The world of restaurant marketing is seeing innovations like never before.

From digital signage for restaurants that create the best offering experiences to self-ordering kiosks cutting back on wait times, a lot has been going on indeed. And boy, is it on the rise! Local eateries or giant restaurant chains, e-menus are everywhere. But what makes these exciting and free of ennui? Twists that define this motion space.

Yes, it is the ideas that spice up your displays, and there are a handful to get ahead with. So, let us get started!

What is a digital menu board?

A digital menu board is an electronic display set-up mainly used in restaurants and cafes to present offering options and promotions. It often incorporates vibrant visuals and dynamic content to engage customers and simplify the ordering experience.Unlike traditional static menus, digital menu boards offer the flexibility to showcase a wide variety of content, including high-definition images, videos, animations, and even live feeds. With digital menu boards, businesses can instantly change their menu content across multiple locations, ensuring consistency and relevance.

The process becomes even simpler with Pickcel’s digital signage software. With a dedicated digital menu board application, Pickcel allows you to manage digital menus, remotely operate them, and sync multiple screens across various locations. Plus, you can explore hundreds of ready-made templates and layouts within Pickcel’s digital menu board solution.

Furthermore, with POS integrations available, streamlining your menu, inventory and sales transactions is way more easier. The best part? They’re all fully customizable with just a few clicks.

This technology allows for easy updates and customization, helping communicate menu items, pricing, and special offers in real-time.

10 menu board ideas to reimagine your restaurant space

Now that you are acquainted with how an online menu works, here are some ideas that will leave your audience asking for more.

1. Seasonal sensations

Go beyond the standard menu by integrating seasonal themes into your digital displays. Just as brands like Coca-Cola use specific fonts, colors, and special editions to evoke a sense of occasion, your digital displays can do the same.

For instance, showcase pumpkin-spiced items or harvest-themed dishes during the fall, complete with vibrant autumnal visuals. Similarly, highlight refreshing cocktails and light, fresh salads during the warmer days of summer.

Just like Coca-Cola’s festive holiday cans, which often feature designs of Santa Claus, snowflakes, and other holiday-themed graphics, your seasonal digital displays can establish a strong connection with customers. This not only enhances their dining experience but also reinforces your brand’s identity, making it a memorable part of their seasonal celebrations

2. Play Videos

Never underestimate the power of a good video showcasing a great menu. What a visual can do to you, a video can enhance it a lot more to your palettes. In fact, your diners may as well decide to order the dish highlighted on the video rather than the one they see as an image.

Imagine this: your digital menu shows a video of a pizza slice being pulled apart, with cheese stretching before someone takes a bite, their satisfaction clear. Next, a crispy chicken lollipop is dipped in spicy sauce, the glaze glistening as someone bites into the juicy meat.

These videos do more than just show your menu—they bring it to life, making your customers’ mouths water and encouraging them to order what they see.

It is vital that both images and videos are displayed on your digital signage displays. If you have enough screens at your dispsal disposal, you could program them to display a series of videos or showcase them after a set interval on your menu. Consider adding behind-the-scenes footage of the preparation process to engage customers who are interested in how their meal is made.

3. Local flair

Showcase the indigenous culture and produce on your digital menu boards. Highlight dishes made with locally sourced ingredients or feature profiles of local farmers and suppliers. This helps support the local economy and resonates with customers who value community and sustainability in their dining choices.

4. Theme-based designs

Tailor your digital menu to mirror the unique theme of your restaurant. For a beach-themed restaurant, use tropical colors and imagery; opt for an elegant, sophisticated design for a high-end steakhouse. Thematic consistencies help create a cohesive and immersive atmosphere for your guests.To make the process easier, you can try out the hundreds of templates and layouts already available in Pickcel’s digital menu board solution, and the best part is, they are all customizable with just a few clicks.

5. Time-sensitive promotions

Take advantage of the dynamic nature of digital menus by showcasing time-sensitive promotions. For instance, use countdowns for limited-time offers or happy hour specials to create a sense of urgency and exclusivity.

Brands like KFC, Subway, and McDonald’s manage their digital menus remotely, allowing them to quickly update promotions and save time. This flexibility ensures that customers are always aware of the latest deals and encourages them to act fast. With real-time updates, you can keep your promotions fresh and relevant, enhancing customer engagement and driving sales.

6. Dynamic chef’s corner

Create a ‘Chef insights’ on your digital menu, where daily insights, exclusive recipes, or a glimpse into the kitchen’s creative process are shared. Imagine featuring a live feed where the chef introduces the special dish of the day or a time-lapse video showing the artful preparation of a signature dish.

7. Ambient e-lighting

Enhance your restaurant’s atmosphere by syncing the menu board with ambient lighting and music. Create a morning ambiance with bright visuals and uplifting music, transitioning to a more relaxed, dimly-lit display with soft music in the evening. It helps elevate the customer experience by creating a mood that complements the dining environment.

8. Nutritional information

Address the growing health-conscious market by including detailed nutritional information next to each menu item, such as calorie counts, allergen information, or even the carbon footprint of dishes. Menus with allergen info cater to health-conscious diners and position your restaurant as a responsible, customer-centric establishment.

9. Hook on with price

Apart from getting your customers hooked to nutitional info, another sure shot way to grab eyeballs is price! Yes, playing on the price-sensitivity marketing card has helped reaped benefits to many brands. Studies have shown that if the currency sysmbol is not displayed along with the price, people tend to order more than where a menu has the currency sign displayed.

10. Menu animation

Believe it or not, adding subtle animations to your menu can grab more attention than a still image. For example, try adding a fiery effect to a spicy pizza or show spices being sprinkled. Even small animations can make a big impact. Aim to include three to four animations on your menu and update them as needed. Just make sure the animations don’t interfere with the readability of your menu items. They should enhance the experience, not hinder it.

It might sound like a tedious task requiring multiple applications and software, but with Pickcel, it’s quite easy. You can directly add your menu content by uploading a pre-designed video or GIF, or use the built-in editor to create your menu directly in the console. Pickcel also offers Canva-like design integration, allowing you to easily add animations and animated illustrations to your menu.

How do digital menu boards maximize business output?

Menu board ideas that promise stunning visual content are more than just some projected eye candies. They help a business scale up the ladder and with a leap! Curious to know how? Read on.

• A dining list with vivid animations can stimulate appetite and influence purchasing decisions, ultimately enhancing the overall customer experience.

• Updating a digital menu is quick and cost-effective compared to traditional printed menus. This flexibility allows real-time changes, such as updating item availability or promoting limited-time offers.

• Easier to highlight specials, promotions, and high-margin items. By strategically placing these items on the menu board, restaurants can subtly encourage customers to try premium options or add-ons, creating a potential for increasing the average order value.

• E-menu cards help track customer interactions and preferences, providing valuable data for menu optimization. Understanding which items are popular or underperforming can inform strategic decisions about menu adjustments and promotional strategies.

• Digital kiosks can streamline the ordering process, reducing perceived wait times. Efficient menu navigation and clear item descriptions help customers make quicker decisions, speeding up the ordering cycle and improving table turnover rates.

Tales that scintillate

Incorporating innovative menu ideas looks like a judicious investment for modern restaurants. It banks on customer experience, operational efficiency, sales expansion, and environmental sustainability. But is that all? Certainly not.

With technology taking over the hospitality landscape and restaurants embracing the same, paperless offerings are set to take the ROI to the next level. What’s more, is how businesses perceive and get the best out of this opportunity. The future is all about screens that speak to you and stories that stay long after you “e-read” them.