Palmer Digital Group, a full-service supplier and installer of custom indoor and outdoor digital kiosks, display enclosures and drive-thru digital menuboards, continues to win quick-service restaurant modernization projects throughout North America, with especially strong momentum in its hometown region. On the heels of a recent wins announcement with Chicago-area barbeque chain The Patio, Palmer Digital Group announces that Chicago-area fast casual chain Buona Beef will install its turnkey outdoor digital menuboard systems at most locations, beginning with two dual-concept locations with Rainbow Cone.
Founded in 1981, Buona Beef brings Chicago flavors including its signature Italian beef sandwich to 26 restaurants in surrounding communities. In late 2022, Buona Beef joined forces with regional institution Rainbow Cone, which in 1926 opened its original Chicago location and today operates 10 stores, including one in Florida. One of these locations, in Valparaiso, Illinois, represents the first Buona Beef/Rainbow Cone dual-concept franchise; a second in Orland Park opens in June.
The dual-concept franchise initiative, along with changing consumer habits, inspired Buona Beef to re-evaluate their drive-thru operations. The marketing team was equally invested in the idea, given the challenge of updating multiple, differently sized static message boards in a timely manner.
“It’s not easy to replicate signage for limited time offers when some signs are one to three inches shorter than others, and your signs vary between single, double and triple-panel configurations,” says Mark Kearins, IT director for Buona Beef. “That leaves the marketing team scrambling to create temporary signage for a variety of dimensions, many of which are unique to one site.”
The Buona Beef team found their answer upon entering Palmer Digital Group’s booth at the 2022 National Restaurant Association Show. The company soon ordered two triple-panel canopy systems for its Valparaiso location—one for each drive-thru lane—and soon after committed to a larger order for Orland Park, which adds single-panel preview boards. PDG will also customize the Orland Park canopy menuboard structure with the brand’s enduring pink and purple colors famous to its customers.
Kearins said that while Buona Beef managed the Valparaiso installation in-house, they are outsourcing the Orland Park installation work to Palmer Digital Group. “They have an installation team with experts that understand the electrical and network infrastructure, so we don’t need to bring in a lift to put the canopy systems in place,” says Kearins. “As we start rolling out menuboard systems to other locations, which we intend to do, we won’t really have the bandwidth to carry the load ourselves.”
Kearins expects to use PDG’s QSRDSMB346-CANOPY systems at most locations, which have three integrated 46-inch Samsung displays and offer overhead shade and protection from wet weather as customers place their orders. Preview systems will favor single-panel pedestal designs that can be lifted into place and securely mounted by two technicians. They are also in talks to install indoor digital menuboard systems at several locations, along with “marketing TVs” for promotional digital signage inside Rainbow Cone locations.
For more information about Palmer Digital Group, please visit its website.
