Digital outdoor menu board

A digital outdoor menu board (DOMB) is a digital menu that displays marketing information, and can be changed quickly. DOMBs present menus in ways that a static board cannot, through bright, high-resolution display.

A digital outdoor menu at a Culver's restaurant in Shakopee, Minnesota

History

Early to mid 20th century

An old menu sign in-front of a restaurant

Outdoor menu boards were first made in 1920s and 1930s. Back then, they were painted signs or chalkboards. In the 1960s and 1970s, there was development of backlit menu boards which were easier to use and could be seen better at night.^[1] They listed items and prices on plastic or paper in a lightbox. The signs were small and making changes required human work on the board.^[2]

Late 20th century to 21st century

In the 1980s, operators found that using photos boosted sales, but there was becoming limited space on the boards as restaurants' menus expanded. Later, during the 1990s, changing menus required manual adjustments or turning the panels around. When the 2000s came, digital menu boards were being used. Since they were digital, it expanded capabilities, increased shop revenues, and made the boards no longer have to be adjusted by hand.^[2]

Build

Digital outdoor menu boards use LCD or LED screens, and have a Content Management System (CMS).^[3] They are built from materials like aluminum, steel, and High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (HMWP).^[4] They can be an average size of 43 – 55 inches.^[5] They generally have the aspect ratio of 4:3 or 16:9.^[6]

DOMBs are built to withstand strong weather conditions.^[7] Some are protected from damage of rain, humidity, and dust.^[8]

AI

Some DOMBs use AI to change the display on DOMB screens. AI can automatically cycle through the menus of different meals throughout the day^[9] and recommend customers specific items.^[10] Some DOMBs also use AI for voice recognition to try to improve accuracy for consumers.^[11]

Usage

Digital outdoor menu boards can be used in drive-through pickups.^[12] Sometimes they are placed right in front of a restaurant's entrance. Passing customers can browse through the menu, learn more information about the products, and see pictures of the food.^[13] DOMBs also have become a large component to fast-food restaurants.^[14] They are used to display information for advertising menus in a high-resolution display. DOMBs are also bright, so customers can see them.^[15]

DOMBs can cost US $1,500 to over $7,000 depending on their size and features.^[16] Some can be as expensive as $20,000.^[17]

Downsides

The boards can be a big investment for some companies and are expensive to repair and maintain. However, the cost of DOMBs has gone down in recent years.^[18] They can also consume large amounts of energy, while static signs don't. As technology advances, LED and LCD screens are becoming more power efficient. Ambient lights can cause the DOMBs to be harder to see. Increasing the brightness and using high-quality displays can counter these issues. Also, streaming delays can affect the way the boards look, making them appear to be lower quality. From this, using DOMBs at times requires good internet access.^[19]

Benefits

Owners

The DOMB signs' displays can be changed quickly and remotely from a different location than the board. It can be done from a device that is connected to the internet.^[20][21] 70% of companies that use digital outdoor menu boards have been able to make back the money that the boards cost in less than 18 months from using them.^[22] The boards can help promote deals on items and support unplanned purchases from customers.^[23] Restaurants use digital outdoor drive-through menu boards to display dynamic content that can change based on factors like time of day, customer preferences, or weather conditions. They can rise the average order price by 30%, since customers are willing to buy more.^[21]

Customers

A study showed that using digital outdoor menu boards in drive-through lowered customer wait time by 15%.^[13] DOMBs also improve ordering accuracy by reducing the chance of errors and miscommunication with integrated voice recognition, even if there are ambient sounds that would normally make communication through a talking system difficult.^[24]

See also

• Television
• Lighting