They just have to rebrand as the “New Wendy’s” and they’ll be fine.
Can anyone explain the purpose of digital menus?
Wendy’s and McDonald’s have offered the same basic items for decades. Big Mac, Quarter pounder, Single, Double, Triple for Wendys. Once in awhile they’ll offer a seasonal item like Pumpkin Spice.
The prices usually only change once or twice a year.
Digital boards will be a significant expense. I don’t object to them.
I don’t see a benefit unless the prices will start changing more often. Like gas stations where the price can change at any time.
Digital boards look modern. That’s a benefit for attracting the college crowd and Millennials.
If a digital menu is coupled with a payment system that works properly, the restaurant can do away with cashiers.
There seem to already be “AI” drive thrus:
We were in this restaurant back in December. No cashiers and, being in a shopping mall, no drive thru.
I agree that whatever the original Wendy’s strategy was, this was terrible PR in a very competitive industry. I feel even worse for them if they had never intended to implement surge pricing and just miscommunicated their intent to have digital menu boards, which every fast-food place I’ve ever been in in the at least the last ten years already has – including Wendy’s. The novelty is being able to dynamically adjust the menu on the fly, but I don’t see much point or advantage to that unless you’re screwing with the prices. I’m inclined to believe that they’re back-pedaling on this.
The Wendy’s nearest me has a menu display consisting of individual panels that can be rotated to show breakfast or lunch as appropriate. Since Wendy’s (like Toxic Bell) does frequent “limited time” promotions, I can see the value of being able to add or delete items without having to issue new panel inserts.
Where I have ordered, the panels include animated menu items and once you begin placing your order, a pop-up appears which begins listing the items you picked with a running total. Another potential benefit is if the restaurant chooses to update its look and feel, a screen is easier to refresh than an entire menu board. I think there are a lot of upsides to digital menus.
I would agree, but it seems like a pretty routine upgrade and not one really worthy of a press release or news story. Unless I’m missing something. (or unless they really did intend to implement surge pricing)
I agree that it’s not newsworthy. I’d be curious to know the facts myself.
If nothing else, digital menus are good for the switch between breakfast and lunch. McD’s can have their full breakfast menu up there and at 10:30 or whenever, the thing switches to a full non-breakfast menu without a breakfast item in sight. Makes it much easier on both the customer and employee.
Also showing your order as you order it is a boon, when it works (it doesn’t always seem to work at my local McD’s and that’s when you gotta just order and hope everyone had everything right).
ETA: What @OttoDaFe said. Oops, sorry, missed that reply.
The Wendy’s locations near me already have electronic menu boards in the drive thru which flip from breakfast to lunch menus without physically moving anything. In fact just looking at the menu board it has no moving parts, seems to be fixed into a concrete base.
Yes, I went there just to look at the board.
So I don’t think the change they were contemplating was just to make it easier to update prices.
AIUI, these digital menu boards enable customers to order more food than they otherwise would have if they were talking to a cashier. Bonus that you don’t need a cashier anymore - two birds. The restaurant can now focus on the kitchen and quality and efficiency.
I can envision a scenario where you walk into a restaurant, glance at the menu board, decide what to order, then by the time you get to the counter, it costs more.
Maybe we should take a picture of the board first, to prove the price changed in the last 30 seconds. Not that it will do any good; I’m sure the establishment won’t honor your picture.
Code for executive perks and bonuses.
This thread reminded me that Sonic used to have late afternoon specials. I remember Sundaes being on sale on Tues or Wednesday? Their sodas had a afternoon sale price too.
People appreciate the savings. You come in for a discounted soda and order a burger. A win for rhe restaurant and the customer.
Wendys screwed up by giving the impression they’d charge more at peak hours.
There’s a difference in offering a item or two on sale compared to saying the entire menu is cheaper between 2 and 4 for example.
I read an article a couple years ago which suggested ways that the computerized menu kiosk could boost sales for fast food.
One way is to suggest items to the customer, based on big data, including the weather.
For example, on cold days, display the hot drinks on screen in a more prominent way. Or if an order is placed for 2 children’s happy meals at the drive thru at 4:30 in the afternoon:, assume that it is probably a mother in a hurry, buying for the kids and not planning to eat herself while driving. But if the menu suggests adding a cup of coffee to go, she will be tempted.
Another way is to record the license plate number with each order. When the same customer returns a few days later, suggest his previous items prominently, so he can place his order more quickly, and speed up the line.Also. while suggesting those same items, display the more expensive version (with extra cheese, or whatever).
I have not seen this in actual use, but it seems possible.
I agree that shifting some customers from peak to non-peak hours with a positive spin, like a Happy Hour discount would be welcome. But a different promotional name should be used to distinguish it from bar/pub Happy Hour (alcohol makes you happy, so that makes sense). Crappy Hour makes sense for fast food.
Eventually there could be surge pricing in supermarkets. If you wait until the last minute to do your Thanksgiving or Xmas meal shopping at Kroger, the price goes up.
Gas stations are another natural. Why wait for the supply chain to kick in, when you can react to customers reacting to negative news events?
I used to go to a bar where the bartender really appreciated my tips. I’d come in an hour before happy hour prices kicked in, and she’d mentally keep track of my drinks. She’d wait until happy hour, then punch in what I’d had. I was happy!
At another bar you got a free appetizer by downloading their app. A guy I knew actually went through the trouble of deleting the app each time he was there, then downloading and installing for free cheeses sticks.