their dietary restrictions.
You can even direct them this way to special menus such as gluten-free, vegan, halal, keto, and other specialty-friendly options.
#4: Increase Revenue & Engagement
Do you know what’s great about restaurant digital menu boards? They can be multipurpose.
If you’re not using your digital menu boards for advertising, you’re missing out.
You can promote your upcoming events and specials such as green beer on St. Patrick’s Day or an upcoming live music event to increase patron visits to the restaurant.
You can create deeper patron engagement, by using QR codes to let customers leave feedback or enter contests!
You can also use them to provide entertaining information such as how many cups of coffee you serve per year or other interesting facts about your establishment such as how you sustainably source the food and use healthier, fresher, local ingredients.
Software to Create Digital Menus
At PresentationPoint, we know that your restaurant screens are more than just a way to show the menu. They’re also an opportunity to connect with customers, drive sales, and give customers the information they need to make the most of their time at your establishment.
That’s why we offer three different software options for creating digital menus boards and managing playlists on your restaurant screens. Whether you’re looking for something modern and sleek or nostalgic and classic, we’ve got you covered.
- SignageTube: SignageTube is cloud-based digital signage software that lets you create playlists to easily show what is on each screen. SignageTube is PowerPoint-compatible so you can easily create your digital menus in an easy to use tool you are already comfortable with. Or you can start with PowerPoint menu templates.
- Split-Flap TV: If you are looking for a vintage/retro feel for your restaurant, Split-Flap TV is a great choice. Generations of travelers around the world remember the mechanical clacking split flap displays that showed arrivals and departures in airports and train stations for many years.Split-Flap TV replicates the nostalgic feel of of these mechanical displays using modern-day apps and TV screens, making them easy to update and change and avoiding the high cost ($10K+) of purchasing mechanical split-flap displays and the high cost and difficulty of maintaining these complex mechanical units.
- DataPoint/iPoint Combo: Need to show real-time data on your digital menus? DataPoint is the world’s leading data visualization plugin for PowerPoint. Connect your PowerPoint to your data sources using DataPoint and you can show live news, weather, menu updates and more. Change a menu price in a simple spreadsheet and DataPoint automatically updates your restaurants across the country. DataPoint, coupled with our playlist management software, iPoint is a great combination for showing live data and managing your digital menus.
Digital Menus Conclusion
Digital menus are a great way to keep your restaurant’s menu fresh and up-to-date. They allow you to change the prices of items, add new items, or remove old ones quickly and easily. You can also use them as a marketing tool by changing the images on the screen that display your daily specials or other promotions.
Digital menus also make it easier for customers who want takeout orders because they don’t have to wait around while someone prints out their order–they can just pick up their phone and order right away!
Reach Out
Not sure which software to choose for your digital menus? Reach out and we would be happy to help you choose.
