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Using a Digital Signage Board for a Restaurant's Back-of-House

Menu boards for fast food and counter-service establishments are the most common type of dynamic display in the restaurant industry, but a digital signage board is also an incredible resource in the back-of-house. These sophisticated, real-time information displays have the potential to increase the coordination and cooperation of cook lines and delivery drivers to an unprecedented level. This technology is quickly dispelling the misconception that dynamic signs are solely for the front-of-house menu displays and restaurant marketing.

Digital Signage Board and Cook Times
Instead of or in addition to paper tickets hung from cook stations, a digital display can show all the ticket orders on an easy-to-see display and easy-to-control information system. No longer do cooks have to worry about lost tickets. The expo can focus on plating and the visual presentation of food orders, while the content management system automatically creates a log of completed orders, average cook times, and error rates.

Moreover, a digital signage board can be designed using any number of cook and wait time metrics. Cooks, expos, managers, and other back-of-house staff will know exactly when an order was placed, the expected cook time for the ticket, and the type of ticket (dine-in, take out, or delivery). Additional information can be shown as managers deem beneficial. Tickets that are in danger of running late or tickets that were originally pocketed by servers can be shown in flashing red, for example. Order modifications can be likewise highlighted to avoid these common errors.

Delivery Routing and Triage
Restaurants that do a large volume of delivery business may also benefit from a digital signage board that works in tandem with a dynamic wayfinding and routing system. With advanced data integration and elegant mapping of the delivery area, software can bundle orders for delivery trips, display these bundles in the queue, and suggest the optimal route for a driver to take.

Human supervision and improvisation may very well be necessary to account for individual driver strengths and weaknesses, but these systems can be invaluable to basic delivery operations. Moreover, there are some things software can do that managers and staff personnel cannot. The software can track the latest traffic and accident reports so that drivers know when a street or preferred route becomes inaccessible, for example. Or, the software can highlight delivery statistics for each customer: Have deliveries ever been late to this address before? Does the customer have a complaint history, possibly for a specific, recurring reason?

Four Winds Interactive
Between our industry-leading iDS^® software solution, versatile applications, and the client-centered approach taken by our project managers, signage architects, and creative designers, FWi can handle standard, sophisticated, or even custom projects. We'll sit down and discuss your day-to-day restaurant operations as well as the options, features, and various benefits of your software and service package. Needless to say, the best dynamic sign system is the one that meets the unique challenges and opportunities of your restaurant. If you have questions about how our software can fit your needs or would like to set up a time to demo our products, please feel free to Contact Us.