Why Do So Many Restaurant Chains Use Menu Display Cases?
- 13 Mar 2019
Why Do So Many Restaurant Chains Use Menu Display Cases?
Whether it’s placed inside or outside a restaurant, a professionally displayed menu box can be an incredibly effective marketing tool. Hungry passers-by in unfamiliar areas will often find themselves drawn to businesses making use of a menu display case as it saves them the effort of going inside to find out what’s on offer.
That said, the war isn’t won as soon as someone walks into your restaurant. You need to make sure you’re also communicating clearly with your customers when they’re inside your business, maintaining an awareness of what you have to offer and making it clear that they have made the right choice in selecting your restaurant over the others on the street.
An indoor menu display case is a great way to subtly encourage your customers to spend more by giving them a clear view of all of their options. The most popular place for a business to set up such a display is in the restaurant foyer or reception area, as it allows those who have just entered to get a clear view of the menu before being seated.
Our Best-Selling Menu Display Case
Red17’s most popular menu display case is the Menu Light Box, an eye-catching case that entices customers in, promotes your brand and displays your menus beautifully. It’s perfect for shops, restaurants, pubs and cafés. This heavy-duty case is vandal resistant, lockable, waterproof and illuminated so that nothing can stop your customers from seeing your menu. Separate LED lighting can also draw additional attention to your logo or promotional message, so you control the message you broadcast.
Other key features include…
- Magnetic back panel for easy menu positioning.
- Vinyl header panel for logo or promotional message.
- Comes complete with 10-metre power cable.
- Available in landscape or portrait orientation.
- Available in 17 colour options.
You can read more about this product here.
It’s often a good idea to set up additional wall displays as well as your main menu board if your restaurant uses counter service. For instance, you could set up a series of boards with one displaying salads and soups, the next panini and sandwich, and the last desserts and drinks.
An Outdoor Menu Can Boost Restaurant Sales
Not everyone will book tables in advance when they’re looking for somewhere to eat during a night on the town. Rather than pre-planning every single step of their night out, many people will just wander around city centre until they find somewhere that looks good. But if there’s no way to check out the prices before going inside, choosing a restaurant that’s within budget can be pretty difficult. There’s nothing more embarrassing than having to walk out of a restaurant having walked in, been seated and found out too late that you can’t afford to eat there.
Having a menu display case outside that clearly displays your prices will save potential customers from this embarrassment, and lead those who would otherwise be unsure into your restaurant for a delicious meal they know they can afford.
Read more: Boost Restaurant Sales with an Outdoor Menu
In any restaurant, it’s inevitable that the customer will have to spend a certain amount of time waiting. A menu display case can serve many functions at once if your restaurant is very popular or has peak hours with higher numbers of customers. During this critical waiting period when customers can easily get distracted or impatient, one or more indoor restaurant menu displays can keep waiting customers occupied while allowing them to familiarise themselves with what’s on offer.
Those who are waiting to be seated may even identify items they hadn’t originally planned on buying when left alone with this menu, or at the very least will be closer to knowing what they want to eat by the time they sit down.
There Are So Many Options
The way in which a restaurant displays their menu outside can be a key decider in who decides to become a paying customer, so cafés and restaurants really benefit from the wide variety of options available to them when picking a menu display case. But what factors need to be considered when choosing an outdoor menu display?
- Placement.
Where does the menu sign need to go? - Freestanding or wall-mounted?
Most customers look to the wall first, so wall-mounted menus are often the better option here. - How much do you want to show?
Do your customers need to see the whole menu, or just a taster? - Clarity.
How easy is it to read the menu? - Branding.
Is the menu display consistent with your restaurant’s image? - Special offers.
These should be visible over any other information.
Read more: How to Choose the Perfect Outdoor Menu Display
Everyone Gets to See
If your restaurant displays its menus in poster frames or on large boards indoors and you have an outdoor dining area too, it’s a good idea to make sure your menu is similarly visible to those eating outside. An outdoor menu display is a great way to make sure everyone can see what’s on offer, and to make sure that your outdoor customers aren’t feeling isolated or unvalued.
They’re the Ultimate Advertising Tool
Physical location can be a major challenge when it comes to successfully running a restaurant, as you’ll be dealing with so many more hurdles than a company that operates solely online. All the same, getting noticed is never impossible. Any restaurant can become successful with the right advertising tools, and an outdoor menu is one of the most important tools out there.
An outdoor menu is one of the best ways to encourage people who would otherwise walk on by to come in and see what’s going on. This is especially important in high-traffic areas like high streets and shopping centres.
Other advertising tools that are worth considering include…
- Pavement signs.
- Websites.
- Floor standing menu holders.
- Leaflets.
- Social media profiles.
- Good marketing skills.
Read more: 7 Advertising Tools Every Restaurant Needs