Common Menu Board Issues and How We Can Repair Them

With major fast-food chains transitioning to sophisticated digital menu boards and emphasizing the benefits of digital signage, smaller restaurants, and businesses hope to follow suit.  However, there are times when your digital menu board may experience an issue. Here are some common issues you may encounter with your digital menu boards, along with simple solutions to resolve them.

Screen Burn-In

Screen burn-in is one common issue with digital menu boards since it is used every single day. Burn-in happens when a screen displays an image for an extended period, resulting in residual discoloration even after the image changes. This makes it harder to read menu items and negatively impacts customer experiences.

When your digital menu board encounters this type of problem, contact a technician right away to have it checked.

The Display Screen Has Entered Sleep Mode

Digital menu boards frequently have a function similar to that of a home entertainment system or computer that allows them to go into sleep mode when not used. However, when a restaurant’s menu screen goes to sleep, it can cause frustration for the owners, as well as inconvenience for customers — especially since you won’t know it’s happening until a client alerts you or your staff. When customers can’t read the menu while ordering, there are long wait times, and business operations are disrupted.

To avoid these situations during business hours, make sure your digital menu board system is set to always-on.

Someone Turned It Off

With digital menu boards, employees and/or customers can easily change the screen. Remember that these are actual screens, so they have a control panel that buyers can normally access. This happens occasionally — whether it’s on purpose or an accident by pushing buttons. Another consideration is the remote control, which, if left out, could be used to turn off the screen. If this occurs, you may not notice the menu is turned off right away, especially if your employees are unable to see the menu board from behind the cash register.

To prevent this problem, most digital signage displays have a front panel lockout mechanism. This simply means that there is no remote for anyone to take, and visitors are unable to change the menu screen. Digital signage is powered by an intuitive Content Management System that allows you to change the menu display in real-time from any device, such as a computer, iPad, or mobile device — as long as you have an internet connection.

Images Are Warped

Display distortion is a typical issue when using digital menu boards. Doing this on your own can be hard in terms of ensuring that the digital content displays correctly on your screens.

Hiring a professional to help you choose the best digital signage software for your screens and optimize image sizing is the best way to go. This will ensure that your customers will not have a bad experience because of the low resolution and distorted graphics on your menu board display.

Died Sooner Than Expected

Some digital menu boards have a shorter lifespan, which is a serious disadvantage for businesses. As a result, business owners are forced to replace them, which means additional costs. This seems illogical, given that their original goal was to save money by doing it themselves.

This is why choosing a digital menu board with a longer lifespan is strongly recommended. Most of the commercial screens available in the market today are expected to last five to six years. This only means that a company can effectively navigate a lot of growth during that time, especially with the added benefit of modern signage technology, which consistently performs well in commercial settings.

Key Takeaway

When used correctly, digital menu boards can be an excellent choice for any restaurant or café. Whether you want to tailor specific menu pairings or change up your menu depending on the time of day to display breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, the possibilities for tailoring your message are virtually limitless, allowing you to highlight your restaurant’s unique selling points.