It’s easy to overlook that your menus are part of your marketing plan. Just like any other signage, they have to be clear and convince your customers that you have products they want. There is more to a menu than just listing out what you sell, it should engage and entice your customers to purchase your delicious food.
Digital menus do this best, but only if they include a few essential features. Here’s what you should look for when it comes to digital menus.
1. Motion Attracts Customers
Static menus aren’t exciting since we see them almost every day. Menus with motion, such as videos showcasing your menu items, help draw attention to your foodservice program. We learned through experience that you don’t experience the same results if you don’t include motion in your menus.
2. Change it Up
It’s unlikely your menu items stay the same from morning to evening. You likely serve different food at breakfast than during lunch and may offer lunch specials that are different than your dinner ones. Your digital menus should be flexible to reflect the menu items you are currently serving. This reduces clutter on your menu and helps customers select what they want without having to ask if you are still serving breakfast.
3. Easy to Use
Some menu systems can be updated and managed by a foodservice vendor, taking all of the hassle off of you. That said, any menu system you use should be easy to update. If it is difficult to update your pricing or products at any point throughout the year, then it becomes a hassle and cuts into the time you or your team could spend on increasing your sales.
4. Adhere to Regulations
Just like with everything else in foodservice, menus are subject to regulation. Calorie content is soon going to be required on certain menus, and if you meet the requirements, you need to be able to comply. Digital menu systems need to be adaptive enough in their design so you can handle any regulation changes with ease.
5. Adaptive Placement
This isn’t so much a “need-to-have” as it is a “nice-to-have.” Digital menu systems can display across multiple screens that don’t all have to be centrally located. This allows you to place a screen in a heavily trafficked area of your store to better promote your foodservice program. An adaptive menu system gives you the flexibility to find a placement that works best for your store.
Think of your menu as part of your marketing and look for a system that allows you to entice your customers. At the end of the day, an effective menu makes it easier to sell your products and cuts down on confusion and explanation time, allowing you to serve more customers in less time.
