High-tech screens can help pizzerias promote specials, change prices and engage with customers

People spend a lot of time staring at screens – and not just on their personal devices. Consumers face multiple screens throughout a typical day of commuting, working, running errands and, of course, ordering food. When visiting a restaurant, consumers might expect to view the menu on easy-to-read, colorful screens – and, if the presentation involves short videos, even better.

For pizzerias, there are many benefits to switching from paper menus and other low-tech displays to digital menu boards. The technology allows management to promote slow sellers, remove items when an ingredient runs out and change prices, when needed. More importantly, digital menu boards help restaurants connect with customers.

“When you upgrade to digital menu boards, your signage becomes an experience,” says Amanda Starr, vice president of client engagement and strategy for Creative Realities, a digital-signage company based in Louisville, Kentucky. “Suddenly, you’re not just showing a menu, you’re telling a story, connecting shoppers to your brand and transforming an ordinary visit into an engaging, immersive interaction.”

The key is to use digital display systems strategically to offer well-timed promotions, suggested upsells and personalized menu items. When integrated with the point-of-sale system, digital menu boards can make operations run more smoothly. The system can update pricing, promotions and stock availability in real time across multiple locations. The digital board adjusts automatically, which relieves back-of-house crews and corporate teams from manually inputting information and spares frontline employees from those awkward conversations when an item is out of stock.

Automating Content

The hottest tool today is AI-powered content automation. “AI allows businesses to dynamically adjust messaging based on customer data, weather, dayparts, inventory levels and more,” Starr says. “This technology is already delivering results – personalizing guest experiences, increasing sales, reducing overhead and generating actionable insights.”

When considering digital menu boards, operators should think about what they want the boards to do. That could range from simply modernizing the current system to make content management easier to larger goals such as influencing buying behavior and enhancing a loyalty program with personal messaging. “Invest in technology that aligns with your goals and works in the real world,” Starr says.

Digital Menu Integrations

Another tech innovation is that digital menu boards can be integrated with POS systems, which makes it easy to update prices, add specials or remove items from the menu. The operator should be able to make these changes from the pizzeria’s POS system, a desktop computer or smartphone.

“Everything is moving to the cloud,” says Kevin Jones, vice president and general manager of QSR, franchise and hospitality for Austin, Texas-based media company Mood Media. “The systems all talk to each other.”

Jones says one of the factors that initially drove growth in digital menu boards was that they help restaurants comply with rules mandating calorie counts being included on menus. Early iterations of digital menu boards used thumb drives and other legacy technology, so changing prices or adding daily specials was a labor-intensive process. Automation is crucial in today’s restaurant operations, so digital menu boards must not only have great visuals but reduce labor so crew members can work on other tasks, such as providing customer service. For example, when the pizzeria runs out of a topping, the POS system can automatically take it off the menu. “So, it’s not a bad experience for the customer who has been standing in line for 10 minutes,” Jones says.

Digital Menu Hardware and Additions

Another consideration is hardware: Jones recommends paying a little more for commercial-grade screens that have better brightness and last longer than consumer screens available in big-box retailers. Consumer TVs are on for a few hours per day, while digital menu boards are on all day, so operators will save money long term by using a better screen that lasts longer.

Some digital media companies offer templates for menus and other content to make it easier to design visuals and decide what to post on the screens. Although animation and moving graphics are visually appealing, not everything has to be flashy. In fact, one screen might show only a photo of a pizza – or even just the pizzeria’s name.

“One of the products we design is a static-digital hybrid,” says Charles Lewis, executive vice president of the Aurora, Illinois-based kiosk and digital menu board manufacturer Palmer Digital Group. “You order a double menu board, and one is for static prints and the other is digital. Once they make some money, they can swap out one or both.”

Drive-thru windows – long the realm of burger chains –slowly are making their way into the pizza segment. A few brands are offering slices at drive-thru windows, so outdoor menu boards rated for temperature extremes and for wind might be something to consider. “Everyone wants digital menu boards in the drive-thru,” Lewis says. “And so many customers are asking for canopy systems.”

Dynamic Pricing

One thing digital menu boards can make easier is dynamic pricing, meaning the price is variable or flexible. Although dynamic pricing is not new, recently it has received some negative attention, but it can be used effectively and without generating consumer backlash.

Creative Realities partnered with a global pizza chain more than 10 years ago to explore dynamic menus. “As inventory levels fluctuated throughout the day, the digital boards adjusted in real-time to highlight freshly baked pizzas – especially during high-traffic hours,” Starr says. “As items neared expiration, the system shifted gears, promoting those flavors or offering discounts to minimize waste.”

The result, Starr says, was increased sales, reduced waste and timely offers for customers. “Dynamic pricing isn’t about sneaky surcharges,” Starr says. “Done right, it’s a tool to enhance the guest experience while driving operational efficiency.”

Starr recommends using dynamic pricing to encourage off-peak purchases, such as a deal on a large pizza with a beverage. Food waste is a big topic these days, so pizzerias can limit waste by promoting items nearing expiration and move surplus inventory with creative offers.

“The key is to be strategic and transparent,” Starr says. “Customers should never feel like they’re being charged more for a basic experience. Instead, dynamic pricing should make them feel like savvy insiders, scoring deals that feel thoughtful and personal.”

NORA CALEY is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.