How digital signage in HoReCa influences the customer experience and restaurant revenue in 2026
Digital Signage is an effective tool that helps spark a guest’s appetite even before the moment of ordering.
Visual contact with the menu and dishes is formed instantly and works on an emotional level, where decisions are made faster than when reading printed materials. Paper media cannot dynamically show the food preparation process or create a sense of desire in the same way video content can.
A café, bar, or restaurant is a space not only for satisfying a basic need for food. Business meetings over business lunches, informal communication with friends, themed parties, and private events take place here. During breakfast, lunch, or dinner, a guest expects not only high-quality cuisine, but also a holistic experience: atmosphere, ease of choice, emotion, and service that meets their expectations.
It is precisely digital signage in HoReCa that makes it possible to work with this experience systematically. It becomes part of the space, supports the venue’s style, and helps gently manage the visitor’s attention. Dynamic imagery, video, and well-thought-out visual presentation create a sense of modernity and order, which positively affects the perception of the restaurant’s brand.
In conditions of high competition in the restaurant market, it is important not only to define the uniqueness of a venue, but also to be able to present it clearly and convincingly. Without the involvement of modern advertising technologies, differentiating from competitors and ensuring stable business development becomes increasingly difficult, as guests are accustomed to fast, visual, and easy-to-understand information.
Multimedia solutions turn screens into a full-fledged communication channel. Appetizingly presented dishes, emphasis on special offers and seasonal items form personalized content for customers that takes into account the time of day, the venue format, and guests’ behavioral scenarios. As a result, the visitor more often chooses your restaurant among dozens of alternatives.
A special role in this is played by the digital signage, which simplifies menu navigation and reduces decision-making time. A clear visual structure, large images, and logical accents help the guest quickly orient themselves, which directly affects offline sales performance and the average check.
Value for the business
Restaurateur
– Promotion of the restaurant among a broad audience and formation of sustained interest in the location.
– Strengthening competitive advantage through visual communication that drives conversion growth.
– Creation of an attractive image: the restaurant is perceived as a modern and technological space.
– An additional source of income through the placement of third-party advertising on screens.
Manager
– An alternative and visual way to present the menu and key items.
– Demonstration of the team’s professional level, achievements, and the venue’s philosophy.
– Flexible configuration of the content display schedule depending on the time of day.
– Highlighting important triggers: dish of the day, chef’s offers, bestsellers, special promotions.
Customer
– A convenient and clear format for getting acquainted with the menu.
– Expressive presentation of information about dishes, as close as possible to the real appearance of the order.
– Content that helps to spend waiting time pleasantly.
– The ability to quickly learn about new items, signature dishes, and current daily offers.
Facts and figures: effectiveness of digital signage and interactive displays
According to a Digital Signage Today restaurant survey, 74% of customers in food service establishments stated that an effective restaurant digital menu is a priority for them when choosing a place to order food. This indicates a direct impact of the technology on guests’ decisions during the service process.
Studies also show that nearly 30% of consumers claim that digital signage increase the likelihood of purchasing certain items—meaning the menu influences customer behavior in a positive way.
According to other sources, Telemetry TV, restaurants that use dynamic digital menus for customers may see sales growth of 3–5%, and in some cases revenue peaks reach up to 38% thanks to more attractive and adaptive visual presentation.
In addition, research indicates that these digital solutions reduce the perceived waiting time for guests by 15% compared to static menus, which also has a positive effect on the overall visit experience.
There is data showing that digital menus can increase customer engagement by almost 50%, especially when they are interactive and visually appealing, which directly affects customer satisfaction and their propensity for repeat visits.
Separate studies confirm that restaurants that have actively implemented digital service technologies, including interactive displays for customers, demonstrate an improved level of customer experience and increased sales, making these tools not only a technological trend but also an effective business solution.
Brand voice management
1. Informational channel
Digital signage can become a full-fledged media channel through which a brand consistently tells its story. With the help of screens, it is easy to communicate the venue’s idea, its concept, culinary philosophy, and unique approaches to service. The guest sees not an abstract menu, but a living space where every detail matters. Support for this process is provided by Digital Signage management, which allows messages to be formed centrally and adapted to a specific time and location.
2. Visualization of processes and engagement
Special attention should be paid to the demonstration of internal processes. Videos from the kitchen, showing food preparation in real time, or introducing the team increase the level of trust and form an emotional connection. For stable playback of such content, a digital signage player is used, which ensures uninterrupted operation and correct video delivery regardless of load.
3. Entertainment channel
Digital screens perform not only an informational but also an emotional function. Slideshows, atmospheric videos, broadcasts of events, sports matches, or themed shows help create the desired mood. Such content holds the guest’s attention, makes the stay in the venue more comfortable, and reduces the feeling of waiting for an order.
4. Analytics and optimization
The screen management system makes it possible to analyze which menu items or messages generate the greatest interest. Based on this data, accents are adjusted, offers are updated, and the overall effectiveness of communication is increased. An analytical approach helps make decisions about content and service not intuitively, but in a well-founded manner.
5. Advertising and promotional block
Screens are convenient to use for informing about discounts, promotions, contests, and new services. Additional interaction with guests is provided by QR codes in advertising, which direct the user to pages with detailed information, menus, or social networks. In this way, offline contact is logically continued in the digital environment.
6. Brand style and unified presentation
The visual integrity of the brand is formed through colors, fonts, and presentation style. It is important that all screens operate as a single system, and that synchronization of advertising content ensures consistent brand perception across different areas of the venue. This enhances recognition and creates a sense of a professional approach.
7. Audio design of the space
Audio design complements visual communication. Background music, branded audio messages, or sound accents during special offers help enhance the sense of presence and support the overall atmosphere of the space without being intrusive.
8. Content filtering and security
Working with external content sources requires control. The system allows materials from social platforms and video services to be selected while blocking undesirable or irrelevant content. This guarantees that broadcasts comply with brand standards.
9. 24/7 monitoring and stability
Reliable monitoring ensures continuous playlist playback even in the event of network disruptions. Content continues to be displayed autonomously, which is especially important for venues with a high flow of guests.
10. Ease of management and scalability
Information is updated remotely and simultaneously across all screens. For this purpose, a digital signage application is used, which simplifies staff operations and allows for a quick response to changes—from menu updates to the launch of urgent messages.
11. Individual approach to the guest
Interactive scenarios and flexible content management make it possible to build personalized communication. This communication format distinguishes the venue from competitors and creates a modern, dynamic dialogue with the customer in real time.
System benefits
The use of digital screens in the restaurant business makes it possible to build clear and modern communication with guests. A practice that has long been working as digital signage in retail is effectively transferred to HoReCa, helping a venue speak to its audience in a visual and emotional language.
This format of information delivery is perceived faster and remembered better. Screens help reveal the restaurant’s philosophy, create a recognizable atmosphere, and emphasize the character of the space. The venue gradually transforms into a point of attraction for business meetings, events, and informal communication, where the visual component supports the overall guest experience.
Management
A centralized approach to screen management simplifies the daily work of staff and reduces the risk of errors. Remote content management allows information to be updated promptly, new messages to be launched, or broadcasts to be adjusted without physical presence in the venue.
All screens are united into a single environment through a content management system (CMS) for restaurants, where display scenarios, timing, and material rotation logic are defined. This ensures predictability of communication and consistent presentation quality across different areas of the venue.
Visual clarity
The high visual quality of digital solutions makes it possible to effectively work with various content formats. Presentations, videos, graphics, and animations look cohesive and help quickly convey key messages without overloading with details. In large spaces, video walls for restaurants play a special role, creating a strong visual accent and enhancing the first impression. They integrate organically into the interior and function simultaneously as an element of design and communication.
Automatic updates
Digital systems regularly receive software updates that maintain platform stability and relevance. The venue does not require manual intervention to keep the solutions operational, which reduces operating costs. Such an investment is long-term and scalable. The system easily adapts to network growth or changes in the operating format, remaining effective without additional complex configurations.
Users
The administration system does not limit the number of users, which allows roles to be flexibly distributed among employees. Each participant in the process receives access only to their area of responsibility. This approach simplifies control and makes management transparent. An administrator, manager, or office employee can work with content in parallel without interfering with one another.
Operation on any screen
Almost any screen with an HDMI input is suitable for connecting the system. Even a standard television or projector can be easily integrated into the venue’s digital infrastructure. An Android set-top box is often used as the technical foundation, providing flexibility, quick deployment, and stable content operation without complex hardware solutions.
Interactivity
Modern communication formats go beyond passive viewing. Interactive kiosks allow guests to independently interact with information, browse the menu, or explore offers. This approach increases engagement while simultaneously optimizing staff operations. The guest gains more control over the selection process, and the venue gains more structured interaction.
Security
The system provides access control and protects content from unauthorized changes. User permission separation helps avoid errors and maintain information integrity. Operational stability and a secure environment ensure that only verified and relevant material that meets brand standards is displayed on the screens.
Looking ahead: the restaurant in a digital reality
Digital solutions have already become an integral part of the modern restaurant business and a standard of guest expectations. Venues that implement new communication and service formats adapt to market changes faster and build a sustainable competitive advantage. It is important not to fall behind trends—by investing in digital tools today, you are building a modern business ready for development and growth tomorrow.
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!