Article

Dunkin' makin' changes with digital signage

Dunkin' Donuts unveils new store designs that feature digital signage.

July 16, 2013 by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Dunkin' Donuts recently unveiled the brand's first new store designs in nearly seven years, and its new look includes a healthy flavoring of digital signage.

The announcement from the doughnut dynasty dovetails with a recent announcement from NCR Corp. that its high-definition NCR Vitalcast digital signage solution has been deployed at Dunkin' Donuts locations across the U.S.

According to NCR, Dunkin' Donuts will leverage the company's digital signage solution to bring its popular food and beverages to life with visually compelling animations and messaging similar to the brand's iconic advertising. The NCR Vitalcast digital signage has been installed in approximately 400 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants, with more than 2,000 restaurants expected to switch from static menu boards to digital signage by year's end, according to NCR.

John Herth, senior director, Global Design and Construction Services at Dunkin' Brands, said the digital signage is an important piece of the new store design puzzle.

"Dunkin' Donuts' new store design is targeted to our busy, on-the-go guests who look to get in and get out quickly with great food and beverages served fast, fresh and at a great price," he said. "As we've evolved from a morning destination into a brand that serves people all day long, the new design reflects that with enhancements such as our new interactive, digital menu boards. These boards use video and add more color, excitement and clarity for customers ordering at the counter."

Dunkin' Donuts' new store designs — franchisees will have their pick of four — reflect the brand's "evolution from a morning destination into a brand that serves people all day long," according to Dunkin'.

Highlights of the new design include:

• Updated furniture and lighting;
• Electrical outlets and bar top areas for smartphones and computers;
• Some will also feature flat-panel televisions, satellite music and soft seating;
• An optional glass bakery display case at the front counter featuring signature items and a refrigerated Grab N' Go cooler; and
• New interactive, digital menu boards that use video, as well as redesigned signage and canopies at the drive-thru.

"In our highly competitive industry, innovation is the key to success and growth, and it extends into all areas of our business," said John Costello, president of global marketing and innovation at Dunkin' Brands. "Just as we've broadened our menu to meet our guests' demand for more food and beverage choices they can enjoy any time of day, our new and innovative store design and atmosphere is just as ideal for people looking to sit down for a break or to relax with friends as it is for people rushing through a busy day,"

Four design options

Dunkin' Donuts' new look includes four distinct restaurant design options for franchisees, each featuring variations in layout, color schemes, graphics, textures, furniture and/or lighting. The designs are called: Original Blend, Cappuccino Blend, Dark Roast and Jazz Brew.

Dunkin' Donuts allows franchisees to select individual elements from any of the four options, creating a restaurant design that reflects their personal tastes and preferences. To make the process easier, Dunkin' Donuts created a special online application that allows franchisees to explore all of the available design elements and build a virtual restaurant via an iPad.

In an effort to incorporate sustainable building and energy solutions that reduce costs for franchisees, the new store design also includes LED light fixtures, no VOC paints, and wall tile with 35 percent pre-consumer recycled materials.

New and remodeled Dunkin' Donuts restaurants with the new design began to roll out throughout the country in April, but it will be many years before the majority of Dunkin' Donuts locations feature the new look.

"Our brand already has a very modern restaurant base, with the average image age being less than five years," Costello said. "And, our franchisees have completed more than 1,800 remodels in just the past four years."

Digital menu boards at Dunkin'

NCR said its easy-to-use digital signage solution will provide Dunkin' Donuts restaurants the opportunity to showcase a wider variety of food and beverages with high-resolution product shots and video to enhance the overall guest experience. The digital signage solution will also make it easier and more cost effective to update information in real-time, to feature new and limited time products and to display nutritional information.

"We are delighted to partner with NCR to provide a superior digital signage solution," said Scott Hudler, vice president of consumer engagement for Dunkin' Donuts. "With the ability to cost effectively update information in real-time, our new NCR Vitalcast digital signage solution will provide Dunkin' Donuts franchise owners with a number of valuable tools to enhance the guest experience."

Vitalcast features provide the flexibility to promote specific menu items during different dayparts, to localize content and to add regional menu item variances that are integrated with the point-of-sale terminal. In addition to providing the Vitalcast software, NCR is supporting the installation with content management services.

"Dunkin' Donuts operates one of the most respected and recognized brands in the world, and they are taking an innovative approach to enhance the in-store customer experience," said Kim Eaton, senior vice president and general manager, NCR Hospitality. "We are excited to continue supporting the vision of Dunkin' Donuts and its growth plans with our innovative software and hardware solutions."

Check out some of the new design elements here in a photo gallery on our sister site, QSRWeb.com.

Learn more about digital menu boards.

About Alicia Kelso

---

None

Connect with Alicia: