How Can Restaurants and Cafés Update Menus and Control Portions?
In short
Restaurants and cafés can update menus centrally on ePaper signs instead of reprinting boards, weigh portions on kitchen scales so each dish uses the same amount, and print prep and packaging labels from a barcode printer instead of writing them by hand. Local support keeps the kit running during service.
A restaurant or café changes more often than its signs suggest. Prices move with suppliers, dishes come and go with the season, and breakfast turns into lunch every day.
This article looks at the everyday problems in food and beverage and hospitality that technology can address: menus, portions, labels and the equipment behind them. For each, it covers what to look for and where to start.
What problems do F&B outlets face every day?
The same issues come up in cafés, restaurants, bakeries and hotel outlets:
- Menu and price changes mean reprinting. Every change to a printed menu board costs a new print and someone’s time to replace it, in every outlet.
- Portions vary from cook to cook. Without weighing, the same dish uses different amounts depending on who makes it.
- Prep and packaging labels are hand-written. Hand-written labels are slow to produce and hard to read.
- Equipment is spread across outlets. Kitchen tools, devices and small appliances move between sites and are hard to account for.
How can menu boards change without reprinting?
ePaper signage replaces printed boards with displays that are updated remotely, through a cloud platform or API. One change can reach every outlet.
ePaper uses reflective display technology. It needs no backlight, stays readable in bright light and uses power mainly when the content changes. That suits a menu that changes a few times a day, rather than a video screen that is always on.
Our current models come in three sizes. The 31.5 inch sign has a 2560 x 1440 resolution and the 13.3 inch sign a 1200 x 1600 resolution, according to E Ink’s panel pages. A 28.5 inch model sits between them, and all three connect by Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
What does a menu change look like with ePaper?
Take a price change on a popular dish across several outlets:
- The manager edits the price once, in the signage platform or in the system that feeds it.
- The change is sent to the menu boards in every outlet over Wi-Fi.
- Each sign refreshes and then holds the new menu without drawing power to keep it on screen.
- Staff check the board at opening instead of replacing printed panels.
Compare that with printed boards: design, print, deliver and fit in each outlet, often after the new price has already started at the till.
Where do ePaper signs fit in a restaurant or hotel?
- Menu boards above the counter, with breakfast and lunch menus changed from one place.
- Price and promotion signs in bakery and grab-and-go displays.
- Guest information in hotel lobbies and at event spaces, such as schedules and notices.
- Room and meeting signs that show what is on today.
Because the screen holds its image without a backlight, a sign in a bright window stays readable without glare.
How do kitchen scales help control portions?
A portion standard only works if it is measured. Weighing each portion gives every cook the same target, so a dish comes out the same on every shift.
Our smart weighing scales range from compact desktop scales to PC and Android-connected scales. For a kitchen, look for:
- A quick tare function, so the container is not counted.
- Easy-to-clean surfaces, such as stainless steel housings.
- A clear display that can be read at a glance during service.
- Connectivity, if weights need to reach a stock or recipe system.
For example, the Jadever JIK-6CSB weighing indicator comes in a stainless steel housing.
How should food and packaging labels be printed?
Labels in a kitchen and a takeaway counter do several jobs: identifying prep containers, marking packaged items and labelling consumables.
A barcode printer produces clear, consistent labels in place of hand-writing. A desktop printer suits most outlets; a central kitchen with higher volumes may need an industrial model.
Design the labels once in BarTender, and staff only fill in what changes. Match the labels and ribbons to the conditions, since chilled and frozen storage is harder on labels than a dry shelf.
Keep the label templates simple. A clear product name, the date field and any storage note are easier to read at a glance than a crowded label, and a consistent layout across outlets means staff know where to look.
How do you keep track of equipment across outlets?
Kitchen tools, tablets and small appliances move between outlets and storerooms. ZOVYX, our own asset management system, tracks assets across branches and locations with barcode and RFID, with check-out and return, maintenance schedules and warranty dates. ZOVYX lists facilities and IT among the teams it is built for.
What should an F&B operator consider first?
- How often do menus and prices change? Frequent changes across several outlets make the strongest case for ePaper.
- Where are portions inconsistent? Start with the dishes where ingredient cost matters most.
- What is written by hand today? Those labels are the first to move to a printer.
- Who will support the kit during service hours? A failed printer at lunch needs a quick answer.
How does Techcon Solution help F&B and hospitality?
Our food & beverage / hospitality solution brings together ePaper menu signs, kitchen scales and barcode printers. We start with consulting on your menus, kitchen and outlets, install the equipment, train front-of-house and kitchen staff, and provide local support from our Hong Kong team.
See our ESL & ePaper signage page for more on ePaper, or get in touch to talk through your outlets.
Frequently asked questions
Can ePaper signs be used as restaurant menu boards?
Yes. ePaper signs suit menus, prices and notices that stay on screen for long periods. They need no backlight, stay readable in bright light and are updated remotely.
How do ePaper menu boards differ from LCD screens?
ePaper is reflective and uses power mainly when the content changes. An LCD or LED screen has a backlight and draws power continuously, which suits video rather than a menu that changes a few times a day.
Which sizes do your ePaper signs come in?
Our current ePaper signage models come in 13.3, 28.5 and 31.5 inch sizes, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
How do kitchen scales help with portion control?
Weighing each portion gives every cook the same target, so dishes stay consistent from shift to shift and ingredient use is easier to plan.
What labels does a food business usually print?
Prep labels for containers, labels for packaged and takeaway items, and labels for consumables. Thermal transfer or direct thermal printers handle these, with labels and ribbons matched to the conditions.
Can the same system update menus in several outlets?
Yes. ePaper signs are updated through a cloud platform or API, so one change can reach the menus in every outlet.
