You’ve just opened your café or restaurant, and you’re ready to start using signage to promote your specials and market your menu items. Which signs should you start with, and where is the best place to display them within your space?
The above question is a common one for restaurateurs and café owners. Signage can play an important role in helping you motivate customers to choose certain items and spend money in your restaurant. However, it needs to be used strategically to be effective.
From table tents with promotional menu items and offers to wall posters advertising your latest specials, a wide variety of displays and holders can have a positive impact on your results and help you run a more successful restaurant.
Below, we’ve listed three displays and holders that we think are the best first signage purchases for any café or restaurant. If you’re about to open and want to get your marketing campaign onto the right foot, try adding these to your “to-buy” list before you get started.
Table Tents
Table tents are small displays that sit on top of your dining tables and countertop space, right in front of your guests. Because these displays are front and center, they’re great for drawing your guests’ attention to popular menu dishes, special offers and promotions.
One of the best ways to use table tents for promotional purposes is to take advantage of the fact that they’re likely the first display any guest will notice once they enter your restaurant and take a seat
This makes table tents perfect for promoting specials that you’d like guests to order, from multi course meals to promotional offers
If your restaurant attracts groups of people, a great way to make the most of your table tents is to promote offers aimed at groups, such as “happy hour” drink promotions and dishes aimed at multiple people. You can also use table tents on smaller tables to market specifically to couples.
For restaurants and cafés, the most effective table tents are usually three sided displays, which allow you to maximize visibility while promoting several offers at once. With a different promotion on each side of the tent, you can quickly expose guests to a variety of offers in a few seconds.
Wall Poster Frames
Wall poster frames are another great display option for showcasing your latest specials, group offers and announcements. Like table tents, they’re highly visible and one of the first marketing assets customers are likely to look at after entering your restaurant or café.
From a marketing perspective, one of the biggest differences between wall poster frames and table tents is the level of detail guests expect. While a table tent can contain a range of dishes, wall posters are most effective when they’re short, simple and easy to read from afar.
For example, one great way to use your wall poster frames effectively is to hang a list of four to five special offers or dishes. Since it’s short, simple and easy to read in a minute or less, guests are more likely to pay attention to your signage and make a decision based on it.
Another great way to use wall poster frames is to list a specific offer, such as a “buy one get one free” promotion or a happy hour drink promotion. Since these appeal to a wide audience, they’re perfectly suited to large, obvious wall displays.
Trifold Holders
Do you offer takeout or delivery services? If so, a trifold holder with copies of your takeout and delivery menu is a must-have marketing tool for generating customer interest and reaching your local customer base.
Trifold holders are best placed near the entrance to your restaurant or café, typically at the main checkout counter. This way, guests can walk in and pick up a menu to order later, or pick one up on the way out after buying a drink or meal.
The more brochures and delivery menus you can get into customers’ homes, the larger you can expect your takeout and delivery customer base to become. An appealing, obvious trifold brochure holder plays a huge part in encouraging guests to take a copy of your menu home with them.
View Our Displays and Holders
Do you use the displays and sign holders listed above in your restaurant? Our complete range of displays and holders includes everything you’ll need to promote your menu items and drive revenue for your café or restaurant.
