Dispensary Digital Signage:
A Complete Guide for Modern Cannabis Retailers
Table of Contents
The cannabis industry is booming, and recreational and medical marijuana dispensaries have been rapidly expanding across the country. In 2020, 11 states and the District of Columbia had legalized recreational marijuana sales. As of 2025, 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana, and 40 states have legal medical cannabis programs.
This changing state legislation has led to a massive growth surge for new dispensaries. According to *Mary Magazine, there was a total of 7,490 dispensaries in the United States in 2020. As of 2025, according to *Pew Research Center, there are almost 15,000 dispensaries, a 100% increase in just 5 years.
As dispensaries double in number and continue to grow, standing out will be increasingly difficult. Digital signage is the key to attracting and retaining customers so that you can stand out with a modern dispensary.
With a rapidly-changing industry it is vital to have a modern and adaptable dispensary operation. This article will be your comprehensive guide on why digital signage matters for your dispensary and how it can benefit both you and your customers.
There is a lot to keep in mind if you are a dispensary! At The Howard Company, we have been digital signage and drive-thru experts for over 75 years, working with some of the biggest restaurant brands such as Arby’s, Scooters Coffee, and Rita’s Italian Ice. We are now bringing our decades of expertise into dispensaries by giving you the complete guide on everything you need to know about digital signage as a modern cannabis retailer.
Why is Digital Signage Essential for Modern Dispensaries?
Dispensaries across the country need to embrace a changing landscape. As legalization grows, dispensaries must adapt to meet the needs of a growing customer base. This change starts with the look and feel of your dispensary location.
Kim Myles the co-founder of MylesMoore (a business that revamps the interiors of cannabis dispensaries) stated...
“The retail environments for cannabis don’t match the money people are spending on it, nor do they match the diversity of the consumers,” and “Going into a dispensary should be a quality experience. There’s no way we are going to overcome the stigma it has if we don’t change the touch point for the consumer.”
These are strong statements about the current state of dispensaries. Digital signage is the solution to modernizing dispensaries and creating a more agnostic environment to serve this new diverse consumer base. But also there are many practical reasons why digital signage is essential for dispensaries.
Here are some major reasons why dispensary digital signage is essential for both regulatory, financial and modernization reasons.
Digital signage:
- allows for compliance advantages such as quick switching of advertising, products and required information when the laws require it.
- allows for easy price and product changes for single or multi-location dispensaries.
- impacts revenue, according to our findings with restaurants, locations that implement digital menu boards see and an average increase of 2-5% in sales.
- Decreases visitors perceived wait times by 15% which helps improve the in-dispensary experience.
- Allows for adaptable designs and animations to create a modern feel with kinetic energy.
The Legalities of Digital Signage in Dispensaries
Digital menu boards and legal compliance is something that the Howard Company is very familiar with. Working in the restaurant industry, we at the Howard Company have seen laws come to fruition such as the 2010 Affordable Care Act which included regulation changes for restaurant chains and displaying calories on their menu boards.
With our digital signage solutions, we have been able to comply to these standards with our customers by helping them easily update their offerings and display the necessary information on our digital displays.
Digital Signage Isn't Just a Trend...
It’s an essential tool to modernize and streamline your dispensary’s operations.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know to get started with modernizing your dispensary location. If you would rather schedule a free consultation to learn all about our solutions, you can schedule one down below.
Menu Boards for Dispensaries
Dispensary Menu Board Options
One of the most flexible and effective options for a dispensary menu board is a digital display. This is a flexible option because you can choose the number of screens, orientation of screens and update the content on the displays from a centralized content management system such as Seed, Navori, or a different software of your choice.
This content management allows you to partake in content scheduling where you can promote different products at different scheduled times as well as quickly and seamlessly adjust your current offerings.
For a different menu board option, you could also choose to go with magnetic menu boards, illuminated menu boards, hybrid menu boards and more. Static and hybrid menu boards have their own individual set of benefits and drawbacks that you can read about here.
If you want to explore more menu boards for your dispensary, take a visit to our indoor menu board page.
How Much do Indoor Menu Boards for Dispensaries Cost?
If you are already interested in modernizing your cannabis shop with sleek, adaptable menu boards, you may be wondering how much an indoor menu board costs. The short answer is that it varies based on what menu boards your choose and how you configure your boards.
If you want the in depth answer, you can read our comprehensive dispensary indoor menu board price guide right here!
If you feel ready to get even more in depth about upgrading your dispensary signage, you can request to meet with one of our experts below to discuss your needs!
Drive-Thru for Dispensaries
Digital menu boards for dispensaries are an excellent way to modernize your stores look, increase efficiency and comply with local and federal laws. But indoor digital menu boards are not the only solution to modernizing your cannabis shop. That other solution is the drive-thru.
Consumers increasingly demand convenience, with a drive-thru study showing that 47% of people wouldn’t consider visiting a fast-food restaurant, bank, or retail store without a drive-thru.
The three main reasons consumers prefer drive-thru according to the survey is faster service (mentioned by 61%), the comfort of staying in their cars (61%) and avoiding long lines (52%).
Drive-thru is the preference. This same principal is true with dispensaries, if not even more so. Customers want privacy and convenience when going to a dispensary, the ultimate form of this is the drive-thru.
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Adding a drive-thru to a dispensary does has more nuance to it than restaurants. Some considerations to think about include:
- Local regulations and advertising laws
- High definition cameras to check buyer IDs
- Additional staff training on procedures
These are just a few things to keep in mind. But if adding a drive-thru to your dispensary is within the scope of possibility, the benefits do not just end with the customer. The benefits to your dispensary location can also be significant.
We have found that customers of ours have about 65-70% of their store sales through a drive-thru. That is a significant portion of sales.
Now on to some more dispensary specific benefits for adding a digital drive-thru:
- Digital drive-thru menu boards are extremely well suited to deal with the legal hurdles dispensaries face because they can be programmed to only display products after ID age verification.
- LCD screens with privacy glass can also assist with advertising compliance in your state.
- Accurate inventory displays to easily display only products that are in stock to reduce customer disappointment.
- As mentioned earlier, drive-thrus give the customer enhanced privacy and convenience when visiting your dispensary.
What Are The Different Drive-Thru Solution Options?
Drive-thru solutions are one of our specialties at the Howard Company. We have flexible and adaptable drive-thru boards that can be fully customizable to your needs. You can read more about all of our options and customizations on our website right here! When looking to outfit a drive-thru, The Howard Company is your one-stop-shop for any of the products you need including canopies, menu boards, clearance bars, speaker posts, and more.
For dispensaries we will almost always recommend a fully digital drive-thru because depending on your state and local ordinances, you will not be able to display cannabis products on an outdoor menu board when there is nobody in the drive-thru because it may not comply with cannabis advertising laws.
How Much Does a Drive-Thru Dispensary Cost?
Wondering how much a drive-thru may cost your dispensary? The short answer is that it can vary greatly, a rough estimate could be anywhere from $5,000-25,000 depending on the accessories, configuration and more. Take a look at our drive-thru price calculator or how much does a drive thru cost article if you want a more in depth analysis on drive-thru cost.
If you feel ready to start discussing with our team today about a drive-thru dispensary you can contact us immediately to start planning your drive-thru!
Related Reading:
Compare Our Two Most Popular Drive-Thru Options
Learn all About the Drive-Thru Accessories that we Offer
Explaining Drive-Thru Equipment in Fewer than 140 Characters Article
An Article on Some of the Natural Forces to Keep in Mind When Adding a Drive-Thru
A Blog Post of Non-Traditional Drive-Thrus Outside of Quick Service Restaurants
A Deeper Dive into the Technical Aspects of Outdoor Digital Technology and Screens
Kiosk Solutions for the Modern Dispensary
Kiosks are another solution to help modernize your dispensary and create a seamless customer experience inside of your store. According to data from Nanonation, 64% of customers say they prefer self-service when available and 85% of customers see self-service as a faster option.
Kiosks cater to customers’ preferences while also boosting store sales. Nanonation also found that there was a 28% average order volume increase for Kiosk orders.
Specifically in the case of a dispensary, kiosks can help with staff efficiency so that the budtender can focus on customers who many not know what they want or need. Kiosks can also reduce labor costs with this efficiency, as your dispensary location can operate with fewer staff during peak hours.
Kiosks are well suited for dispensaries to address age verification barriers and purchasing limits for specific products. This purchasing limit can vary by state and product, so being able to implement the limits into your software can be vital for regulation and compliance for your store.
If you want to learn more about Kiosks and everything they can offer to your dispensary you can watch our webinar with Nanonation here.
You can also read more about kiosks on our website here.
How Much Would Adding Kiosks to a Dispensary Cost?
There are a few costs with adding a kiosk to your dispensary including:
- The Kiosk Hardware
- Kiosk software and integration
- Setup and installation costs
For indoor floor standing kiosk solutions, a rough estimate would be between $2,000-3000 but this number does not include some of the installation and setup expenses.
If you want to find out more about how much a kiosk costs, you can read our article to get a better idea of what investment it may cost for your business. If you are ready to go ahead with adding a kiosk to your dispensary, then you can request a consultation with us below to go over your needs.
By upgrading your dispensary with digital signage, you’re not just enhancing your customer experience, you’re future proofing your business. Let us guide you every step of the way. Ready to get started?
Ready to Transform Your Dispensary? Here are Next Steps!
From consultation to installation, our team of digital signage experts will guide you through every step of modernizing your dispensary. With over 75 years of experience, we make the process as seamless as possible so you can focus on what matters most for your business.
Here are next steps to take if you are ready to modernize your dispensary with digital signage.
Schedule a Consultation
Starting the process of integrating digital signage in your dispensary can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance, it’s easier than you think. So first, before you do anything you need to assess your digital signage needs.
You can download our dispensary digital signage needs assessment here:
Dispensary Digital Signage Assessment
Assess your locations needs with our free digital signage assessment document!
Once you know the needs of your business you can schedule a consultation (with no obligation) to go over your location specific dispensary signage solutions.
During our consultation we will also discuss the local compliance requirements for your state and city to ensure the digital signage solutions are friction free after implementation and launch.
If you are ready to modernize your dispensary you can request a consultation with our experts down below!
Conclusion
Dispensaries are going through an unprecedented growth phase and the growing customer base has created the need for modernized and updated dispensaries. Digital signage is the future of the industry, so don’t wait on it! Upgrade your dispensary with the help of the digital signage experts at the Howard Company today.
Get in Contact with Us!
Get in touch today and take your dispensary into the future!
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