Takeaway menu board ideas that sell more

A menu board has one job: help somebody in the queue choose quickly, and choose a little more. These are the ideas that make the biggest difference, and every example below was drawn by AI from a few words and a price list.

Draw my board free → See how it works

One screen free, no card. Works on any TV with a web browser, or any TV with an HDMI socket and a streaming stick.

The board of Smash Street Burgers, an example burger bar, with burgers, make it a meal, sides — Drawn by Counterboard AI in about a minute, from a few words and a price list. Smash Street Burgers is an example shop: yours is drawn to your own description, with your name and your prices on it.

The ideas

Eight things the best boards do

Put the best sellers firstTop left is read first. Put what most people buy there, not what you want to get rid of.
Make the prices big enough to read from the doorIf somebody has to step closer to read a price, they have already slowed the queue down.
Keep to four sections at mostFish, chips, sides. Kebabs, wraps, sides. More than that and nobody reads to the end.
Give meal deals a panel of their ownA block in a different colour, with one price, does more selling than the same deal in a list.
Show the foodOne big photo of your best seller sells it. A photo of everything sells nothing.
Sizes in columnsRegular and large side by side, one price under each, is quicker to read than "Large add 1.00".
Your name and colours across the topThe board is part of the shop. It should look like yours, not like a template everyone has.
Change it when you change your pricesA board with a sticker over the price says the shop does not care. A board that changes from your phone never needs one.

Examples

Boards drawn for every trade

Smash Street Burgers: an example burger bar board, with burgers, make it a meal, sides — Burger bar: Smash Street Burgers, an example shop

Harbour Fish & Chips: an example fish and chips board, with fish, chips, sides — Fish and chips: Harbour Fish & Chips, an example shop

Anatolia Grill: an example kebab and grill board, with kebabs, wraps, sides — Kebab and grill: Anatolia Grill, an example shop

Bella's Pizza: an example pizza shop board, with pizzas, sides, drinks — Pizza shop: Bella's Pizza, an example shop

Sweet Dreams Desserts: an example dessert parlour board, with waffles, sundaes, shakes, ice cream — Dessert parlour: Sweet Dreams Desserts, an example shop

Saffron Spice: an example indian board, with curries, starters, rice and bread — Indian: Saffron Spice, an example shop

Each was drawn by Counterboard AI in about a minute from a few words and a price list. The shops on them are made up.

Make yours

Say what you want, and it is drawn for you

You are the designer. You say what you want in your own words: the colours, your name across the top, what goes where. AI designs the finished board in about a minute. Not quite right? Say what to change and it is drawn again. There is no design software to learn, and nobody else trying to guess what is in your head.

Draw my board free →

What it costs

Priced by how many screens you put up

One screen free, for as long as you like, with a small counterboard.com band on the board, and no card. Without the band, so much a screen: £14 a month for one screen, and £7 for each screen after it. No VAT charged. The price list on the front page shows it in dollars and euros too.

Every screen gets the same dashboard and the same boards; what changes with the price is how many TVs you put up and how many credits come with them. Each TV gets a board drawn for it, free. After that everything we draw is credits, and a credit is a pound: a price change is one, a new look or an item added, taken off or renamed is two, a whole new board is three. A paid plan includes credits every month, and they start again on the 1st; more can be bought inside Counterboard, ten for £9 or more in a bigger pack, with no change to your plan. No contract: cancel any time.

Draw my board free → See how it works

Questions

What people ask

What should go on a takeaway menu board?

Your best sellers first, no more than four sections, prices big enough to read from the door, one strong photo and your meal deals in a panel of their own.

How big should the prices be?

Big enough to read from where the queue starts. On a TV that usually means the price is one of the largest things on the board.

Should I use photos on my menu board?

Yes, but few: one or two of your best sellers. They sell more than a list of words, and more than a wall of small pictures.

Can I get a menu board designed for free?

Yes. Type your menu on the Counterboard front page and say how it should look; the board is drawn in about 80 seconds, free.

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