Previously, establishment owners mainly competed through pricing strategies and menus, but now advertising and service have become the main tools for promotion. That’s why digital signage has found its application and implementation in this sphere: firstly, as a tool for creating menu boards. Secondly, as direct advertising that allows businesses to quickly inform customers about the most relevant offers – those that bring the most revenue and fully meet the potential client’s demands. This increases customer loyalty, meaning they are highly likely to return to the restaurant or café, which contributes significantly to profits.

A Content Management System (CMS) is used to manage these processes, allowing centralized control of content and real-time updates of advertising materials.

Tasks of digital screens

The following potential tasks can be highlighted for cafes and restaurants:

1. Direct advertising offers. Information about various “daily specials” or “chef’s recommendations” is most easily obtained through digital screens. How attractive the displayed content is directly affects the likelihood that the customer will order that dish. Thanks to CMS, such content management can be automated and flexible.

2. Menu boards. This is a digital touch screen through which customers can view the available menu and place orders. Such a solution is especially relevant for bars that operate during the day and have stable traffic. Digital screen software allows menus to be updated quickly without extra time costs.

3. Interactive menu boards. When someone comes to a café or bar and doesn’t know exactly what they want, an interactive menu board can “suggest” the most relevant options. It is equipped with a camera that performs a visual analysis of the customer. Digital signage allows consideration of factors such as the customer’s age, gender, mood, and CMS adapts the content to changing conditions – for example, weather or time of day.

4. Visitor analysis. Digital screens with an integrated camera can be used to collect statistics about customers and obtain data on the overall flow of visitors, their average age, and gender. All this allows for further adaptation of the menu. A digital screen player helps automate this process and display the necessary information.

5. For entertainment. A large screen that continuously shows videos about cuisines from different countries of the world serves both for entertainment and as room decor. This Digital Signage player stimulates visitors’ appetites. Periodically, music videos in the “chillout” genre can be shown on the screen to create the most comfortable atmosphere in the hall.

6. Digital screens can also be used to collect feedback. For example, while viewing the menu or waiting for an order, visitors can be offered to fill out a short survey directly on the digital advertisement. This will help learn how to improve service, which dishes to add during the next menu update, what they liked, and what they didn’t. Most importantly, such results are highly accurate.

Some believe that digital screens can only be installed indoors, but outdoor options also exist. They can display direct advertisements, promotional offers, and other digital ads, potentially attracting new customers.

Digital signage is a kind of platform that allows you to fully automate the process of managing screen content using a Digital Signage player and to perform video analytics of visitors through artificial intelligence.

What to display on the screen

Setting up a digital signage system with Digital Signage support is not difficult. However, it’s equally important to pay attention to the content that will be shown on the televisions or LED panels. First, you need to create a provisional map of video content. This can include:

1. Direct advertising. Various banners, promotions, and news about new menu items.

2. Overview of the establishment. A great option is to install a video screen outside near the entrance of a café, restaurant, or bar, and show an overview of the interior. It’s important to demonstrate to potential visitors how beautiful, cozy, and comfortable it is inside. This subconsciously encourages them to enter.

3. Dynamic themed content. This includes informational videos about food, which allow viewers to make spontaneous and conscious ordering decisions. It also helps increase the average check.

4. Interactive content. This refers to content that visitors can interact with: selecting something, leaving feedback, or “communicating” with a digital assistant.

It’s important to consider that content for a Digital Signage system is prepared after the equipment is purchased, as you may need videos in vertical or horizontal orientation, or even ultra-wide for screens with a 27:9 aspect ratio or larger. In other words, the content is created to fit the equipment, not the other way around.

Don’t forget about background music and audio advertising. When combined with video content, this makes it even more effective in attracting the attention of potential visitors. For this, a digital signage player is used, ensuring smooth operation of both video and audio. All these elements can be controlled using Digital Signage management, allowing you to easily change the content at any time.

Interaction with Visitors

Digital Signage is not just about displaying looping videos. The platform allows you to adapt content to current tasks, and nowadays, artificial intelligence can even be used for this purpose. Such technologies are already being implemented in practice. How does it work? Screens for advertising with built-in cameras are installed in the establishment. When a person approaches the display, the system already “understands” who is in front of it. For example, if it’s a man around 45 years old and the time is about 1:00 PM, it’s likely an office worker. Accordingly, the screen will show offers for set lunches, which are the most popular in such cases.

The Japanese have made the most progress in this direction. They have establishments where each table is equipped with a small interactive surface. There, the customer can place an order and watch the process of their meal being prepared. There are no waiters in such establishments—contact with staff is minimized, and the completed order is delivered via a conveyor system. This system was created during the coronavirus pandemic to minimize interaction between staff and visitors.

How else can Digital Signage solutions be used for interacting with customers? Here are a few examples:

1. Queue management system. This option is actively used in fast-food restaurants like “McDonald’s.” There, you can place an order using a board menu and track on the screen at what stage it is being prepared and when it will be ready for pickup.

2. Installation of self-service kiosks. Here, visitors can browse the menu, place an order, and even specify details like the level of doneness, sauce selection, or the time the dish should be served. You can also pay for the order right there with a card or smartphone. Electronic receipts, which are now mandatory for all establishments, help save about $120 a month!

3. Car-drive system. Relevant for establishments where you can place an order directly from your car. Some versions of the system can analyze voice input and determine what the customer ordered based on that.

4. Effective dish presentation. You can provide detailed information about the ordered dish, including the ingredients used, and even give a historical background of the cuisine it belongs to. A beautiful video not only enhances the customer’s appetite but also improves the company’s image.

5. Quality rating panel. This is a small screen where each visitor can leave feedback. To encourage participation, a small discount on the next order can be offered.

If it’s an outdoor billboard, targeted advertising can be displayed depending on who is currently in front of the screen. Even if it’s just a passerby, these methods work and positively impact the establishment’s revenue.

Advantages of screens in cafés

Why is it profitable to install digital panels? A wide range of benefits can be highlighted:

1. Video panels are the most attractive form of advertising for customers. They can capture and hold attention. Statistics show that, on average, even peripheral vision holds a person’s gaze on screen advertisements for at least 3.25 seconds. With the right approach, this is enough to make an offer to the customer.

2. Using interactive board menus significantly reduces staffing costs, optimizes the work of waiters and cashiers, and speeds up order processing. Here, the software for the screens plays a key role, ensuring process efficiency.

3. Digital signage software allows remote management of screen content, even when dealing with a large network of restaurants and cafés with dozens of locations. All boards and digital panels can be managed from a single workstation.

4. This enables feedback from visitors, facilitates interaction with them, and optimizes advertising offers for specific customers. In other words, it transforms mass advertising into targeted advertising, which is 3-4 times more effective.

5. A digital screen sign also attracts more attention and serves as an additional space for targeted advertising placement.

6. Improvement of service. With digital signage software, you can create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. After all, visitors choose a place not just for the menu or the average check.

The only downside is the need for investment. On average, equipping a single hall with interactive digital screens costs around $2,000 to $4,000. However, these investments are fully justified, as they help increase the average check, improve the establishment’s reputation, optimize all work processes, and make the most efficient use of the workforce.

Thus, digital signage in cafés and restaurants is a logical step in the evolution of marketing technologies. Even the owners of a small café with only a few key menu items can afford it now. The investment fully pays off in the shortest possible time, allowing businesses to grow, enhance their reputation, and win loyal regular customers.

Advision — Content Management System for remote management and media planning of video and audio content broadcasting. We help offline businesses and advertising companies automate their workflows and implement a robust Digital Signage infrastructure using our proprietary software and hardware solutions.

Contact us, and we will help you implement the most modern technologies to solve your problems!