Outdoor Digital Signage at the Drive Thru

Drive thrus are now commonplace. What was once just an American phenomenon is now seen in many of the world’s cities and towns. Their convenience is the main factor of their success.

Drive Thru's are turning to digital signage (picture by Tim Malone)

Digital signage is now becoming quite commonplace in restaurant drive thrus, taking this convenient and modern method of buying fast food into the 21st century which is making the customer experience even better by providing clearer menus ad special promotions.

Importance of protection for drive thru digital signage

Drive thru digital signage will usually be installed in outdoor locations and the screens will therefore require comprehensive outdoor protection. But what defines an outdoor digital signage system from a regular advertising screen?

Firstly, the waterproof and weatherproof protection is crucial for these systems. No matter what the location, even in the plains and deserts of the American Midwest any rainfall, no matter how slight, will permanently disable a digital signage screen.

And rain is not the only weather element that signage screens need to be protected from. Wind blown dust, commonplace in dry arid locations, can do just as much damage to a digital signage screen as the rain.

Secondly, the weather systems are not the only thing that will disable a digital signage screen in an outdoor location such as a drive thru. Vandalism and accidental impact are commonplace, especially if the drive thru closes at night and the screens are left unsupervised, not to mention the probability of a careless drive clipping one of the screens.

For these reasons, any digital signage placed in a drive thru needs to be rugged enough to deal with any accidental or deliberate impacts. Solid steel LCD enclosures are best suited for this as they will not only ensure protection of the enclosure but will offer the right type of outdoor protection required for this type of digital signage.

As the growing trend for digital signage in drive thrus continue, expect to see more LCD enclosures protecting digital screens in these vulnerable locations.