Restaurant Digital Signage Takes Center Stage
Key Takeaways from the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show
POS systems, software solutions, loyalty programs, and menu boards shaped every conversation at the 2025 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show. This focus revealed an industry that’s innovating strategically, directing breakthrough thinking toward the touchpoints that directly influence customer satisfaction and operational success.
Digital screens appeared throughout McCormick Place, but the conversations centered on practical applications: how restaurant digital signage integrates with existing POS systems, how interactive digital media enhances the ordering process without complicating it, and how smart content management services keep displays relevant to local customers. With only 20% of diners currently using digital ordering platforms — and 54% of QSR customers in a recent Mood survey preferring drive-thru over dine-in experiences — restaurants have a significant opportunity to grow through thoughtful technology deployment.
Integral Digital Restaurant Solutions
What stood out most were the honest assessments from industry leaders top QSR brands. One in particular emphasized that “digital media is not a side hustle.” Their approach treats digital restaurant solutions as integral parts of the dining experience, not separate add-ons. From restaurant audio systems that reinforce brand identity to digital signage for restaurant environments that mirror social media campaigns, the smartest operators are finding ways to use technology that enhances rather than replaces human hospitality.
The 2025 NRA Show demonstrated how restaurant innovation works best when it solves real operational challenges while improving the customer experience. Here’s what industry leaders discovered and how these insights are shaping practical next steps for food service success.
Operators discovered automation works best when it solves specific problems
AI and automation appeared throughout NRA, but they were laser-focused on solving specific operational problems rather than just showcasing futuristic possibilities.
Drive-thru technology
SoundHound led the AI conversation with their drive-thru voice ordering technology, addressing one of QSR’s most friction-heavy touchpoints. Their AI system uses proprietary speech recognition technology to handle drive-thru ordering conversations completely autonomously, without requiring human backup for most interactions. The technology focuses on offloading staff pressure while increasing order throughput and includes AI-driven upselling.
The company’s focus on drive-thru efficiency addresses real customer frustrations experienced by most QSR customers. According to the same Mood consumer survey, 64% of respondents confirmed that long wait times was their top drive-thru frustration. Another 58% struggle with inaccuracy, and 47% with outdated or unclear speaker systems — all issues that SoundHound’s voice AI technology directly targets.
Menu Board Providers
While SoundHound focused on voice technology, menu board providers stole the spotlight with integration strategies. Palmer Digital Group and Melitron emphasized restaurant digital signage solutions that connect directly with major POS systems, eliminating the technical headaches that often derail technology rollouts. Instead of requiring restaurants to overhaul existing operations, their technology plugs into workflows staff already know, making adoption faster and training simpler.
Image courtesy of National Restaurant Association Show
Restaurant Data Solutions
Beyond the flashy demonstrations — like robots programmed to distribute samples — the substantive AI conversations focused on behind-the-scenes software improvements. Operators gravitated toward AI-powered inventory management and staff scheduling tools that address daily operational pain points. These restaurant data solutions reduce the administrative tasks that pull managers away from customer-facing responsibilities, letting them focus on service quality instead of paperwork.
Demands Driving Investments
A keynote speaker of a top 50 QSR brand identified three specific customer demands driving their technology investments:
- Being able to skip lines
- Easy order customization
- Relevant deals presented at the right moment
His team’s success comes from treating digital restaurant solutions as company-wide initiatives that require input from operations, marketing, and technology teams working together.
“Digital media is not a side hustle,”
the speaker emphasized, capturing how leading operators now view technology as fundamental to restaurant success rather than an optional enhancement.
Brands learned sensory experiences drive deeper customer connections
While the NRA Show floor emphasized functional digital signage applications, leading brands demonstrated how displays extend far passed menu boards to create immersive brand experiences. Our work with Raising Cane’s in downtown Chicago shows this strategy in action. LED screen wraps facing the street create vibrant visual storytelling that’s visible from blocks away, especially at night when the displays cut through urban visual noise.
Fashion and nostalgia drove unexpected connections. Multiple apparel booths appeared throughout the show, reflecting how QSR brands increasingly view themselves as lifestyle companies as opposed to just food providers. Restaurants are experimenting with branded merchandise, nostalgic interior design elements, and locally inspired decor that speaks to specific demographics. This trend particularly resonates in urban markets where Gen Z customers expect brands to reflect their cultural values and aesthetic preferences.
The most effective operators take this cultural alignment further by creating multi-sensory experiences that build emotional connections. Brands like Qdoba leverage scent marketing to create memorable dining atmospheres. Whole Foods continues setting the standard for community storytelling, featuring local farmers and producers through interactive digital media that helps customers connect with their food sources. These storytelling strategies create authentic narratives that extend brand loyalty further than individual transactions.
The most successful operators understand that audio and environmental design work together to form cohesive brand experiences. When social media campaigns align with in-store atmospherics, like music selection and digital display content, restaurants create the consistent brand encounters that drive customer retention and social sharing.
Loyalty programs must reward relationships, not just transactions
Restaurant loyalty programs are enhancing simple points-for-purchases models, moving toward recognition systems that acknowledge the full customer relationship. One speaker put it directly: “Loyalty is more today than just getting something free. Customers want to be rewarded for the amount of money and loyalty they show to a brand.” This shift reflects how operators now view loyalty as an ongoing conversation, much more than a transactional exchange.
Generational Differences
Why is this shift happening? Experience trumps cash for younger consumers. One NRA speaker noted that Gen Z and Gen Alpha customers would likely choose a unique brand interaction over a $1,000 payout. These demographics clearly prioritize memorable experiences, exclusive access, and authentic brand connections over traditional discount structures. So, restaurants are responding to this preference by creating loyalty tiers that unlock special events, behind-the-scenes content, and personalized interactions.
This personalization approach works, as 82% of QSR customers in Mood’s survey report being open to restaurants collecting data to deliver personalized offers and recommendations. This suggests broad acceptance of data-driven loyalty strategies.
Interactive Digtal Media Displays
These experiential rewards work best when they extend into physical restaurant spaces. Digital signage and restaurant audio systems become powerful tools for connecting loyalty programs to the in-store experience. When interactive digital media displays showcase member-exclusive offers or visual signage acknowledges loyalty status at checkout, restaurants create seamless connections between their apps and physical locations. Members feel recognized throughout their entire visit, not just when they check their phones for rewards.
Loyalty programs work best when they connect digital convenience with physical recognition, creating comprehensive experiences that keep customers engaged across all brand touchpoints.
%
of QSR customers report being open to restaurants collecting data to deliver personalized offers & recommendations
– Mood Media Survey
Restaurants discovered they’re now cultural connectors, not just food providers
NRA revealed how restaurants are expanding their role from food providers to cultural connectors. Today’s consumers, particularly younger demographics, seek brands that reflect their values and become part of their identity rather than simply serving their hunger.
This shift toward cultural connection drives strategic partnerships that create authentic moments. Cross-brand partnerships generate buzz while reinforcing each brand’s identity. These collaborations work because they feel authentic to both brands’ audiences, not forced marketing exercises.
Beyond brand partnerships, restaurants are deepening community ties through local storytelling. Whole Foods continues leading this approach with interactive digital media that celebrates local farmers and producers, helping customers connect with their food sources and support their communities. This strategy transforms routine grocery visits into opportunities for customers to align their purchases with their values.
Becoming Part of the Community
This community-focused approach extends to how restaurants position themselves as lifestyle brands. The unexpected prevalence of apparel booths throughout the show underscored how restaurants now view themselves as lifestyle companies. Branded merchandise, nostalgic design elements, and culturally relevant aesthetics help restaurants become part of customers’ self-expression.
Making these cultural connections requires consistency across all customer touchpoints. The most successful brands ensure their digital display content mirrors their social media campaigns in tone and visual style. When in-store atmospherics align with online presence, restaurants create cohesive brand experiences that drive deeper customer resonance and social sharing.
Foundational technology trumps futuristic concepts for QSR success
The most popular booths showcased practical improvements to daily workflows. Restaurant operators want technology that enhances existing operations. The technology focus centered on four key areas:
Menu boards
Interior and exterior digital signage installations represent the most contested real estate for capturing customer attention and driving revenue lift. Companies emphasized integration capabilities and content flexibility, recognizing that these displays directly influence ordering decisions and average ticket size.
Essential tech stack integration
Loyalty software, POS systems, and content-driven signage form the foundation that successful operators build upon. These components must work together seamlessly: loyalty data must inform digital display content, POS systems must trigger relevant promotions, and restaurant data solutions must provide insights that optimize all customer touchpoints.
Entertainment-driven experiences
Music and video providers drew unexpected attention, signaling restaurants’ growing appetite for atmospheric differentiation. Restaurant audio systems and visual signage create engagement that keeps customers connected beyond the transaction.
Practical implementation
The most successful technologies complement, not complicate, existing operations, helping restaurants deliver consistent experiences that customers notice and remember.
Final thoughts
The 2025 NRA Show proved that restaurant success depends on technology choices that amplify rather than replace human connection. The most successful operators use digital restaurant solutions to create experiences that feel both efficient and authentic.
For QSR brands ready to implement these insights, the path forward requires partners who understand technology capabilities and hospitality fundamentals. Restaurant digital signage that integrates with existing POS systems, interactive digital media that reinforces loyalty programs, and restaurant audio systems that create cohesive brand atmospheres are solutions that work best when designed specifically for food service environments.
Restaurants must focus their investments on smart technology that delivers better customer experiences. The right experiential media partner can help you turn these insights into operational reality.
Ready to explore how these trends apply to your restaurant concept? Let’s discuss how integrated media solutions can enhance your customer experience and support your operational goals.
Dan Howell
Dan Howell, a Senior Director at Mood Media, is a seasoned professional with 25 years of experience delivering innovative technical and media solutions tailored for the restaurant and quick-service restaurant (QSR) industries. Renowned for his deep expertise in the dynamic digital signage space, Dan understands emerging trends and cutting-edge solutions that shape modern restaurant and QSR concepts.
Dan has worked closely with brands such as Qdoba, Outback Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill, Carrabbas Italian Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Cheddars Scratch Kitchen, Eddie V, and Yardhouse. Each of these brands has a unique and strategic customer service experience approach leveraging A/V, Visuals, and Managed Services options via Mood.
Dan’s passion for innovation and commitment to excellence make him a trusted leader in transforming the digital landscape for restaurants worldwide.
Kelly Clark
As Enterprise Account Director at Mood Media, Kelly Clark brings 25 years of expertise in sales and global account management within the audio, video and digital signage industry. His focus includes system design, installation, service, and custom content management for major global brands including Buffalo Wild Wings and Raising Cane’s. He has also managed and let high-profile projects in prestigious locations worldwide, such as 5th Avenue and the Las Vegas Strip.
In addition, Kelly has spent more than a decade in the restaurant industry, contributing to the growth of a brand from 6 to 140 units. His roles included operations, marketing, bar program development and franchise sales giving him a well-rounded perspective on the needs of restaurant and QSR clients.
PANBlast
PANBlast, a division of PAN, serves emerging and high-growth brands spanning the B2B SaaS technology sector. With more than 20 years of success, we have a deep understanding of the unique challenges in scaling a SaaS business. By working with PANBlast, you’ll get a modern SaaS PR agency that understands how to deliver PR programs to drive business impact.
PANBlast
PANBlast, a division of PAN, serves emerging and high-growth brands spanning the B2B SaaS technology sector. With more than 20 years of success, we have a deep understanding of the unique challenges in scaling a SaaS business. By working with PANBlast, you’ll get a modern SaaS PR agency that understands how to deliver PR programs to drive business impact.
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