The Howard Company's Blog

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner: Selling your C-Store Foodservice Program

September 29, 2015 / by Jean Jones

Are you a convenience store looking to generate higher profitability of in-store products and services? With this in mind, are you contemplating adding food service to your operations? You may be asking how to manage promoting and selling a changing array of food offerings during different times of the day. This means many operators are not sure what menu board equipment might best fit their store needs. As you look to add kitchen equipment and hot or cold food service, examining menu board options should be a big consideration included in the discussion with your store planners.

Good News!

The good news is statistics show food service selections are a great fit for convenience stores no matter the size of the operation. However, from coffee and donuts in the morning, to grab ‘n go dinner selections for commuters on their way home, your food menu can change three or more times during the day.

Now That's a Dilemma

While convenience stores have many sources for kitchen equipment, a key tool component is often missed:  the ability to show your guests what fresh food items they can buy NOW in your store, and what you offer at other meal times during the business day. Yes, hot or cold cases with taped on or hand-printed messages listing food items and prices are the least cost effective way to sell food items, but does this really express the quality look you want your guests to see? You’ve spent good money exploring what food options you want to sell, and on the equipment to prepare it; the next step is to look at the best way to advertise and promote your new food service section of your store. 

Digital Menu Boards are the Answer

A digital menu board display may be the best answer to fit your ever changing food service needs!  A single screen placed over the beverage service area can display morning breakfast offerings at your food counter along with fast-breaking news scrolling across the bottom of the screen. A split screen display can promote lunch and dinner menus that invite guests to return later in the day or on their way home from work for quick pick-up meals. Multiple display screens throughout the store can be programmed to modify menus or promotions as the day progresses without having to pull out a ladder to physically update changes on other style menu boards.

Here's the Digital Lowdown:

Most digital menu board display companies offer design packages with their products, allowing you to craft your own screen displays with easy-to-use content creation programs. Making menu or promotion changes once a week is much simpler than creating and ordering promotional posters or menu strips from outside sources. Own a chain of c-stores? Update promotions, prices or products system wide from one computer using WAN internet capabilities.

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This example of a digital menu board display shows
breakfast foods, beverages, bakery goods, hot and
cold sandwiches - all neatly categorized and easy to
locate under colorful headers. Food pictures add
interest and whet the appetite.

(Kent Eats Cafe - Kent Kwik Company, Texas)

Five Ways Digital Menu Boards Can Make a Difference For Your C-Store

Here’s a quick recap of how digital menu board displays can help you achieve higher profits and ensure return guest visits for your c-store:

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•  Keep your guests engaged with colorful visuals seen on digital menu board displays.

•  Watch your profits increase when patrons easily locate listings and pricing on your food service items.

•  Remove the stress and expense of constantly changing paper promotions throughout your c-store.

•  Cross-sell products from other departments.

•  Network within your community by advertising area functions.

Keep the momentum of expanding higher profit options when you implement a food service plan for your c-store by using digital screens! Whether you use one screen or utilize multiple screens throughout your store, digital menu boards are the most versatile tool to meet your ever-changing promotional needs!

Topics: Digital, Convenience Stores

Jean Jones

Written by Jean Jones

Jean Jones started in restaurant marketing in 1996 when she and her husband operated two fine dining restaurants in Wisconsin. After a detour into marketing for a real estate development firm, she returns to the restaurant industry with The Howard Company.