Once you have decided to incorporate digital signage in your restaurant business, the next step is to choose a menu board. This goes in line with picking the best TV to host a digital menu board for your restaurant. Selecting the best TV is not a walk in the park though. You cannot just trounce into an electronics outlet, point your finger at the first one you find and trounce right out.
Aesthetics are essential in any business, but they are especially crucial in an eatery. More people are interested in eating out at a place that not only has a pleasant ambiance but is also aesthetically appealing. Part of the appeal is in what they look at to make their orders. This means that the TV that hosts your digital menu board must be appealing to the eye.
Digital menu boards are used in place of the traditional menu boards that came in cards or even notice board form. The digital variety allows you to update information all through the day. It also provides for advertisements of the various offers, plus drumming up some awareness for specials.
Where Will You Find Digital Menu Boards in Use?
You will find these boards mostly in eateries or recreational places like:
- Cafes
- Bars
- Restaurants
- Fast food outlets
- Deli’s
How to Choose the Best TV for your Digital Menu Board
For the best digital menu board, you need a TV that has specific features to enable your digital board to function properly. You will need to consider the following:
- The type of TV: LCD, plasma or LED
- The size of the TV
- Brand
- Warranty
- The screen aesthetics
- Commercial or consumer
- Outdoor display
Type: LED, LCD or Plasma?
The deciding factor between LCD and LED televisions is the backlighting. LED is equipped with diode bulbs while LCD uses CFL (Cathode Fluorescent Light) bulbs.
It is not advisable to use plasma TVs with digital signage software. This is because plasmas are vulnerable to screen burn, which happens when an image is left on display for too long and leaves some lingering impression. Also, they tend to be quite expensive in comparison to LED and LCD, which makes them not very viable for commercial purposes.
An LED is the best to buy. Amongst the three, it requires the least power for screen use, and it does not give out a lot of heat. It is lighter and not quite as thick as the LCD TV.
The Size of the TV
There are a few points to consider here:
- The distance between the digital display board and the patron
- The size of the area the display is to be in
- The number of items on your menu
- Pictorial displays
You must ensure that every patron can quickly read your screen, otherwise, it defeats the purpose for which it was put there. You must measure the distance between the checkout counter and the display area, but it is advisable to always go for the bigger screen.
Brand
Most buyers tend to go for the better known, and most often, more expensive brands. While the brand may be said to indicate quality, it is not always true that a ‘celeb’ brand is the better quality. You will do better to get some information on the commodity before buying. It is quite possible to find that two different brands have the same proportions, just that one brand is ‘X’ while the other is ‘H.’
Make your comparisons and find out about applications and then you can make your choice.
Warranty
Warranty may be twofold here:
- The manufacturer’s warranty
- Your credit card company warranty
Many televisions have a 1 or 2-year warranty. Some card companies double the manufacturer’s warranty if you make your purchase using their card. You are with this advice to find out if you stand to benefit from your card company. However, most TVs will last 8 to 10 years, so there is not much to risk with such offers.
Screenaesthetics
The plastic encasing around the TV screen, also known as a bezel, is essential. The thinner bezels are preferred because more display is visible. A smaller bezel is also preferred if you are using many screens together.
Commercial or Consumer
Commercial TVs are more expensive than consumer ones as they are usually of superior quality. However, that does not mean that you must buy a commercial screen because you are using it for commercial purposes. You must consider the bezel, quality, and functionality of the screen you intend to purchase. If a consumer TV is capable of meeting your needs satisfactorily, save yourself some cash and go for it.
Outdoor Display
The outdoor screen should have different features from the indoor one. Unique bright screens are preferred for the outdoors as the standard screen may not be readable. They should also be matte rather than glossy. If you cannot find a matte display, you can purchase a matte cover.
Then, considering it will be outside, it should be weatherproofed.
Conclusion
Having digital signage is a great addition to the most recommended restaurant management system features and will set you apart from your competition. You will need to consider buying at least three screens to declutter your menu. Space is an essential factor in this regard. Therefore, ensure you have all the area you need to make sure your customer’s can clearly see all your menu items on the digital menu.
Learn More
To learn more about all of Harbortouch’s products and services, please visit https://www.harbortouchpossoftware.com.
