As a customer at various restaurants, you have probably used both digital and print menus. More restaurants are switching to digital options all the time. Some people love these new menus, while others miss the older menus that they could pick up or even pull close to their face for reading if needed. Here are some things to be aware of with each of these two types of menus.
Cleanliness
Both print and digital menus require a certain amount of manual touch. The printed versions can be picked up, turned over, and handed from one person to another. Digital menus are viewed on a small table monitor that can be enlarged if desired. The backlighting may also be adjustable to provide more or less contrast as some people need light contrasts for easier reading.
These touch features mean that customers might be handling them as much as print menus. However, digital monitors are easier to clean than printed menus.
Convenience
Menus can often change in different seasons, for the holidays, and even at certain days of the week to feature special dishes or prices. Printed menus often promote these changes with paper-clipped additions or slide-in pages that fit into a transparent plastic sleeve.
Digital screens are easier to change and adjust when needed and can be managed at any time. On the other hand, printed menus must be manually adjusted or replaced, and they have to be ordered periodically to represent the new adjustments. This takes longer than flipping a few switches to update a digital display.
Cost Effectiveness
Menus in print form require new copies to be ordered at various times of the year. This raises the cost of maintaining updated menus with new printing as well as shipping charges. Employees will have to be paid to replace old menus with new ones or to add clip-on specialties as needed. Altogether, it is cheaper to maintain and update digital menus than printed menus.
The Rise of Digital Signage
Globally, the implementation of digital signage is increasing rapidly. A digital menu reflects an eatery’s progressive outlook and the effort to provide seamless technical service to customers. When comparing convenience, cost, and time involved with restaurant menus, it often makes sense to switch to the digital option for customer ease of ordering and paying as well as overall satisfaction.
As the age of technology advances, more services are going digital for reasons like these. When selecting menus for your restaurant, weigh the pros and cons of print vs. digital menus.
