Digital Restaurant Menu Management System— Centralized Menu Platform
A large restaurant company based in Sweden wanted one simple way to manage all menus across its branches. Earlier, every branch handled prices and campaigns on its own, which increased cost and created problems with brand consistency. Digital Dividend built a centralized digital menu system that lets head office control items, prices, and campaigns from a single panel while menus are shown on Android TV screens in each restaurant.
Industry:
Restaurant & Food Services
Technology Stack:
Kotlin, SQLite, React JS, ASP.Net, SQL Server
Platform:
Web Admin Panel + Android TV App
Project Type:
Digital Menu & Content Management System
Executive Summary
- Project: Digital menu management platform for a Swedish restaurant chain.
- Tech: Kotlin, SQLite, React JS, ASP.Net, SQL Server.
- Features: Central admin panel, location-based menus, Android TV display, quick price and campaign updates.
- Results: Less manual work, faster rollout of promotions, and consistent brand look across all branches.
- Platform Support: Web interface for head office, Android TV boxes in restaurants.
Overview
The client operates many restaurant locations in Sweden. Each branch used printed or USB-based menus.
Whenever prices or campaigns changed, staff had to reprint Panaflex menus or replace USB files at every location. This process was slow, expensive, and often led to outdated information on screens and boards.
Digital Dividend was asked to build a simple but powerful menu system where:
- Head office could create and update menus from one place.
- Every branch would see the correct local prices and items.
- Menus would appear on digital displays using Android TV boxes
The Challenge
The main pain points were:
- Manual price updates: Printed Panaflex menus needed new prints for every price change.
- Hard campaign management: Updating promotions on USB-based digital menus at each site became time-consuming and messy.
- Inconsistent branding: Different branches sometimes showed different layouts or old campaigns.
- Lack of central control: The head office had no single dashboard to see and manage what was live in each restaurant.
The client needed a solution that would:
- Centralize menu control.
- Reduce recurring printing and update costs.
- Keep the brand look the same in every location.
Technology Stack & Rationale
After understanding the client’s needs, Digital Dividend selected the following technologies:
Frontend & Admin Panel
- React JS – For a smooth, responsive web interface where staff can manage items, categories, prices, and campaigns easily.
Backend & Data Layer
- ASP.Net – To handle secure business logic, menu rules, and communication with devices.
- SQL Server – For reliable storage of menu data, locations, and schedule rules.
Android TV Application
- Kotlin – To build a modern, stable app that runs on Android TV boxes in each restaurant.
- SQLite – To cache menu data locally so screens still work even if the internet is slow or briefly unavailable.
This mix provided stability, quick performance, and the ability to scale as the restaurant chain grows.
SOLUTION IMPLEMENTATION
Digital Dividend delivered the solution as a complete ecosystem that connects head office with every branch.
1. Centralized Admin Panel
A web-based admin panel allows authorized staff to:
- Create and edit menu items, categories, and combos.
- Set prices and promotions for the whole company or per branch.
- Schedule campaigns (for example, lunch offers or weekend deals).
- Preview how menus will look on the screens before publishing.
2. Android TV Menu Player
An Android app installed on TV boxes in each restaurant:
- Connects securely to the backend.
- Downloads the latest menu data and media.
- Displays menus, prices, and campaigns in attractive layouts.
- Updates content automatically when the admin panel publishes new changes.
This removed the need to manually replace USB drives or printed materials.
- Global menus shared by all branches.
- Local variations where specific locations can have unique items or adjusted prices while still following brand rules.
Business Impact
With the new digital menu management system, the client:
- Cut down the time and cost of updating menus across branches.
- Rolled out campaigns faster and more accurately.
- Kept all restaurant locations aligned with the same brand image.
- Improved customer experience with clear, always-up-to-date digital menus.