With the onslaught of menu choices from a variety of restaurants, what makes you and other hungry customers choose one over the other?  If a restaurant owner is smart, they are utilizing digital signage to entice you through their doors, to their menu and to the special(s) of the day.  Digital signage is a great way to show information, sell products and make the overall eat-out experience more engaging. In a digital era, customers are looking for digital screens and creativity.

Use digital signage in and outside your restaurant to make your offerings stand out.

What waiting time?

Here’s a fact: nobody likes to wait in long lines when they’re hungry. Digital displays give customers something more interesting to look at than the head of the person in front of them. The more interesting, relevant and engaging your content, the more effectively this works. You can use your screens to show waiting time, giving the customer back an element of control and reducing the (perceived) waiting time until they get their snack fix.

Look at our amazing offers!

Just before your customer is about to purchase is the perfect time to highlight your special offers. Use digital signage displays to remind them of any incentives or deals they can get on specific products.  Or, you can use these signs to upsell them (Go Big for only $.50 more!) or promote new products or items in your restaurant.

Save face with digital menu boards

Imagine standing in line, craving a certain item on the menu, only to get to the counter to find out it is either sold out or no longer offered.  You don’t want your customers to feel that disappointment and the anxiety that follows with having to make a new decision quickly because there are people in line behind them.  That can be prevented by using digital signage to update your ‘inventory’ and to highlight another menu item. The signage can be updated in seconds. This means your digital menu boards can be up-to-the minute, helping customers and staff to save face and make informed decisions.

Be social

If there’s one industry that’s all over social media, it’s the food industry. Use your digital signage and menu displays to bring out the foodie in your customers. Display social media feeds like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and encourage social sharing. Even in this digitally-saturated era, customers still get a buzz from seeing their images glorified on the big screen. Ask them to give you instant feedback for the chance of a free burger or money-off coupon. Your customers will take more pictures of your food. The message will be amplified outside of the walls and to hungry people everywhere.

People will point

As customers come to the end of their meal, your next step is to entice them into staying a little longer to ponder over a cheesecake or coffee. Using visual images and menu boards of your desserts shown throughout the restaurant is a great way to get your customers to indulge in dessert. Chances are, once they see your revolving digital display of treats, they won’t be able to resist and will simply point in the direction of what they want.

Build community

Generations under the age of 30 have been born digital. They are used to facilitating relationships, friendships, giving feedback and asking for advice online. Live social media displays on the walls of your restaurant gives them a way to do this and could even build community between your current patrons. If they’re going to swap tips about the best milkshake flavor or appetizers, why not help them to do it where you can see it?

Provide personality

Independent restaurants radiate personality. This adds another flavor to the aura of dining out and gives people a reason to return. Use your restaurant signage displays to showcase this personality. Introduce your staff members and their favorite menu recommendations. Tell them random facts about the farmers you buy your meat from. Personality is what brings life to your menus and products. Screens are the vehicles on which to showcase it.

There are many benefits to using digital signage in your restaurant.  Attract your customers. Entice customers. Provide them with a great experience to keep them (and their friends) coming back for more.  Interested in exploring all that digital signage has to offer?  Contact the experts at Forerunner Signs & Graphics today!

Michael Ryan