All-weather outdoor digital menu boards are the perfect means to engage customers and make ordering ‘fast food’ quicker and easier.

As Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) continue to implement vibrant and easy-to-read outdoor digital menu boards at stores across the country, many significant details must be considered before making the final decision to “go digital.” When researching a partner, QSRs should always inquire about three very important aspects, which may be called upon in the unlikely event of an outage: the warranty, the support system, and the Service Level Agreement (SLA).

When a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) is interested in deploying outdoor digital menu boards, ease of use, reliability, and scalability of the hardware and software solution is essential.

QSR’s are constantly coming up with the next big product, delicious value meals, or the wittiest of branding messages. Digital menus makes it possible to ‘change it up’ on a weekly, daily, or even hourly basis. Although it might seem costly in the beginning, digital menu boards can pay for themselves in the long run. Digital menu boards can reduce costs on exorbitant advertising materials/signage, are designed to be more energy efficient, and will save time/money with swift updates!

Ready to move forward with digital boards inside of the store and outside at the drive-thru?

A vibrant digital presence can garner a sales surge and make a quick service restaurant (QSR) stand out from the overcrowded ‘fast food’ pack. Making the decision to switch to digital menu boards is the first step, but it is simply not enough to sell more double cheeseburgers and banana smoothies. A strong, digital content strategy is absolutely crucial to the overall success of the project. The strategy should be well thought out and focused on the goals of the restaurant. It will take a savvy team of experts to create the content that will lead to an increase in sales. The return on investment (ROI) is critical and should be at the forefront of the planning stage. What needs to be analyzed, before the introduction of digital menu boards?

As Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) install digital menu boards across the country, one might say, ‘It is cheaper to install interior digital boards at our restaurants. We do not want to deal with sourcing special, brighter, LCDs and environmentally sealed enclosures.' This could be true, but it is also true that approximately 60-70% of QSR customers are buying their chicken sandwiches, fries, and medium Coke at the drive-thru.  If a restaurant only has digital menu boards on the inside, they are simply not influencing the majority of their customers (over two-thirds). With digital, the options are endless and with static, the options are limited - unless new menus are printed every time that the restaurant makes a change to their prices or food choices (wow, that is a lot of menus!).

Prior to installation, putting together a successful digital signage project is not a small or easy task!

A professional organization, with experience in digital signage installation, should be hired to make sure that everything is done properly. What may seem relatively easy for an in-house installation crew can quickly spiral out of control and create a big headache. These individuals may not have the proper experience to proficiently configure displays or install LCD enclosures solutions.

There are a number of companies that specialize in digital signage installations and they should be contacted before making any decisions. These companies cover everything from construction and cabling to physical installation and configuration of displays, media players and mounting solutions. 

How important is a site survey when planning an outdoor digital menu board project?

Many digital menu board installations are retrofits for existing sites. Most stores or quick service restaurants will require prep work to install an outdoor digital menu board. A site survey is extremely important and will eliminate the guesswork when preparing for the upcoming project. There are a number of important items to consider during the site survey to ensure a smooth transition from static to digital menu boards.

Is your planned outdoor digital menu board installation modular and serviceable in the unlikely event of a failure of one of the components?

Will your menu board continue to work properly, even though someone is servicing the back of the sign? This is an important question to ask, when deciding from which company to purchase your new and innovative outdoor digital menu board. As you know, if you are down for even 30 minutes, it could mean substantial loss of revenue. Being able to access and quickly service your menu board - and continue to take orders - is essential for any quick service restaurant (QSR).

Change is good.  It keeps life fresh and exciting.

Change is also good when it comes to changing your outdoor messaging in your drive-thru menu.  Has your company considered Quick Service Restaurant digital menu board enclosures with drive-thru lanes in mind?  Being able to quickly and efficiently change your menu’s options, pricing, specials, calorie information, and more is an easy change to make with digital.  Outdoor digital menu boards provide your company with the most attractive and functional solution for all of your outdoor messaging.  It also gives your customers an all-new drive-thru experience, which makes your restaurant more appealing and hip.

How do I select the RIGHT LCD for a digital menu solution?

Choosing the correct LCD to use in an outdoor digital menu board is crucial to the success of the solution.  On average, 70% of a Quick Service Restaurant’s business comes from the drive-thru.  It is important to select the correct outdoor solution that will not only increase sales but will be visible 24/7 despite the environmental conditions that may exist. 

Many QSRs do not consider the importance of using a commercial-grade LCD outdoors.  However, using the incorrect LCD can cause display failures, downtime and a poor customer experience.  There are several factors to take into consideration when choosing an LCD for an outdoor digital menu board.

Should my Quick Service Restaurant employ a presell and full digital menu board in the drive-thru?

We cannot stress enough the importance of clearly defining your menu board content strategy. As a restaurant owner/operator, you should be able to determine what you want to accomplish with an outdoor digital menu board. Once you have determined your company’s goals and objectives, you can develop a effective strategy to implement digital menus in your drive-thru.