Dayparting—the practice of dividing the day into different time segments with different menus—is standard practice for most restaurants. But managing these transitions manually is a headache. Someone has to remember to switch the boards, and when they forget, customers see the wrong menu.
Digital menu boards with automated scheduling solve this problem. Set your schedule once, and the system handles transitions automatically. Here's how to do it right.
Understanding Dayparts
A daypart is simply a period during your operating hours when you serve a specific menu. Common dayparts include:
- Breakfast: Opening until 10:00-11:00 AM
- Lunch: 10:30-11:00 AM until 3:00-4:00 PM
- Dinner: 4:00-5:00 PM until 9:00-10:00 PM
- Late Night: 9:00-10:00 PM until close
Your specific dayparts depend on your restaurant type. A coffee shop might have "Morning," "Afternoon," and "Evening." A bar might focus on "Lunch," "Happy Hour," and "Night."
Benefits of Automated Scheduling
1. Consistency
When transitions are automated, they happen at exactly the same time every day. No more variations based on which manager is working or whether someone remembered.
2. Customer Relevance
Showing dinner items at 8 AM confuses customers and slows ordering. Showing only breakfast items during breakfast makes the decision process faster and cleaner.
3. Staff Focus
When staff don't have to think about menu boards, they can focus on customers. It's one less thing to manage during busy transitions.
4. Promotional Timing
Automated scheduling isn't just for dayparts—it's for promotions too. Happy hour pricing can activate at 4 PM sharp. Weekend brunch can appear only on Saturday and Sunday.