How Merit Coffee Transformed Its Cafés with Digital Menu Boards
Merit Coffee is a well-respected specialty coffee roaster and café chain with locations in San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas. Known for its dedication to ethically sourced coffee, craft beverages, and carefully curated pastries, the brand has built a loyal Texas following rooted in sustainability and community. In 2022, Merit Coffee made a strategic decision to replace traditional printed menus with digital menu boards across all of its locations. The results were immediate and measurable, including a striking 20% increase in food sales.
Enhancing the Customer Experience in Real Time
One of the most impactful advantages of digital menu boards is the ability to update offerings instantly. For Merit Coffee, this means seasonal specials, new pastries, and limited-time drinks are showcased in real time, capturing customer attention far more effectively than static printed menus ever could. High-resolution displays present food and beverage items with vibrant imagery, drawing the eye to products that might otherwise be overlooked.
This visual engagement encourages impulse purchases, particularly when customers see a beautifully displayed pastry alongside their coffee order. For café operators seeking similar results, professional menu board content design services can optimize layouts for readability, dayparting, and upsell strategy.
Reducing Costs and Improving Operational Efficiency
Beyond the sales uplift, Merit Coffee’s switch to digital menu boards eliminated significant recurring expenses. Previously, every new item launch, seasonal rotation, or price change required printing and shipping updated menus to each location. Digital boards removed that cost entirely, reducing waste and aligning with the company’s sustainability values.
The ease of making instant updates also gave Merit Coffee greater agility with pricing and promotions, allowing the team to respond to market conditions and maximize profitability without logistical delays. Businesses curious about the financial impact of this kind of transition can explore the digital menu board ROI calculator to compare printed versus digital menu costs.
Boosting Food Sales and Average Ticket Size
The most significant outcome of Merit Coffee’s digital upgrade has been the 20% rise in food purchases across all locations. By highlighting pastries, breakfast items, and snacks in a visually compelling format, digital displays prompt customers to add food to their coffee orders. This increased average ticket size helps diversify revenue streams, reducing the brand’s reliance on beverage sales alone.
The ability to feature high-margin items prominently and rotate promotions throughout the day has turned each screen into an active selling tool rather than a passive list of options.
A Forward-Thinking Brand Backed by the Right Technology Partner
By embracing digital menu technology, Merit Coffee has positioned itself as a forward-thinking brand that leverages innovation to improve both customer engagement and operational efficiency. Their commitment to sustainability, transparency, and community remains central to every decision, and the digital transition aligns seamlessly with those values.
Menu Board Manager was proud to partner with Merit Coffee on this transformation. As Marketing Manager Justin F. put it: “We absolutely love our displays. They’ve been a huge game-changer. We’ve saved so much money by not having to get a print sign company to change our seasonal items. Our sales went up almost instantly. Marc and his team are amazing. We highly recommend them.”
Ready to Increase Your Restaurant’s Sales with Digital Menu Boards?
Merit Coffee’s success story demonstrates what happens when a great brand pairs with the right digital signage partner. Whether you operate a single café or a multi-location chain, Menu Board Manager provides the hardware, software, and expertise to drive measurable results. Contact us today to learn how digital menu boards can boost your sales and streamline your operations.
