Looking to spice up your drive-thru? 

Consider installing presell digital menu boards. They can help draw attention away from the wait itself. An effective or entertaining marketing message can help reduce the perceived wait time in a drive-thru. Richard Ventura, in his article ‘EDS in Drive-Through Service,’ describes the benefit of digital, “By replacing static menu boards with digital signage, QSRs have the ability to create new marketing opportunities that reinforce brand loyalty and help drive additional sales.” For Quick Service Restaurants, approximately 70% of all business comes through the drive-thru. It is imperative to provide an exceptional customer experience and one that will be remembered after the customer drives away with their meal. People frequent a QSR, not only because they enjoy the delicious food, but because the restaurant delivers what they want, how they want it, and when they want it.  Precisely why Burger King has had much success with its popular slogan, “Have It Your Way®.”

The use of a digital presell board helps to elevate the QSR’s unique brand and overall customer experience.

Entertaining

By nature, people are emotional creatures and are drawn to brands and companies that make them feel something positive or uplifting. Remember the Polar Bears drinking Coca-Cola or the famous Clydesdales and Budweiser? According to Courtney Seiter’s Article, The Science of Emotion in Marketing: How Our Brains Decide What to Share and Whom to Trust, “Emotions are critical – maybe even more than previously thought – to marketing. In an analysis of the IPA dataBANK, which contains 1,400 case studies of successful advertising campaigns, campaigns with purely emotional content performed about twice as well (31% vs. 16%) as those with only rational content.” A presell digital menu board does not just have to be about selling more Limited Time Offers (LTOs). It can also be a powerful instrument for a company’s charitable efforts. For example, Wendy’s allocates a portion of their presell board message to promote current happenings with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®. Look closely the next time that you are at McDonald’s and you might notice a message about the Ronald McDonald House Charities. QSRs must show that they have a heart and are not just interested in increasing their bottom line.

Engage Senses

Aside from offering food samples, nothing proves to be more effective in engaging the senses like mouthwatering video content on a menu board. Fresh cut fries being lightly salted or Rocky Road ice cream being scooped into a cone on a hot summer day is very enticing for a customer. Bill Phelps, The CEO of Wetzel’s Pretzels, explains, in the article ‘Wetzel’s Own Wonka,’ the impact of having entertaining videos on their digital menu boards at Downtown Disney, an outdoor shopping mall near Disney World, “Animated menu boards make guests smile, enhance their experience, and make them want to return,” Phelps says. “The last thing we are is boring. It’s all about fun.” Customers who have fun interacting with the brand may spend more, as well, he adds. “We had one of the biggest increases we have ever had the week we kicked [digital menu boards with videos] off [at Downtown Disney]. I see it as building the brand long-term and encouraging customers to order more of the items that are those upscale items.” The video engages the customer to the point of buying specific items or buying more items overall. This can be a very influential device for any QSR!

Execute the Message

Remember to tie the specials featured on the presell digital menu board with the main menu board’s entry point. Mr. Ventura continues with this analysis of the importance of pre-sell boards, “Signage that promotes specials (including advertised items) or add-on sales should be visible from roughly three car lengths in front of the ordering screen. This distance gives customers time to see the message and consider it before being prompted to place their orders. This is a critical point of persuasion...” However, avoid duplicating the same content on the presell board as the main menu. Ask yourself, ‘What is the desired call to action?’ Dedicate a section of the menu - that is highly visible to the customer - to items featured on the presell board. When a customer pulls up to the order point, ask them if they would like to try the featured burger or shake. Usually, the most important message, according to the QSR, is the message that is in the center of the menu board.

An outdoor digital menu board has many benefits in a drive-thru lane and adding a presell digital menu board can increase the benefits of ‘going digital.” However, when deciding on a digital installation, always consider the marketing message(s) that will be conveyed and how it will be conveyed effectively. If a QSR is going to make the investment, then it must be a well thought out plan. Obviously, the goal is to sell more items or products, but it must be done smartly. 

Use the dynamic technology to the best of your ability and make sure that the brand becomes better (and brighter) in the process.

For More Information:
- The Top 9 Benefits of Outdoor Digital Menu Boards
- Determining the Effectiveness of Outdoor Digital Menu Boards
- 4 Simple Benefits of Outdoor Digital Menu Boards

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