Monetize Your Digital Menu Boards: 5 Ways to Boost Revenue with Smart Promotions

A few years ago, I was chatting with a restaurant owner who had bought PiSignage to power his digital menu boards installed across three locations. He was thrilled with how they looked, but had an interesting problem: "I have local businesses asking to advertise on my screens. Is there a way to show their ads without interrupting my menu display or hiring a tech person every time?"

This wasn't the first time I had heard this. Many retail and restaurant owners invest in beautiful digital menu boards but miss out on additional revenue streams because managing promotional content seems technically challenging. You've got your regular menu content that needs to stay visible, but you also want to maximize screen value by occasionally showing special promotions, whether they're your own limited-time offers or paid advertisements from partners.

The Limitations of Traditional Digital Signage Methods

If you've tried mixing promotional content with your regular digital menu displays, you've probably encountered some frustrations:

• Creating separate playlists and manually switching between them (hello, forgotten promotions!)
• Hiring designers for each menu adjustment when promotions need to be added
• Using consumer-grade solutions that don't allow for scheduled interruptions
• Dealing with complex enterprise software that requires significant training

Let's be honest---most restaurant and retail owners don't have time to become digital signage experts. You're focused on your core business, and technology should make your life easier, not harder.

One common approach I've seen is owners creating all-in-one menu designs that include promotional spaces. While this works, it significantly limits flexibility. Every promotion change requires a complete redesign of your menu layout.

How to Insert Promotions Between Menu Content Using PiSignage's Advertisement Playlists  

This is exactly why we developed the Advertisement Playlist feature in PiSignage. It allows you to intelligently insert promotional content between your regular menu items, without disrupting the overall experience.

Here's a simple step-by-step guide to set it up:

1. Create your regular menu playlist with all your standard content
2. Create a separate Advertisement playlist specifically for promotional content

• Click "New Playlist" and select the "Advertisement" option
• Add your promotional videos or images

3. Configure your display settings

• Set how frequently you want promotions to appear (e.g., every 5 minutes)
• Set the duration for each promotion (we recommend 10-30 seconds)
• Optionally set specific times of day for promotions to run

4. Save and deploy to your screens

Watch a video demo of this step-by-step guide here

What makes this particularly powerful is that your main menu content isn't modified or interrupted for long periods. After the brief promotional content plays, your menu resumes exactly where it left off. No jarring transitions or confusion for your customers.

A little insider tip: Unlike regular playlists that loop content, Advertisement playlists can be set to display items in random order, keeping the viewing experience fresh even for frequent customers.

A Restaurant Owner's Digital Menu Board Journey  

Imagine you're running a busy café with seasonal menu changes and local partnerships. Here's how Advertisement playlists transform your digital menu board strategy:

Your main digital menu board displays your food and beverage offerings throughout the day. But between 2-4 PM (your slow period), you've partnered with a local bakery to cross-promote their special desserts that pair well with your coffee.

Using piSignage's Advertisement playlist feature, you've scheduled these bakery promotions to appear every 7 minutes during this specific time window. When evening comes, the system automatically transitions to showing your own dinner specials as promotional inserts.

Your customers get uninterrupted menu visibility when ordering, with occasional promotional breaks that create interest and increase average order value. Meanwhile, you've created a new revenue stream by selling promotional slots to complementary local businesses.

Benefits Beyond Basic Promotion Management 

The Advertisement playlist functionality extends well beyond simple promotions. Smart retail and restaurant owners are using this feature for:

• Time-sensitive messaging that appears with precise scheduling (breakfast specials only show in the morning)
• Staff communications by scheduling employee announcements during off-hours
• Compliance notifications that ensure required messaging (like calorie counts or allergen information) appears at appropriate intervals
• Social proof by displaying customer testimonials or social media highlights between menu content
• Wastage reduction by promoting items nearing expiration during specific time slots

Consider the revenue potential: If you have three screens in your restaurant and offer promotional slots to local businesses at just $50 per week for a modest number of insertions, that's $7,800 annually in additional revenue. Many of our restaurant clients find that after covering their hardware, electricity, and piSignage subscription cost, they're generating $5,000-$10,000 in pure profit annually from their digital menu boards.

What's particularly valuable is that once set up, this system runs autonomously. You can focus on running your business while your digital menu boards intelligently handle content rotation based on your predefined rules. This hands-off automation works similarly to our TV_OFF feature, which helps businesses conserve energy and extend display life.

Start Monetizing Your Digital Menu Boards Today  

If you're ready to transform your digital menu boards from a cost center to a revenue generator, piSignage's Advertisement playlist feature provides the perfect balance of simplicity and power. The interface is designed for business owners, not technical specialists, so you can manage your content without calling in outside help.

And here's something we're particularly proud of: Your first 2 screens are completely free, forever, with lifetime updates. This means smaller establishments can start exploring digital menu boards with absolutely no risk.

The most successful restaurant and retail owners I know are those who find creative ways to maximize their existing investments. Your digital menu boards are prime real estate—isn't it time they started paying for themselves?

New to piSignage? Click here to Start with 2 screens, free for life. No hidden fees, ever.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I control exactly when ads are shown?
Yes, the Advertisement playlist lets you schedule promotional content with precise control. You can set specific days of the week, time windows (like breakfast or dinner hours), and even how frequently ads appear during those times.

Can I mix menus and ads together without disrupting the customer experience?
Absolutely! That's the core benefit of the Advertisement playlist feature. Your regular menu content stays on screen most of the time, with promotional content briefly appearing at intervals you control. When the promotion ends, your menu resumes exactly where it left off, creating a seamless viewing experience.