FOLLOWING the pandemic, digital menus have now become commonplace at restaurants.

       Customers can scan QR codes to access a digital version of the eatery’s menu, and even make orders on their smart device.

       While on the surface, this practice creates a contactless environment and provides a safer and more comfortable experience for customers, Shopzpin founder Johnson Lee notes that digital menus also add a host of benefits to food and beverage (F&B) operators.

       Shopzpin provides online store solutions.

       “Digital menus help cut down on customers’ wait time when ordering. But it also helps do away with over-the-counter orders and at-table orders through waiters – both a significant time sink at conventional restaurants,” he says.

       This could also cut down on the headcount needed to man a restaurant.

       Additionally, owners stand to save on printing costs in the long run as they do not need to update their physical menus.

       Any new menu items and revisions to prices or discounts can simply be reflected and updated within the digital menu almost instantaneously and can be personalised to individual branches of a chain restaurant.

       “Digital menus can even improve sales and directly benefit your revenue. Digital menus allow a degree of customisation that facilitate innovative business strategies.

       This enables operators to highlight special menu items or even include videos to drive sales on specific products or to push for impulse add-ons.

       “Beyond that, digital menus allow F&B businesses to run campaigns and promotions all native to customer devices – enhancing the ability to gather a strong customer database.

       “In fact, according to recent figures, digital menu boards can contribute to an increase in sales by a staggering 64% in some restaurants,” Lee adds.

       While it may seem like a small change in methods, Lee notes that the simple act of switching to digital menus can help F&B businesses do better in the long run.

       Notably, the F&B industry was among those badly affected by the pandemic as foot traffic disappeared overnight when lockdowns were imposed. While many turned to delivery, this may not make up for the physical business that was lost.

       Additionally, they had the added cost of platform and delivery fees.

       In Malaysia, Lee estimates that between 25% and 30% of F&B businesses were shuttered as a direct consequence of the pandemic.

       “However, it is not all doom and gloom. There is a clear road to recovery, but first restaurants must adapt to the new normal.

       “A substantial part of adapting is learning that even with on-ground brick and mortar restaurants, digitalisation is here to stay. Whether it is to provide customers with a sense of safety or to improve business efficiencies, technology and recent developments have immensely helped with the ability to increase sales by 21%-23%.”