1. Readability comes first

A beautiful menu board that nobody can read sells nothing. So start with the distance: where do customers stand when they choose, and how far is that from the screen? Put your smallest text on the screen and walk to that spot. If you have to squint, it is too small.

  • Use two fonts at most. The Narrow.TV editor has 11 fonts, but one for headings and one for body text is enough. More makes it look restless.
  • Choose a simple, clean typeface for product names and prices. Decorative and thin fonts disappear at a distance.
  • Avoid long descriptions. A product name and perhaps a few words of explanation. Ingredient lists belong in a leaflet or on your website.

2. Contrast and colour

Light text on a dark background is often easier on the eye on a screen and looks less glaring than a white background. Whatever you choose, make sure there is strong contrast between text and background.

  • Do not put text over a busy photo. Use a plain background or a block behind the text.
  • Use your brand colour for headings or accents, not for all the text.
  • Take the light in your premises into account. If the screen faces a window, you need extra contrast.

3. Fewer products, clear groups

The more choice on one screen, the longer customers hesitate, and the longer the queue. Structure your menu:

  • Work with categories. The price table in the Narrow.TV editor consists of headings with product and price lines underneath. Use headings such as "Sandwiches", "Hot food" and "Drinks".
  • Spread a large menu over several screens. Each screen has one menu design. Three screens above the counter, for example one for hot food, one for cold food and one for drinks, are easier to read than one overcrowded screen.
  • Cut what barely sells. A digital menu board is a good moment to take a critical look at your menu.

Several screens means several subscriptions: you pay per screen. See the current prices.

4. Calm and consistent prices

  • Put prices in one straight column, so the eye finds them quickly.
  • Choose one format and stick to it, for example always two decimal places.
  • Do not make prices bigger than the product name. Customers should first see what they want, then what it costs.
  • Make a meal deal or combo stand out with its own heading or a photo, rather than with lots of colour or capital letters.

5. Photos and video: use them deliberately

Images sell, but only if they are good. One sharp photo of your bestseller does more than ten small pictures.

  • Use your own photos of your own products, well lit and sharp. The media library accepts JPEG, PNG, WebP and GIF.
  • Use video for what you want to push, such as a new product or a seasonal item. MP4, WebM and MOV are supported, up to 200 MB per file. Video plays without sound by default, and in a business that is usually better anyway.
  • Do not let movement dominate the menu. A small video next to the price table works better than a video across the whole screen, because then nobody can read your prices.

6. Portrait or landscape

For each screen you choose landscape or portrait in the dashboard, and a resolution such as Full HD or 4K.

  • Portrait works well for a long list in one column and often fits nicely next to the till or on a narrow wall.
  • Landscape gives room for two or three columns, or a price list with a photo or video alongside.

Choose an orientation that suits your space rather than squeezing a design into the wrong format. For choosing the screen itself, the article which screen to choose for digital signage will help.

7. Keep it up to date

The biggest advantage of a digital menu board is that you update it without printing. So make use of that:

  • Change a price or product in the dashboard; the screen picks up the change within about a minute.
  • Remove sold-out or discontinued products straight away. A menu board with products that are not available costs trust.
  • Check your design in the preview in the dashboard, and then take a look at the real screen from where customers stand.
  • Start with one of the ready-made templates in the Horeca (hospitality) category and adapt it with your own colours, products and photos.

For takeaways and chip shops with a large menu, there are specific examples in digital menu boards for takeaways. General tips for screen content can be found in digital signage content tips, and everything about the software itself on the digital menu boards page.

Want to try it yourself? With the free 30-day trial you build your menu board on one screen and test these tips in your own business.

Frequently asked questions

How many products should you put on a digital menu board?

There is no fixed rule, but less is almost always better. Stick to a few clear categories per screen, and spread a large menu over several screens rather than putting everything small on one screen.

Should a digital menu board hang in portrait or landscape?

Portrait suits a long list in one column, for example next to or above the till. Landscape works better for several columns or a combination of price list and photo or video. With Narrow.TV you choose this per screen.

What font size should you use on a menu board?

Test at the real distance: put your smallest text on the screen and walk to where customers stand. If it is not effortlessly readable from there, make it bigger or cut text.

Can I use video on a digital menu board?

Yes. In the Narrow.TV editor you add video (MP4, WebM or MOV) alongside the price table. Video plays without sound by default; you can optionally turn sound on.