As I was walking back to my dorm after a long day of classes, I realized it was about that time to eat. I heard from my freshman buddies that Reeve had the best Asian food on campus, so I had to check it out. After realizing Burger King was gone and replaced by Jump Asian Express, I tried to figure out what I wanted to order, and to my surprise there was a menu like I’ve never seen before, and I’m not talking about the food. The standard plastic menus I’m used to seeing everywhere else were replaced by two huge 42”, flat screen, Toshiba T.Vs. I looked to my right and saw two more at Sub Connection, then another two at Titan Taco. I could watch the menu like it was MTV!
Now I’m well aware of the fact that the world is adapting to the new electronics that are made, and the fact that there are now different types of sharp image TVs, like flat screen LCDs and plasmas. But I never thought these fine devices would make their way into the food industry. I mean, I want to see the menu, but I don’t have to see it in HD. I had to figure out the reason for these menus of the future so I asked the assistant director of operations, Marty Strand. Strand politely informed me that the TVs have a few good uses other than just looking flashy. He stated that they are cheaper than the annual replacement cost of larger signs, making it easier and more practical to change pricing and menu format. They also provide the ability to display moving signage along with custom messages that draw attention. He mentioned that printing and redesigning a sign can take months, but with this you instantly get what you want. Strand also went on to say that electronic sign usage is the latest method of advertising menus.
At over $800 a piece, the total cost of the six monster menu TVs were over $4,800! This is all well and good, but I had a very hard time believing that that’s cheaper then replacing boring old static signs that I could, in all honesty, make with poster board and one of those giant permanent markers; and I’m sure students wouldn’t mind.
In fact, when I asked a random student if he’d mind seeing a handmade menu while ordering his food he replied, “I so would not care, just as long as I can read it clearly. When I’m ordering food, I just care about getting that food in my belly as quickly as possible.” I also asked several other students how they felt about the expensive TVs and they all agreed that they were a little excessive.
So wait, if students don’t care if the menu looks nice, then what’s their purpose? I guess you could make the argument that it’s easier to change the menu, but my upperclassmen sources tell me that they rarely see changes to menus on campus, so what else? Marty says, “It gives our students the opportunity to work with various software packages and learn to design menus for these types of signs.” OK, that makes sense, but these menus are at the great University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, and it is college students learning the equipment. Wouldn’t you think that they’re shooting a little higher than working part time at a food chain with TV menus?
I don’t know, the menus do look nice and I appreciate my schools attempt to keep up with the times, but to me, I think they’re a little excessive and would like to see some nice TVs like that maybe in, my dorms or add them to Blackhawk. Just somewhere where they get to be used to their full potential, and you know, not constantly on the menu channel with animations.
1 comments