Running a restaurant is assumed to be an easy way to get a deep pocket because people will always eat. That is true. Everyone needs to eat and at some point during the day, they will seek out an eatery and order some food. How many customers come to your restaurant on a daily basis matter a lot. Having a full dining hall at mealtimes boosts your sales for the day. If you hardly have a half-full restaurant at lunch or dinner time every day, you need to figure out why.
Your food is good. There is no debate about that. You have even won awards for your recipes. What is amiss? You even added digital signage to see if things will improve, but all you have on your signage is a list. A nice normal everyday list that can be found anywhere; that might be where you need to turn your attention to because:
- The human eye turns to what is attractive.
- The attraction then pulls the individual towards it.
- If what you are offering is of top quality, you have a customer for life.
- They will refer you to their friends and the chain grows.
However, you have to get them to look your way. The first thing you need to do is to revamp your restaurant menu boards.
1. Aesthetics
A menu board that does not attract a second glance or make people pause to read is as good as non-existent. People will always gravitate towards the aesthetically appealing things. The first thing you need to do is add graphics and color to it. Bright eye-catching color and good graphics draw attention to any signage. The size and style of your font are also important as people will not read what they cannot make out at a glance. Something else you might want to include on your menu board is images or photographs.
A lovely family with young children enjoying a meal in your restaurant or a beautifully presented arrangement of your signature meal would fit right in there. Don’t forget the light. A well-lit menu board is not only attractive, but also easy to read. It is the easily visible things that play on the visual senses of your customers and keep them returning and also bringing in new customers.
2. Size
How big is your screen? The bigger it is, the more the information you can display. Apart from a list of the dishes you have on your menu, you need to include nutritional information and specials. You could also throw in weather updates and advertisements of any new dishes that you may have developed. However, you should be careful not have a screen or board so prominent that it overwhelms your space. Get a screen that is big enough and use large enough font that the guy at the back will have no problem reading.
3. Position
If you can have a screen outside where passersby can see it, that could pique their curiosity and prompt them to come in and give you a try. That might be all you need to have new customers come in and have a taste of what you have to offer. If they like it, there is a high likelihood that they will be back with their friends and family. You will also need a menu board that mirrors the information outside. Depending on how large your restaurant is, you might want to have a number of menu boards strategically positioned so that your display is visible from all corners.
4. Customise
Let your restaurant menu boards be crafted for the specific requirements of your restaurant. Include anything that makes your restaurant stand out. For instance, you could have theme nights that are specifically yours and post them on your boards. A good idea to include on your menu board is your signature meal or food item. What are you famed for? Your spongy, creamy cheesecakes? Then have that prominently displayed on your menu board.
5. Brand
This one cannot be emphasized enough. Branding is as important as location. Don’t just have the same old screen that was delivered from the store. Brandit with the name of your restaurant and your logo. Let these be splashed on the screen at intervals to remind your customers where they are. Branded items always communicate success and your menu board is no different. Most people want to be associated with success.
There is something about picking a napkin that is branded and then glancing up at the screen to find the same logo and name therein that creates a sense of satisfaction in a customer. A few tweaks here and there on restaurant menu boards can make all the difference and give a restaurant a completely new face without doing any remodeling, so it is worth it to consider giving your menu board a little colour.
Author Bio Karen Anthony is a digital marketing consultant. She has helped many restaurant owners in designing digital restaurant menu boards. She has become an authority on digital signage.
