Why You Need Great Signage and How You Can Get It for Free

October 21, 2019

Most foodservice operators realize the necessity of signage in their servery. However, many aren’t aware of what makes that signage “good.”

There’s a lot that goes into making signage effective – more than just making pretty signs that hang in the serving area. Truth be told, there’s a fair amount of strategy involved. Understanding materials, aesthetic design, lighting and placement all go into creating a signage package that will have an impact on your business.

The importance of proper execution can be seen through a BrandSpark/Better Homes and Gardens study. The report showed that 41% of American consumers have made quality assumptions of a business based on the quality of the signage. From a practicality standpoint, a well labeled servery will not only draw customers in, but quickly dispatch diners to their desired serving areas efficiently. This cuts down on congestion at the entrances and establishes better customer flow throughout the serving and register areas.

But what makes one sign more visible than another? For starters it should be bright. This of course can be accomplished using light, but there are other materials that can help make your signs stand out. Using a vinyl to lay over a brushed aluminum can give the metal an even brighter shine. With a higher budget, a 6mm thick PVC can be applied over the vinyl to give the letters a raised and more defined look. The next enhancement would be to then add lighting, which can be done a few ways. Backlighting can be applied by placing lights on the backside of raised letters to give a glow off the background. Or, a light box approach can be utilized to make for bright, noticeable signage.

The impact of foodservice signage is greatly enhanced when they are used as a feature of an entire design. A signage package typically involves a complete environment – much of which is defined by the paint scheme. By coordinating painted walls, soffits, furniture and counters, signs can be used as an accented focal point, helping provide the extra pop that gives the whole space a wow factor.

A facility with bright, colorful signage will help make customers – be it a K-12, college and university, corporate or any other institutional setting – feel as though they are in a restaurant, food court or other high-end retail environment. The addition of an overall theme or themed serving stations offer ways to show off available choices and segment your customer’s food options. Signs can help define the theme by utilizing appropriate fonts and style.

So, how can you get started on your new signage design? For starters you’ll need some cash to put towards it. To help you out, we’re offering our customers 5% of the value of any project back in free VisionDesign signage. Projects must be purchased and delivered before March 31, 2020 and must be $20,000 or more.

Learn more about how you can get started on your new servery design and signage package.