Insights From Our Experts

What is in the Expert Insights library?

The signage and drive-thru decisions that are cheapest to fix before you build, explained by the people who design them, engineer them, and coordinate the installs.

  • Who it is for: Anyone in the middle of a decision. A new build, a remodel, adding a drive-thru lane, converting static boards to digital, or replacing signage that has quietly stopped working. One location or a thousand.
  • What you can actually learn here: What to run underground before the concrete is poured. How many cars your lane needs to hold, and why the menu board sits at an angle. Where customers look on a menu board and what that is worth. When a hybrid board beats going full digital. What voice AI does and does not do today.
  • Why some of this talks you out of spending: A hybrid board instead of full digital. A site survey before an install. The honest limits of voice AI. We would rather tell you that now than after the invoice.
  • Who is talking: Our designers, engineers, install coordinators, and sales team, plus guests from the industry. Not a marketing department reading a script.
  • Where to start: Pick a topic below, or skim the "what it covers" bullets on each card to find your question before you press play.

Drive-Thru Technology

The Science of Drive-Thru Stacking, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 16 min

Published October 1, 2025

The Science of Drive-Thru Stacking

Drive-thru stacking is how many cars your lane holds from entrance to window, and it shapes both your speed and your sales.

Grant Gustke (sales) and Nick (installation) cover both sides of getting it right.

What it covers

  • Who needs a stacking plan: new builds, conversions, and adding a lane to an existing site
  • Zoning, permits, and light restrictions, and why your city decides more than you think
  • Turning the waiting line into ad space for catering, apps, rewards, and specials
  • Install realities like foundations and site conditions that catch operators off guard
Site drawing showing conduit runs for a drive-thru flex menu board Explainer 2:47

Published March 10, 2023

Drive-Thru Flex Menu Board Conduit Requirements

At minimum, run two 1 inch conduits for electrical and one 2 inch conduit for CAT cable, even if you are installing a fully static board today.

With Rod Clouser

What it covers

  • The minimum run for a static board: two 1 inch conduits for electrical and one 2 inch for CAT cable
  • Why two electrical conduits now saves a second trench later when you add a digital screen
  • What a full digital board adds: a 1.5 inch conduit for headset, speaker and mic wiring
  • The extra 1 inch conduit for ground loop wire running through the curb in front of the board
Site plan showing drive-thru lane placement and vehicle stacking Explainer 1:22

Published July 1, 2020

Drive Thru Placement and Stacking

Stacking is how many cars fit before and after the menu board, and getting it right is what protects speed of service.

With Grant Gustke

What it covers

  • What stacking means and why car count before and after the menu board matters
  • The layout we design toward: menu board set at an angle, three to four cars past it
  • Room for five cars between the order point and the pickup window
  • What to do when the site will not allow the ideal layout
Title slide for the Drive-Thru Refresh webinar Webinar 51:31

Published June 26, 2020

Drive Thru Refresh Webinar

Four of our people talk through what actually improves a drive-thru refresh, from brand roadmap to headset quality.

With Jean Jones, Gary Kurtz, Grant Gustke, and Rod Clouser

What it covers

  • Gary Kurtz on telling your brand story and building a roadmap before chasing return
  • Grant Gustke on why speed is not the right goal for every brand, and setting customer expectations
  • Rod Clouser on presell boards as a way to show quality and the work behind the product
  • Rod Clouser on why communication systems, speaker posts and headsets, have to be spot on

Voice AI and Order Confirmation Systems

Voice AI in the Drive-Thru: A Live Demo With VoxAI, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 16 min

Published July 9, 2026

Voice AI in the Drive-Thru: A Live Demo With VoxAI

Watch voice AI take a real order, handle a change mid order, and offer an upsell, recorded live at the National Restaurant Association Show.

Brian sits down with Koen, co-founder of our partner VoxAI.

What it covers

  • A live ordering demo, including a correction (“make that a single shot instead of the double”)
  • The three layer training approach, and why every location gets its own trained model
  • 98 languages, regional accents, and background noise like highways and rain
  • How a pilot works: integration, training on your audio, and a dashboard tracking 20 plus KPIs
The Truth About Voice AI in Restaurants, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 20 min

Published June 9, 2026

The Truth About Voice AI in Restaurants

Voice AI is not replacing restaurant workers, and the reality has been close to the opposite.

Brian and Iris cover what it actually does, then look at where restaurant technology heads next.

What it covers

  • Why “AI will take the jobs” turned out backwards, and where redeployed window staff go
  • The teaching voice AI needs before it helps, and why early demos failed at loud trade shows
  • Who actually walks the NRA show floor, and how Howard measures whether a booth pays off
  • Year one wrap up: outside guests, episodes on the road, and a new look for the show
Why a Drive-Thru Is Incomplete Without an Order Confirmation Screen, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 11 min

Published February 24, 2026

Why a Drive-Thru Is Incomplete Without an Order Confirmation Screen

Wrong orders cost more than operators think, and an order confirmation screen (OCS) catches them before the window.

Grant Gustke shares how one operator cut food costs by 5% after adding OCS.

What it covers

  • How OCS protects speed of service, order accuracy, and food costs at the same time
  • What OCS costs, including POS integration fees, and why hard ROI is tricky to pin down
  • Why the brands known for drive-thru errors tend to have quiet drive-thrus
  • The next step: pairing OCS with voice AI so the order never gets typed wrong
Kiosks and Voice AI: A Growth Strategy, Not Just a Staffing Fix, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 16 min

Published August 21, 2025

Kiosks and Voice AI: A Growth Strategy, Not Just a Staffing Fix

Kiosks and voice AI grow sales even when you are fully staffed.

Erik Carranza from our digital solutions team explains why these tools are a revenue strategy, not just a labor patch.

What it covers

  • Why a kiosk or voice AI upsells 100% of the time while your best employee manages about 75%
  • How visual upsells on a kiosk change what customers decide to order
  • Speed and accuracy: customers confirm their own order as they build it
  • How to demo virtually first, then pilot in your own store before deciding
Order confirmation display showing a live drive-thru order total Explainer 2:03

Published March 22, 2023

The Differences Between Old OCS And New OCS

An order confirmation screen embedded into the digital menu board removes a separate device from the lane, which means one less thing that can fail.

With Grant Gustke

What it covers

  • Why the familiar 15 inch or 17 inch standalone screen is one more thing that can break
  • How an embedded panel builds order confirmation into the digital menu board itself
  • The same POS connection, with one less separate device in the lane
  • The training shift that follows: staff ask if the order looks right instead of reading it back, which helps speed of service and accuracy

Digital Menu Boards and Displays

Choosing Technology That Does Not Get in the Way, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 21 min

Published March 14, 2026

Choosing Technology That Does Not Get in the Way

The right technology solves a business problem you already have instead of adding one for your customers.

Luke (design) and Paul (digital and installation) cover how to pick and phase it in.

What it covers

  • The airport kiosk lesson: new technology needs visual cues until people learn it
  • Starting with the problem, not the product, because in QSR speed equals revenue
  • Why order confirmation usually comes before voice AI, and what it earns you first
  • Keeping slow to prepare items off drive-thru screens so your line never backs up
A Guide to A/B Testing With Digital Displays, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 26 min

Published February 6, 2026

A Guide to A/B Testing With Digital Displays

Most operators guess at what works on their menu boards, and digital displays let you test it instead.

Brian and designer Kelsey walk through the testing your competition is probably not doing.

What it covers

  • How to run a clean test: one change, one location, same daypart, then compare real results
  • The psychology behind color, saturation, and typography on a digital board
  • How much motion helps, and the point where it starts working against you
  • Using tests to pilot bigger moves like dayparting, OCS, and voice AI
Tech That Builds Trust: Commercial Displays, Warranties, and Monitoring, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 18 min

Published December 22, 2025

Tech That Builds Trust: Commercial Displays, Warranties, and Monitoring

Commercial grade displays, the right warranty, and active monitoring are what keep digital menu boards running every day.

Jim Reeder and Erik explain the services behind reliable screens.

What it covers

  • Commercial vs residential displays: built in media players, brightness, and no TV tuner to hijack
  • Warranty options from depot service to white glove, and why outdoor displays always get white glove
  • Active monitoring that catches an offline store before a price update goes out wrong
  • The stakes: drive-thrus carry about 60% of traffic, and up to 90% for coffee brands
Gary Kurtz explaining the business case for digital signage Vlog 2:35

Published July 15, 2020

7 Key Elements Vlog: Business

Decide what you are measuring before you buy. Turning a static menu digital and stopping there rarely returns anything.

With Gary Kurtz

What it covers

  • Setting your digital signage objectives before buying anything
  • Why converting a static menu to digital and leaving it there rarely produces a return
  • Return on investment versus return on objective: margin per transaction, higher ticket average, faster line movement
  • Gary's own benchmark, in his words: "if we're doing it right with a reputable company, we should be able to get a 3 to 5% increase in sales"
Gary Kurtz discussing digital signage content Vlog 1:36

Published July 15, 2020

7 Key Elements Vlog: Content

Content is the part that sells. Hardware only decides how well it is shown.

With Gary Kurtz

What it covers

  • Why content is the piece that actually sells, not the hardware
  • Mixing video, animation and stills rather than running one format
  • Focusing screen time on high margin items, limited time offers and deals
  • The most common mistake: too much motion at once, which pushes customers back into ordering out of habit
Gary Kurtz talking about design in digital signage Vlog 1:26

Published July 15, 2020

7 Key Elements Vlog: Design

The primary job of a digital menu board is showing the menu. Brand building and margin steering come second.

With Gary Kurtz

What it covers

  • The primary job of a digital menu board is showing the menu, everything else is secondary
  • Secondary purposes: building brand and steering customers toward higher margin items
  • Who does the design work, your team, an agency, or your signage partner
  • Changing the design by daypart, including brighter screens during the day and dimmer at night
Gary Kurtz introducing the 7 Key Elements of Digital Signage series Vlog 1:24

Published July 6, 2020

7 Key Elements Vlog: Intro

The opening of a series that answers the questions customers ask before buying digital signage: who runs it, what is the return, and is it here to stay.

With Gary Kurtz

What it covers

  • What the series covers across the installments that follow
  • The questions customers ask most: who runs it, what is the return, is it worth getting into
  • Topics ahead: content, motion, design, hardware, software and daily operation
  • Who actually operates the system day to day, you or your partner
Commercial grade display next to a residential television for comparison Explainer 2:04

Published June 30, 2020

Commercial Grade Displays vs. Residential TVs

A residential TV is built to run a few hours a day and its warranty is void in a business. A commercial display is built to run continuously.

With Jim Reeder

What it covers

  • The sedan versus emergency vehicle comparison for why commercial screens are built to run around the clock
  • Tougher frames, better cooling, higher brightness for ambient light, and software that prevents burn in
  • Why a residential TV warranty is void the moment you install it in a business
  • Why having no TV tuner is a security feature: nobody can change your menu with a universal remote from the parking lot
Hybrid menu board combining a digital screen with static panels Explainer 0:50

Published May 5, 2020

Hybrid Menu Boards

A hybrid board puts one digital screen into a static menu board system, which lets you test digital at a lower cost than going all in.

With Rod Clouser

What it covers

  • What a hybrid board is: one digital screen alongside static panels in the same system
  • Works for both indoor and drive-thru, using our Flex drive-thru system
  • A lower cost way to test digital before committing to a full digital board
  • What to run on the digital panel: limited time offers, promos, high margin items, upselling and community messaging

Branding and Customer Experience

When Is the Best Time to Upgrade Your Signage?, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 14 min

Published August 3, 2026

When Is the Best Time to Upgrade Your Signage?

You would not serve stale food, so do not settle for stale signage.

Brian and Rod Clouser talk through upgrade timing and the hidden cost of waiting too long.

What it covers

  • Signage as your silent salesperson, upselling every customer on every visit
  • The association customers make between signage quality and food quality
  • How digital makes a rollout across hundreds of locations as easy as updating one
  • Why co-op dollars from your drink vendors might cover more of the bill than you think
Balancing Chain Branding With Local Connections, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 21 min

Published April 10, 2026

Balancing Chain Branding With Local Connections

Keep the brand consistent everywhere, then let local touches live where they will not break the flow.

Kelsey (design) and Michael (engineering) break down the multi location balancing act.

What it covers

  • Why consistency reads as dependability to a hungry customer in a hurry
  • Where local and seasonal items fit without disrupting the core menu
  • A real example: a credit union greeting its town by name on a DVLED display
  • The overlooked benefit, which is that consistency makes life easier for your own staff
Growing Your Business With Different Generations, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 16 min

Published January 20, 2026

Growing Your Business With Different Generations

Price, quality, service, or atmosphere? The answer depends on who you ask, and your locations have to work for all of them.

Craig (operations), Carter (engineering), and Kendra (purchasing) compare notes.

What it covers

  • How having kids rewires what a customer values on every visit
  • Why consistency across locations earns trust with every generation
  • How customers research your menu before they ever show up
  • Bridging generations by offering several easy ways to order
The Evolving Definition of Brand Loyalty, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 17 min

Published November 24, 2025

The Evolving Definition of Brand Loyalty

Customer service still decides who comes back, and signage and technology either support that or get in the way.

Yolanda from purchasing and Katie from customer service share what loyalty looks like now.

What it covers

  • Service recovery stories, including a Culver’s mix up handled so well it built loyalty
  • Why offering several ways to order builds loyalty across generations
  • The small gestures that turn a mistake into a repeat customer
  • How cleanliness, upkeep, and lighting decide where people feel good stopping
The Role of First Impressions, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 14 min

Published November 12, 2025

The Role of First Impressions

The guest experience starts at the road, long before anyone tastes your food.

Nick from installation and Todd from engineering cover what pulls a passing driver into your lot.

What it covers

  • Exterior branding that reads at a distance, and the color psychology behind QSR brands
  • Install details that make or break visibility: line of sight, lighting, and board angle
  • Engineering for emotion, not just function, through materials and upkeep
  • What rusty, dingy, or broken signage quietly says about your food
Welcome to the Branding Signage and Technology Podcast, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 3 min

Published May 15, 2025

Welcome to the Branding Signage and Technology Podcast

The short introduction to the show: unscripted conversations about best practices, trends, and the questions we hear every day.

Brian Ward explains why the podcast exists and who it is for.

What it covers

  • Who the show is for: restaurants, c-stores, banks, grocery, dispensaries, and schools
  • What to expect: real team members, real questions, and no script
  • The topics ahead: best practices, trends, and your frequently asked questions
  • How to send in your own questions and topic ideas for future episodes

Convenience Store and Grocery

Designing for Impulse Purchases, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 23 min

Published April 22, 2026

Designing for Impulse Purchases

How do you get a customer who came in for one thing to grab something they never planned on buying?

Kevin and designer Tosia break down impulse signage for c-stores and grocery.

What it covers

  • How shopper mindset differs between a quick c-store run and a full grocery trip
  • Window monitors bright enough to pull customers in from the pump
  • End caps, cooler door displays, and how beverage brands help fund digital upgrades
  • Keeping a c-store drive-thru menu tight (12 to 15 items) so service never backs up
Recapping NACS 2025, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 21 min

Published October 29, 2025

Recapping NACS 2025

Fresh off the NACS Show, the team recaps the trends convenience store operators should act on now.

Kevin Zalness (c-store sales) and Erik (digital presales) share what stood out.

What it covers

  • The booth conversations that dominated: ticket volume, loyalty apps, mobile pay, delivery
  • Voice AI and OCS demos in action, and how far the technology has come
  • A listen first voice AI entry point that coaches your team before you buy hardware
  • Advice for the majority of c-store owners who run five stores or fewer
More Than Gas: Building a Memorable C-Store Brand, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 23 min

Published September 18, 2025

More Than Gas: Building a Memorable C-Store Brand

Your pumps bring customers to the lot, and your brand and signage are what bring them inside.

Kevin Zalness, our national sales manager for convenience stores, shares what works.

What it covers

  • Moving customers from the pump into the store without clogging the fueling area
  • How c-store food now competes head on with quick service restaurants
  • Budget friendly wins first: window clings, static boards, and magnetic LTO boards
  • Why family orders through food service run meaningfully larger than single item stops
Convenience store exterior with branded drive-thru and fuel canopy signage Explainer 2:08

Published September 3, 2021

Drive-Thru and Branding Solutions For Convenience Stores

A convenience store drive-thru ramps differently than a restaurant drive-thru: it starts slow and builds, so momentum matters more than opening volume.

With Gary Kurtz

What it covers

  • Why a c store drive-thru ramps differently than a restaurant drive-thru, starting slow and building over time
  • Coffee and branded food offerings as the reason a customer picks your lot
  • Interior digital and branding signage that keeps customers moving past more offers
  • Why cooler door and shelf messaging beats leaving offers unlabeled

Installation and Ongoing Support

Why a Successful Strategy Takes a Full Team Effort, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 16 min

Published October 17, 2025

Why a Successful Strategy Takes a Full Team Effort

The best signage projects happen when marketing, IT, operations, construction, design, and executives plan together from day one.

Rod Clouser and Paul Schwantes explain who owns what.

What it covers

  • The questions each department has to answer before a project can run smoothly
  • Why executives stay closer to these projects than most people expect
  • Lab units: testing the full system before the first store ever goes live
  • Phased rollouts that convert static to digital without overwhelming your team
How to Take the Stress Out of Graphic Fulfillment, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 24 min

Published June 25, 2025

How to Take the Stress Out of Graphic Fulfillment

Graphic fulfillment does not have to be a headache, and this episode walks through the system that removes it.

Iris (design) and Victoria (graphics production) explain BrandHub, our brand management platform.

What it covers

  • What BrandHub is: an ordering portal of pre-approved graphics for corporate and franchisees
  • Templates that catch errors before print, down to a misplaced decimal
  • Turnarounds near three to five days on work that used to take far longer
  • Built in quoting, pay links for franchisees, and order history across every location
Technician measuring a site during a signage site survey Explainer 1:16

Published May 28, 2025

The Importance of a Site Survey

A site survey is a detailed evaluation of what you already have, done before install, so nothing has to be torn out and redone later.

With Rod Humphrey

What it covers

  • What a survey evaluates: foundation, available conduit, equipment racks, ports and secure mounting points
  • What is asked of you as the owner or general contractor
  • Why an existing building is the riskiest assumption, since the previous tenant may not have been up to code
  • How a survey prevents delays, surprise costs and rebuild work later
Rod Humphrey explains what is included in digital signage software maintenance Explainer 1:02

Published April 11, 2023

What Is Included In Software Maintenance?

Software maintenance covers upgrades, remote support, in house people, and safe content hosting, all handled by The Howard Company.

With Rod Humphrey

What it covers

  • Software upgrades and how each new release is distributed to every location
  • Remote support handled through TeamViewer and LogMeIn
  • Sales and technical support calls answered in house, never passed to a third party
  • On premise content hosting so your menu content stays safe and easy to reach

Events and Trade Shows

Host Swap: Marketing Lessons From 10+ Trade Shows, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 33 min

Published May 13, 2026

Host Swap: Marketing Lessons From 10+ Trade Shows

One year in, the host seat changes hands, and Iris interviews Brian on what a dozen trade shows taught him about B2B marketing.

Part one of the anniversary episode.

What it covers

  • How Howard plans a booth people remember, and the early mistakes worth avoiding
  • The trade show ROI conversation every marketing team eventually has
  • Why a B2B podcast was the right call a year ago
  • How moving from design to marketing changed the way Iris reads customers
The Winner of Our 2025 National Drive-Thru Day Contest, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 13 min

Published July 24, 2025

The Winner of Our 2025 National Drive-Thru Day Contest

Charley’s Cheesesteaks took the win in our first National Drive-Thru Day contest.

Brian, Spencer, and Kelsey reveal the winner and list what every drive-thru should have.

What it covers

  • Why the winning drive-thru submission stood out from the field
  • The must haves: OCS, directional signage, and a quality communication system
  • Landscaping, paint, and parking lot upkeep as part of the drive-thru experience
  • After sale support, and why Howard promotes customer drive-thrus year round
Recapping the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 19 min

Published July 11, 2025

Recapping the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show

Missed the show? The team recaps the trends, questions, and conversations that defined NRA 2025.

Erik, Hope, and Daniel rejoin Brian for the debrief.

What it covers

  • The trends everyone was talking about, from kiosks to delivery only drive-thru lanes
  • Advice for a first location owner who does not know where signage starts
  • What enterprise chains should look for in a partner that can scale with them
  • Improving customer experience, traffic, and ticket size through signage and technology
Announcing the 2025 National Drive-Thru Day Contest, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 9 min

Published June 12, 2025

Announcing the 2025 National Drive-Thru Day Contest

We went looking for the best drive-thru in the country.

Brian and Spencer explain how our first National Drive-Thru Day contest worked.

What it covers

  • How the contest worked and who was eligible to enter
  • The entry questions: drive-thru sales share, technology features, OCS, and voice AI
  • What entrants got either way, which was brand promotion across Howard’s channels
  • Why the team built a contest around its favorite day of the year
What to Expect at the National Restaurant Association Show, an episode of The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast by The Howard Company Podcast 15 min

Published May 16, 2025

What to Expect at the National Restaurant Association Show

A preview of the NRA Show in Chicago: what to see, what to plan, and how to get real value from the trip.

Erik Carranza, Hope Riesterer, Daniel Jones, and Brian Ward build the game plan.

What it covers

  • What first timers should expect walking McCormick Place
  • The technology worth hunting down: kiosks, e-paper menu boards, and voice AI in action
  • Future proofing advice, like running conduit now so digital upgrades come easy later
  • How to use a booth visit to actually move your signage project forward
The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast
Business • Technology • 28 episodes
The Branding Signage and Technology Podcast
Latest episode
Show notes
Welcome to The Branding Signage and Technology podcast presented by The Howard Company! Each episode is unscripted and features new guests talking about best practices, trends, and questions surrounding branding signage and technology.
The Best Time to Upgrade your Signage
14 min
How Drive-Thru Voice AI Works (Featuring VOX AI)
16 min
The Truth About Voice AI In The Restaurant Industry
20 min
Host Swap: Marketing Lessons From 10+ Trade Shows
34 min
More episodes

We have a solution for you

The Howard Company is your best resource as you seek out products for your restaurant or retail store. We work with virtually all materials and we are as comfortable indoors as outdoors. Our focus on quality and service sets us apart in our various marketplaces. We want to be your first call when you need advice on your menu systems, Point of Purchase needs, or in-store marketing and merchandising. Our high quality solutions help you focus on building your brand, serving your guests, and selling more product!

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