Digital vs Traditional Menu Boards for Restaurants

A lot of restaurants see digital menu boards as the way of the future. http://www.westmountsigns.com/contact-us/They're flashy, sleek, and they give a more modern feel to any environment. However there can be drawbacks to these new digital menu boards, so it's a good idea to research both styles before you decide what is the right fit for you. To view our menu board services, click here now.

Digital Menu Boards

Digital menu boards have become increasingly popular over the last few years as restaurants attempt to draw customers in with a more modern and convenient look. A digital menu board is essentially just several monitors which have a computer run to them, which projects an image on the monitor's screen. These digital menu boards offer some advantages over the traditional menu board, such as:

• Being easier to read because of their bright screens,
• Changing or updating the menu is very simple,
• Saving on printing and shipping costs,
• And the ability to change the menu throughout the day.

Reasons like these are why many large scale restaurants have made the switch. One notable change to these digital boards came from Burger King. In 2010 they replaced their traditional menu board with digital versions across London and Birmingham, and this resulted in a 64% increase in sales. However, while these new digital boards can be beneficial they also have some drawbacks. These drawbacks include:

• Initial cost of hardware, software, and infrastructure,
• Ongoing costs of infrastructure, content management, and content creation,
• Only last from 6-8 years,
• Costly and inconvenient repairs,
• Lengthy installation.

Maintaining a digital menu board can be very costly. For major franchises such as McDonalds or Burger King these costs are minimal, but for restaurants which run from only one location the high cost of purchasing maintenance may be too much.

Traditional Menu Boards

For those who find that a digital menu board may be outside of their price range, not to worry. Many restaurants still choose to employ the traditional menu board even if they are able to afford the switch to digital. These menu boards give any restaurant a vintage feel, which can be used to your advantage depending on your pitch to customers. It can give a sense of nostalgia which many customers actually prefer over the more modern look. It is also very easy to install as it requires no wiring unlike it's digital version. Some other benefits to going with a traditional menu board include:

• No risk of digital errors,
• High longevity,
• No operating cost.

The obvious downsides are that editing a traditional menu board can be costly and can take a long time. But for restaurants that are planning on staying traditional and rely on what sells rather than constantly bringing in new products, this type of menu board can do no wrong.

Westmount Signs for Your Traditional Menu Board Needs

At Westmount Sings, proudly located in the Waterloo region, we value our work on all things sign and printing. If you're considering going with a new digital or traditional menu board for your business, look no further. Our menu boards work great in coffee shops, restaurants, and for listing phone numbers or staff. To view more on our available options of menu boards click here.  

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  Sources: http://www.gocodigo.com/digital-signage-101-blog/2012/digital-signage/top-10-benefits-of-a-digital-menu-board http://www.digitalsignagetoday.com/blogs/selling-digital-versus-traditional-menu-boards/