Digital menu boards for restaurants, cafes and takeaways

Digital menu boards let you change prices in minutes, switch from breakfast to lunch automatically and show off your best dishes. Done well, they make ordering faster. Done badly, they are hard to read and quickly out of date.

Plan the layout around the queue

• Mount screens where customers can read them while queuing, not just at the counter.
• Keep the most important information, such as main items and prices, at eye level and in large type.
• Use portrait screens for long lists and landscape screens for photos and promotions.

Choose screens for long hours and bright rooms

Menu boards often run from opening to close. Commercial displays are designed for those hours and usually come with warranties that cover business use. Screens facing windows or in bright shopfronts need a higher brightness to stay readable. See commercial displays versus consumer TVs.

Content that helps people order

• Group items into clear sections with prices aligned.
• Use real photos of your food, and limit motion to one area of the screen.
• Show allergens and dietary symbols consistently.
• Avoid cramming: if the menu does not fit, split it across screens.

Schedule by time of day

Most signage software lets you schedule content. Breakfast can switch to lunch at a set time, and promotions can run only in quiet periods. Your technician can set this up so it happens without anyone touching the screens.

Keep it accurate

Out-of-date prices frustrate customers and staff. Decide who updates the boards and make it easy: a simple web dashboard is better than a USB stick. Check whether local rules require particular information, such as allergen or nutrition details, to be displayed.

Find digital signage installers who work with food businesses.