A paper menu on the counter, written by hand or printed at a print shop — it still exists. But increasingly rarely. Café owners who understand how the psychology of purchasing works switched to a digital format long ago. And it is not just about aesthetics.

Why a paper menu loses

A static paper menu is a hostage to the print shop. The price of milk changed — it needs to be reprinted. A dessert ran out — nothing to be done, the item still hangs there. A new promotion was launched — you need to print an insert or stick a sticker on top.

Digital screens for a café solves all of this in seconds. A manager opens the system, changes an item or a price — and within a minute the update is reflected on all screens in the establishment. No calls to the print shop, no waiting, no outdated prices on display.

But the main thing is not the speed of updates. The main thing is that the digital format sells differently from a paper one.

How a menu board affects the average bill

There is research showing that a bright photo of a dish on a screen increases sales of that item by 30% or more compared to a text description. This is not magic — it is psychology. People buy with their eyes.

Digital screens boards for cafés allow dishes and drinks to be shown in a way that a paper sheet can never match. A video with steam rising over a cup of coffee. A slow animation of a layer of sauce on a dessert. A bright slide with a promotional offer valid only until 6 PM.

Increasing the average purchase value is not about making a person spend more. It is about making them see something they would not otherwise have known about. A new drink on the menu that appeared a week ago. A combo offer that is genuinely good value. A dessert that looks far more appetising than its name on a list.

Trends for 2026–2027: where the market is heading

The HoReCa market is moving towards full digitalisation of points of sale. And the numbers confirm this. According to McKinsey, establishments that actively use data analytics increase repeat orders by 20–25%. According to Statista, by 2026 more than 60% of restaurants in Europe plan to introduce or expand the use of digital menus and content management systems.

In 2026, several trends that are directly connected to digital screens are clearly emerging in the industry. Personalisation is reaching a new level: systems analyse orders and automatically highlight items that a particular guest has not yet tried. Digital screens are integrating with loyalty programmes — and a visitor sees their personal bonus directly on the screen.

Self-service kiosks with interactive screens are becoming the standard for establishments with a quick-service format. According to industry research, such kiosks increase the average bill by 15–30% — precisely because the system suggests additional items at the moment of selection, not afterwards.

Specialty coffee varieties, signature drinks, non-dairy alternatives — these trends require a flexible menu that updates quickly. The paper format cannot handle this. The digital format can.

Real-time updates: why this matters

Imagine: morning, peak load, the croissants have run out. On the paper menu they are there. The barista has already explained for the tenth time that there are no croissants. The queue is getting impatient.

Real-time menu and price updates resolve this situation elegantly. The item is removed from the screen with one click. Or replaced with an alternative. Or a message appears — “back tomorrow” — and that too is content that creates the feeling of a living establishment.

For chains with several locations this is critical. Centralised menu management makes it possible to control content on all screens from one place. A new item, a new price, a seasonal menu — all of this goes live simultaneously across all establishments in the chain. The result — an increase in average customer spend without any additional effort from staff: the right offer appears at the right moment automatically.

Dynamic content: morning, afternoon, evening — different menus

A café in the morning and a café in the evening are two different establishments from the audience’s point of view. In the morning — people are in a hurry, they want coffee and something quick to eat. In the evening — relaxed, ready for a dessert and a slower selection process.

Dynamic content and video content allows different menus to be shown at different times automatically. In the morning — breakfasts and coffee. During the day — lunch offers. In the evening — desserts, signature drinks, an alcoholic menu for those who hold a licence.

This is a way to sell the right product to the right audience at the right moment — without any additional effort on the part of staff.

Personalisation and atmosphere

Digital screens boards are not only about prices and items. They are about the overall impression of the establishment.

Digital screens with the right content influences the atmosphere in the same way as music or lighting. Photos of local suppliers from whom the café receives its beans. A short video about how the signature drink is prepared. Information about a special event this week.

Creating atmosphere in a business through visual content is what sets a café with character apart from a faceless place that simply sells coffee. A visitor may not remember a specific slide. But they will remember the feeling. And they will come back.

Personalised content for clients is becoming a reality even for small establishments. Systems with analytics make it possible to track which items sell better in which time periods, and automatically adjust the display to match real demand.

Interactivity: when the screen becomes more than a menu

Digital screens in its basic version is simply a display of items. But interactive displays in HoReCa open up an entirely different level of interaction.

A touch screen where the guest themselves selects the composition of their drink. A self-service kiosk that shortens the queue and relieves pressure on the barista during peak hours. A terminal where you can view information about allergens or calorie content — and this is already not just a convenience, but a requirement for part of the audience.

For establishments with a quick-service format, interactivity is also a way to increase the average bill through an “add to order” system. The person chose a coffee — the system suggests adding a dessert at a discount. This is unobtrusive, but effective. This is precisely where impulse purchases arise — not through pressure, but through a timely and relevant offer.

Digital signage in HoReCa: where else screens can be used

Digital signage in HoReCa covers far more touchpoints in an establishment’s space than just the menu board.

A screen near the entrance: event announcements, the day’s promotions, welcoming new guests. The first contact — and it sets the tone for the entire visit.

Digital screens in the waiting area: entertaining or informational content that reduces the subjective sense of time. A person watching interesting content waits without irritation.

A screen near the till: promotional offers, combos, the loyalty programme. The person has already decided to make a purchase — all that remains is to suggest something more.

Digital screens for gastronomy establishments in waiting areas and near tills deliver the highest conversion rate precisely because the audience is already “warm” and ready for an additional purchase.

Content management: who sets all this up

Café owners often postpone the switch to digital screens because of one concern: “it is complicated, someone needs to be constantly managing it.”

In reality — no. Content management for restaurants through cloud platforms is now structured in such a way that an administrator can update the menu from a smartphone in two minutes. Upload a photo of a new item, write the price, set the display time — done.

For chains it is even simpler. One editor manages content for all locations simultaneously. They can push a single unified piece of content everywhere. Or configure a different one for each location.

Where to start

If a café does not yet have digital screens, the first step is to understand what task we are solving. Do we want to increase the average bill? Then the focus is on digital menu boards for cafés with appetising content and promotional offers. Do we want to reduce the workload on staff? Then it is worth looking at interactive kiosks.

A screen in the hall is not a one-time investment in equipment. It is a system that requires regular content updates. Establishments where screens have been showing the same thing for years — get nothing from them. Establishments where the content is alive, current, and responds to the season, events, and demand — see a real difference in revenue.

Audio and video: a complete sensory experience

Digital screens are only part of the picture. Establishments that go further combine visual content with audio design. The right music enhances the impression created by the content on the screen. When upbeat, light music plays in the morning and bright morning content is on the screen — this is a single unified image that the visitor absorbs subconsciously.

There is research showing that the tempo of music affects the pace of consumption and the average length of a guest’s visit. Slow music — a longer visit, more orders. Some content management systems allow audio and video to be synchronised automatically: during the day — one mood, in the evening — another.

Mistakes worth avoiding

A screen was installed and forgotten. Content is not updated for weeks. A promotion ended a month ago, but the slide is still there. In such an establishment the screen does not help — it harms, because it creates the impression of indifference to detail.

Too much information on one slide. Small font, ten items at once, three different promotions together. The guest does not read — they look away. One screen, one message.

Ignoring the time of day. Showing the evening menu at seven in the morning — strange. Display scheduling is a basic function of any platform. It needs to be used.

Absence of a unified style across the chain. Each location looks different, even though it should project a single brand image. Digital screens with a unified template for all locations resolves this entirely.

A café that thinks about the details

The best cafés stand out not only by the quality of their beans. They think about every touchpoint with the guest. What they see immediately upon entering. What they see while waiting for their order. What they see when they approach the till.

Digital screens, when used correctly, increase the average bill, reduce irrational costs, and create the feeling of a living, modern establishment. The visitor feels this. And comes back.


Advision is a content management system for remote control, media planning of video and audio content broadcasting, and a supply-side platform for monetising advertising time. We also implement a Wi-Fi tracking system to measure quantitative indicators of the advertising audience. We help Digital Signage owners and DOOH advertising operators earn money from advertising, automate work processes, and build a reliable media infrastructure using AdTech and MarTech software solutions.

Contact us if you want to increase your profits and implement the latest technologies to solve your problems!