With the recent Federal approval of the new food labelling law, this is said to effect around 200,000 restaurants and QSR (Quick Serve Restaurants) in the USA, however digital signage is here to help restaurant owners overcome this challenge.
This law was passed on March 23 2010 and it states that food nutritional information to be labelled accordingly on standard menus for restaurant chains with 20 plus outlets. This will not only affect Quick Serve Restaurants, but it will also impact on food delivery companies, theatres, movies down to even airlines and trains, not forgetting the little guy who bought into a franchise of a lunch wagon. Everyone will be affected!
The law is in 3 sections.
1) The calorific value for each menu item has to be stated on all menus, from inside the outlet, takeaway menu and even the outlets online menu.
2) The menu must state how the menu item can be used in a person’s daily calorie intake.
3) Additional information must be available upon request
Here are some of the stipulations for displaying the above information.
The print size for the calorie information must be the same size and colour as the item name and price on the menu and this must be in place by March 2011.
However what most restaurant owners are finding frustrating is that they now have to chase suppliers for the correct nutritional information so they can add it to their menu, then they will have to control portion sizes and how in the world are restaurants to display the additional menu information attractively?
This is the end of the printed menu, as restaurant owners are seeing that they will not fit in with the business model for the future, with the need to change information on the menu quickly and accurately, this is why restaurant owners are turning to digital menu boards (also called digital poster) for the solution.
A digital poster can be configured to update content daily so all the nutritional information is accurate and if any changes need to be made to the menu, these can be done instantly with minimal effect, compared to printed mediums; any urgent changes would take a number of days and cost a lot more money.
If you are a restaurant owner or franchisee and need to discuss your requirements, please contact LCD Enclosure Global on 888-460-3573 toll free.