Menus are supremely important for restaurants. If you have ever thought that this small booklet is just for customers to pick their meals from, then you’re most probably wrong — a restaurant menu is much more than that.
It is like a business card; it introduces the restaurant to the customer.
If you’re wondering whether menus really hold that weightage, then the answer is a YES. There’s a whole field of study around it called Menu Engineering. But that’s a topic for the next month.
Now, over the past few years, the restaurant industry has become increasingly competitive. It is now compelling restaurant businesses to make innovations to meet customer demands and expectations and one of these innovations is the restaurant digital menu.
In this blog, we are going to explore everything about digital menus — their rise, how they are faring currently, and everything in between.
Table of Content
The Rise of Restaurant Digital Menu
There was a time when a menu was just a paper (or a few pages) with dishes and their prices. With time, they evolved and become pleasing to the customers. With the right color combination, texture, fonts, etc., menus were becoming a prominent element for restaurants of all shapes and sizes.
But, again, the restaurant industry is ever-evolving; what was relevant yesterday might not work today, and what’s relevant today might not going to work tomorrow.
One of those evolutionary elements of the industry was the digital menu.
Off lately, restaurants from all around the world could witness that consumers today are shifting how and where they spend money. And that’s when digital menus and QR code menus for restaurants came into the picture.
A restaurant digital menu offers a great customer experience, increases sales, and improves operations. Be it a quick-service restaurant (QSR), fast-casual, or a traditional family restaurant, digital menus today are making a tremendous impact everywhere.
The Impact of Digital Menus on Restaurant Businesses
The idea of a digital menu or QR code menus for restaurants definitely sounds intriguing. And if I was a restaurant owner, I would go for it. Hands down.
But, there are restaurateurs around the world who might still be skeptical of it.
For them, digital menu platforms like restaurant menus with QR codes are the future and the advantages on offer are just beyond amazing — be it in terms of revenue, customer satisfaction, or operational efficiency.
To give you more clarity on how digital menu impacts restaurant, here are some of the benefits that you can never overlook:
- There are times when restaurants over-hire and as a result, they tend to sink into financial crisis. This is where a digital menu can help. It allows hotels to reduce the workforce in certain aspects such as the order-taking process.
- Unlike other fancy elements, digital menus come cheap but deliver results worth all the tea in China.
- Having a digital menu increases your operational efficiency. Customers can check meal options and order all by themselves without having to look for staff to assist them.
- The boost in revenue is another significant factor that makes restaurant digital menus so popular. Being dynamic, they allow restaurants to create visually and psychologically powered menus that make people spend more and more quickly.
Not to mention, restaurants with digital menus installed usually witness an increase in sales between 15-20%.
Its Role in Different Hospitality Businesses
Technology in the hospitality industry is on an evolution spree and it’s advancing unbelievably. And this is true for digital menus as well.
This sought-after technological hospitality solution has recently invaded various other sectors of the industry.
What do I mean by that?
Digital menus today aren’t just about showing food and drinks to customers, they can be used to sell other services as well.
Is that possible? YES, without an inch of doubt.
With digital menu platforms, accommodation and leisure providers having amenities like pools and bars witness a sales increase of up to 35%. And not to mention, they are able to reduce the number of service personnel from 10% - 30%.
Further, when I was writing this blog, making it detailed was a motive. Which is why I interacted with a friend of mine who has been using digital menus for quite some time for his hotel.
Here’s what he said when I asked how he’s making the best out of it on his property:
Initially, when I incorporated a digital menu, I was stuck with the notion that only my in-house restaurant is going to be benefited. But, FORTUNATELY, I was wrong. And I am glad.
The digital menu platform has literally transformed my hotel for the good. From reception concierge, room service, cab booking, pool bar, lobby bar, city guide, to what not, it has made a huge impact on the business. The platform has tremendously improved guests’ experience and increased my revenue, all while saving material and labor costs.
To be honest, it’s all about exploring and adopting all the latest innovations. I was quick enough to see the advantages and here I am with my hotel flourishing.
How Can eZee Help You Transform Your Restaurant
eZee is one of the very few hospitality technology providers in the world to develop and offer end-to-end hotel and restaurant solutions.
eZee Optimus is an all-in-one restaurant POS system that not only streamlines but also automates restaurant operations. Its contactless solution offers a one-of-its-kind contactless digital menu platform to help restaurant businesses tap into a wide customer base and increase revenue.
The digital menu provides a far better experience compared to a traditional paper menu. With an easy-to-use and edit interface, restaurateurs can include delta item descriptions, high-resolution images, additional information such as nutrition, and more.
Having such detailed information about items presented in a visually appealing manner enables restaurants to create more customer engagement and increase sales significantly.
Moreover, it allows restaurant businesses to take their digital menu online, which not only enables online ordering but also helps in tapping into various other customer segments.
To date, eZee Optimus has empowered numerous restaurant businesses from all around the world. And if you have been thinking of incorporating such digital elements at your restaurants, you must give Optimus a shot.
The Outlook
The restaurant industry seems easy going from the outside. But if you look at it from a restaurant owner’s point of view, the industry is sometimes supremely competitive and rough and tumble.
For restaurant businesses to sustain themselves, it requires a lot of constant innovation. And a digital menu is one of those innovations that restaurants from all around the world must bet on right now.
Since the get-go, digital menu platforms such as tv menu boards and video menu boards have only been doing good; and going forward, with all the tremendous merits in the bag, this technological element will continue to do so.