Digital menus have been a familiar feature in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) sector for many years. In the form of large-scale digital signage and those included on self-order kiosk points, digital menus offer an attractive, flexible means of telling customers what’s available, and in the case of kiosks, putting them in charge of the ordering process.
Digital menus are also gaining traction in the dine-in restaurant industry, albeit in a different form. While large digital screens might not fit with the aesthetics of a fine dining establishment, small, discrete, tablet-sized devices can be left on the table like conventional menus. And like their larger cousins in QSRs, they are helping to improve the customer experience and increase revenues. Here’s how.
Drive sales with compelling design
Digital menus offer far more scope for creating an eye-catching visual feast that will drive sales than their paper cousins. Lessons from website design are relevant here. The more people enjoy using a web page, the more likely they are to buy. Colourful, bright, interactive menus packed with great-looking visuals encourage people to spend more time reviewing the options, which often leads to ordering more.
Empower diners to unlock higher AOVs
It isn’t just increased browse times and taste bud-tickling design that encourages higher average order values (AOVs). The simple fact of handing diners more control over what they order also encourages them to order more.
This is something the dine-in sector can learn from the widespread adoption of self-ordering kiosks in QSRs. Left to their own devices, people tend to order more. The thinking is that they feel less rushed, and perhaps less awkward about ordering that indulgent side dish or dessert than they would placing that order with a member of staff.
Digital menus can also provide in-depth information about all the ingredients in a dish. Again, this empowers people to check whether dishes are suitable for their allergies or dietary preferences. They also let diners request changes to suit their tastes without feeling ‘fussy’.
Streamline service for a better dining experience
Digital menus align perfectly with self-service. On-table tablets serve the same function as ordering kiosks in QRSs mentioned above. They don’t just let people browse an attractive, interactive, information-packed menu in their own time. They let people place their own orders, too.
That saves diners from having to wait for a member of waiting staff to be available. They can order whenever they are ready. Those orders go straight through to the kitchen management system without delay. That means meals get served faster, avoiding those ‘have they forgotten us?’ moments.
Gather data to optimise your offer
Last but not least, digital menus give restaurant operators a wealth of data about their customers. Information about the dishes people are browsing, or even how long they spend looking at individual items, goes way deeper than what your best-sellers are.
How people navigate the menu before placing an order can reveal hidden patterns that can then be used to improve your offer. For example, you might spot that certain groups of dishes are looked at frequently before one is ordered. Should these be grouped together on your menu? These insights can also be used to make up-sell and cross-sell recommendations, further helping to boost AOV.
If you’re interested in learning more about Digital Menus in your business, contact our experienced and friendly team to find out how we can help you.