Bring these details to the first conversation
You do not need a finished design brief. Share what you know, flag what still needs checking, and use the conversation to fill the gaps.
- Menu and priorities
- Current item names, categories, prices and sizes; what each combo includes; and the choices or promotions you want to highlight.
- Screens and space
- Screen count, sizes, model numbers and landscape or portrait orientation. Photos of the counter, mounting positions and connections help explain the installation.
- Locations and timing
- The restaurant location or locations, whether menus differ between them, and your target opening, renovation or launch date.
- Brand and updates
- Your logo, colors and usable food photography; POS product; breakfast or lunch schedules; and who will make and approve future changes.
Seven things that affect the cost
Ask for one-time project costs and recurring charges to be separated. These components help explain why two menu-board quotes may cover different amounts of work. Exact pricing depends on your agreed setup.
- 1. Screens and locations
- The number of displays, their size and orientation, and how many locations need them affect the scope. Reusing suitable screens can change the hardware requirement; send model numbers so compatibility can be checked.
- 2. Players and connections
- Confirm which player or device each screen needs, who supplies it, and how it connects to the display and network. Include cables, adapters and any network preparation in the conversation.
- 3. Custom menu design
- Scope the number of board layouts, menu categories, sizes or languages, food-image preparation and promotional versions. Confirm included revisions and how additional layouts or future redesigns are quoted.
- 4. Installation and setup
- Clarify mounting, cable routing, power and network readiness, screen pairing and testing. State who does each task and whether the quote includes on-site work, remote setup or work by another installer.
- 5. Software and recurring service
- Ask how the software is charged, which screens or locations it covers, the billing period and any minimum term. Confirm which editing and scheduling features are included for your account.
- 6. Integrations
- Identify your POS and required workflow. Compatibility checks, location mapping and configuration may need their own scope. Square is the currently supported POS for automatic price sync. Confirm the account and location setup, which price fields sync and how exceptions or manual overrides are handled. Other POS integrations are in progress.
- 7. Support and future content
- Separate technical support from ongoing human design or menu-update work. Ask about training, support channels and hours, who makes changes after launch, and how extra requests are charged.
Screens, installation, integrations and ongoing content work are included only when stated in the agreed quote. No standard package or price range is implied by this checklist.
Compare the work you will receive
Ask each provider to describe the finished deliverables and the handover. A clear scope makes it easier to compare services without guessing what a line item includes.
- Design and approval
- Which boards and promotional versions will be delivered? How many revision rounds are included? Who approves the final menu wording, prices and food imagery?
- Setup and launch
- Who supplies the screens and players, completes installation, pairs the displays and checks the menus on-site? What must the restaurant have ready first?
- Daily operation
- Who is trained to request or make edits? Which account permissions and approval steps apply? Who checks the breakfast, lunch and promotional transitions?
- Ongoing commitment
- What support and content work continues after launch? Confirm billing, renewal, cancellation terms, ownership or access to the finished artwork, and any additional charges.
Keep the initial request simple
Start with your name, restaurant and phone number in the quote form. Screen details and POS information can follow in the conversation. If you already have a brief, organize it as: location and target date; screen count and models; menu and brand assets; required schedules; preferred update responsibilities; and questions about installation or support.
Send only materials needed to scope the project. There is no need to share account passwords, payment-card details or customer records.