With increasing competition, overhead, rent, and staffing costs, there’s never been a better time to invest in strategies and resources to boost sales in restaurants.  

Restaurants can increase sales through innovative digital signage by showing customers effective promotions and content that converts, engages, and connects with them. 

In this article, we discuss tips and techniques for harnessing the full potential of digital signage to primarily drive sales and, secondarily, enhance customer engagement and create memorable dining experiences.

1. Place restaurant digital signage strategically

The more eyes on your digital signage, the more customers will complete your desired actions. 

To maximise visibility and engagement, prioritise high-traffic areas where all guests can see. Examples of such areas include the cash register area, near the entrance, ordering area, restroom paths, etc. 

You may need to rearrange your seating arrangement to ensure screens are placed optimally. Factors like the number and size of your digital screens may constrain you, but there are some ways to offset this. 

If you observe that customers favour one side of the restaurant, you can prioritise that side over others until you get more digital displays.

We also advise that you run simple tests to see if your placement works. Randomly survey customers on their way out to see if they recall any of the ads running during their stay. The more people can remember the ads, the better. 

Lastly, the displays should be mounted at eye level to make them accessible to most customers. This helps minimise discomfort caused by looking up or down, which is inevitable when displays are mounted at varying heights. 

2. Mount digital boards at ordering stations

Most customers make their buying decisions in-store. According to a survey, as many as 82% claim to do this, while 62% reported making impulse decisions while shopping.  

In-store advertising is the leading factor shaping their buying decisions. It introduces new products, details ongoing promotions, and much more. 

Placing digital menu boards and signage at ordering stations is the most straightforward way to shape buying decisions right at the point of purchase. 

Also, queues where they exist provide ample time to convince customers of some of your promotions. Therefore, your content should showcase upselling opportunities and market high-profit margin add-ons.

3. Update content regularly

One of the advantages of digital signage is that you can change your content anytime you want. 

When we talk about updating content regularly, we mean having various content—and content types—that you can play and varying the play frequency so customers are not bored by the same content.  

Create a content strategy and calendar if you don’t want to run out of videos and images to post. Moreover, with digital signage, you can create all the content you need and use advanced scheduling to creatively and strategically queue when they play. 

Also, you can occasionally make updates in real-time, like when you want to showcase a customer on their birthday or share emergency information. 

Are you unsure how to begin creating digital signage content at scale? Get started with the high-quality templates available on Luna Screens.

4. Utilise dayparting in your content strategy

Customise content based on the time of day to increase conversions. You can promote breakfast items in the morning, lunch specials during midday, and dinner deals in the evening, catering to different dining preferences throughout the day. 

You can also post dinner deals during midday to remind customers of your dinner offerings. This applies to the other times of the day, too. It’s like telling the customer, “Now that you’ve had dinner, here’s what our breakfast looks like tomorrow.” 

Again, this is where a powerful scheduling feature in digital signage software like Luna Screens shines. It allows you to mix and match existing content to serve your marketing goals. 

You may also like: How to Schedule and Automate Content on Smart TVs: A Step-by-Step Guide!

5. Promote upselling aggressively

We’ve talked about how most customers make most of their buying decisions in-store and how they’re extremely prone to impulse buying. That’s why you should publish content that nudges them to add just a little bit extra to their order. 

This can be going from small to medium size, adding an extra layer of cheese, or buying unexpected combos. 

Here are a few upselling tactics that you can employ:

• Show what most customers bought together with popular menu items.

• Promote packages instead of single offers.

• Place items with high profit margins at the top of your digital menu.

• Display a few options per time, guiding users to more expensive options, for example, by flashing a trending or bestseller tag. 

You may also like: 11 Ways to Leverage Digital Signage for Effective Cross-Promotions.

6. Implement queue management and manage expectations

Use digital signs to inform customers about queue lengths, estimated wait time, and available seating options, helping to manage expectations and improve the overall customer experience.

Moreover, while waiting, entertain customers with your content, reducing perceived wait times. Share content showcasing what makes your food stand out: “At XYZ Restaurant, we offer a modern Mediterranean diet, scientifically reported to be a model of healthy eating.” 

You can also share user-generated content from your social media pages or those taken in-store of your customers enjoying their meals or having a good time. 

7. Share localised content

Tailor content based on your restaurant's location to resonate more effectively with the local community. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work if you have a chain of restaurants in multiple locations. 

Showcase local events, community news, or nearby attractions on digital signage to appeal to locals and foster connection with your customers and the neighbourhood.

If you partner with other local businesses or charities, utilise digital signage to exhibit the details of such partnerships and how your customers can participate. 

8. Incorporate interactive elements

Adding elements like QR codes, games, or polls to digital display content can help engage customers and enhance their overall dining experience. 

QR codes, in fact, have multiple utilities, including:

• Providing access to digital menus on mobile devices.

• Providing guests with essential information like their place in your queue management system.

• Increasing your social media presence by sharing links to your website or social media pages.

• Helping customers add your upcoming event to their calendar.

• For ordering food and making contactless payments.

• For accessing digital content like videos, surveys, polls, coupons, etc. 

• Verifying customer reservations.

9. Install outdoor displays

Install outdoor digital displays to attract passersby and effectively draw in foot traffic. The content focus of outdoor displays is usually on promotions and less on entertainment and information. 

You can promote daily specials, happy hour deals, or upcoming events on outdoor displays. If you have a drive-through, you can position one digital display that all drivers will see while waiting for the person ahead to order. 

Again, it’s worth repeating that data should be used to position the outdoor displays where there will be more eyes. As such, you want to consider the traffic flow and speed of movement. There’s no point if there’s high traffic, but the public can’t assimilate the display message.  

10. Offer seasonal promotions with dynamic content scheduling

Update content to reflect seasonal changes, such as holiday-themed promotions, seasonal menu items, or outdoor dining options during warmer months. 

Furthermore, schedule content changes to coincide with specific events and holidays to drive sales. That said, prioritise holidays and events that matter to your local community. 

11. Employee training and recognition

Digital signs are useful tools for more than customer-facing purposes. They can also display employee training materials, recognise outstanding performance, or communicate important announcements to staff, thus improving internal communication and morale. 

Good internal communication and morale can help your staff serve your customers better, increasing customer satisfaction and consequently leading to better reviews and more sales. 

12. Utilise data analytics

Utilise data analytics tools to track and analyse customer engagement metrics, such as dwell time, click-through rates, and conversion rates. That’s how you can objectively measure – and optimise – content effectiveness and drive continuous improvement. 

Are you running a series of promotions that’s not translating to more sales, or is the product you’re highlighting not gaining the desired traction? 

Then, you need to review the content. Sometimes, the whole digital signage system may need an overhaul regarding screen placement, choice of digital signage software solutions, and content creation. 

You may also like: 9 Ways Digital Signage Analytics Can Reveal Key Insights into Customer Behaviour.

Takeaway: Maximise restaurant success with digital signage

Strategically harnessing digital signage in your restaurant can significantly boost sales and enhance customer engagement. 

Position screens strategically, influence purchasing decisions at ordering stations, and keep content fresh. Customise content based on the time of day, promote upselling, and manage queues effectively. 

Tailor content to the local community, incorporate interactive elements, and utilise outdoor displays for maximum impact. 

By implementing these tactics, you can create memorable dining experiences and continuously improve your restaurant's performance.

Ready to maximise restaurant success with innovative digital signage usage? Get Started with Luna Screens today!