Digital transformation is revolutionizing the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry, streamlining operations, and redefining customer experiences. Among the tools leading this shift, digital signage stands out for its versatility and impact. From digital menu boards to interactive ordering to social media walls, digital signage offers QSRs endless possibilities to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency.
Digital signage transforms dining experiences with dynamic content tailored to multiple screens and formats. From promoting your daily specials and highlighting signature dishes to showcasing happy hour deals or personalizing offers for specific customers, digital signage can increase sales, strengthen brand connections, and optimize operations.
In this article, we’ll explore four ways in which QSRs can leverage digital signage to drive growth, enhance efficiency, and elevate customer satisfaction.
- Boost revenue and sales
QSR Magazine reported that consumer tolerance for inflationary prices waned in 2024, forcing restaurants to find new ways to engage and offer value to an increasingly price-conscious audience—while still maintaining profitability. Digital signage provides a proven solution to this problem, with more than 80 percent of restaurant business owners reporting increased orders following adoption of digital signage technology.
Studies also show that digital signage captures more attention than static displays, with 68 percent of customers indicating it makes them more likely to purchase advertised products. Additionally, 29.5 percent of customers find digital menu boards influential in their ordering decisions.
By dynamically showcasing menu items, promotions, and limited time offers, digital signage not only drives revenue but creates a visually engaging experience that grabs attention and keeps customers coming back.
- Stay responsive to market trends and customer preferences
To stay ahead of competitors and capture more business, QSRs must continuously adapt to external market factors, like inflation, as well as shifting customer behaviors and industry trends. With digital signage, QSRs can dynamically schedule content based on various elements, like time of day or season. This flexibility allows businesses to tailor messaging in seconds, from updating menus and promoting limited time offers, to publishing announcements across one or multiple locations.
This adaptability also extends to data-driven and responsive marketing strategies. Digital signage empowers QSRs to analyze customer trends and optimize promotions in real-time. For instance, if data reveals that 95 percent of customers buy small- and medium-sized drinks with their takeout, a QSR can swiftly adjust marketing strategies to encourage sales of higher-margin items like large drinks. This ability to act on customer insights allows restaurants to strategically promote menu items that need a boost or align best with customer preferences.
- Enhance customer experience at every touchpoint
Investing in restaurant technology is an investment in your customers, with 73 percent of diners agreeing that technology enhances their experience. Digital signage brings this advantage to life with high-quality visuals, videos, animations, and interactive content that captivates customers while creating a modern, inviting atmosphere.
From video walls and menu boards to touchscreens and interactive ordering, digital signage elevates both in-store and drive-thru experiences. Engaging digital displays not only entertain and inform guests but also reduce perceived wait times by up to 35 percent. Features like real-time order updates and multilingual displays further personalize and streamline the customer journey.
Beyond showcasing menus and promotions, digital screens can highlight local events, community news, and weather, fostering a deeper connection with customers that keeps them coming back.
- Improve employee productivity
Customers are not the only stakeholders who benefit from digital signage; this technology frees up employees’ time from administrative tasks to focus on higher-value tasks.
With features like content scheduling, customizable templates, and centralized management across multiple locations, digital signage simplifies operations for employees. While guests enjoy seamless digital interactions, employees can devote more time to customer service and drive-thru efficiency.
By automating repetitive tasks and ensuring consistent communication, digital signage makes it possible to deliver consistent messaging, simplify updates, and reduce operational costs.
Digital signage: A core component of QSR digital transformation
QSRs are evolving faster now, more than ever before, continually adapting to the pulse of changing consumer preferences, market dynamics, and technological innovation. Staying ahead of these trends through digital transformation is not just important, it is essential for success.
Leading the charge, major chains, including McDonald’s, Domino’s, Bojangles, and Pizza Hut are investing millions in digital ecosystems to optimize order processing and elevate customer interactions. But digital signage isn’t just for large chains. Its affordability, scalability, and flexibility make it an indispensable tool for single-location restaurants, growing franchises, and nationwide brands alike.
By adopting digital signage, you can strengthen your QSR business, capitalize on new opportunities, and adapt to challenges quickly – ensuring you remain competitive in an increasingly digital world.
James Robins is a seasoned Chief Marketing Officer with over 20 years of experience driving high-growth strategies in both B2B and B2C markets. James is currently CMO at Yodeck, the Intelligent Digital Signage Platform™, where he leads marketing strategy and execution.
