Hospitality Digital Signage: The Complete 2026 Buyer’s Guide

With the hospitality sector going through rapid technological change, traditional signage has naturally evolved into entirely digital solutions. Gone are the days of wiping the chalk board every time you change from breakfast to lunch, and lunch to dinner. The jump in digital signage innovation has provided complete creative freedom for vendors looking to utilise their company’s unique branding with swift, smooth time-sensitive changes.

Hassle free, Lolly’s digital signage integrates seamlessly with both EPoS and kitchen management systems (KMS), keeping menus, promotions, and order status updated in real time. There is no practical limit to the number of screens you can connect, and we scale with you as your business grows. This ensures that business owners are now in full control when executing bespoke campaigns simply and instantly, with complete ease.

What Market Pressures Are Shaping Hospitality in 2026?

The hospitality sector is still feeling the strain of persistent staffing shortages, with 132,00 vacancies recorded across the industry, according to UKHopspitality. This is 48% above pre-pandemic levels, and continues to be a concern for businesses across the UK.

Reinforcing this data, a survey from ONS revealed that when looking at October to December 2025, results revealed that the number of payrolled employees fell by an estimated 130,000 (0.4%) over the year, and by 46,000 (0.2%) over the quarter.

At the same time, guest expectations are shifting rapidly. Forbes reported that two-thirds of customers now consider speed just as important as price when choosing a brand, signalling a clear decline in customer patience as time becomes a more valued currency than ever. Additionally, 39% of consumers switch brands for faster delivery options, demonstrating that speed really can outweigh loyalty in hospitality and food service.

This move towards immediacy is reflected in the rise of digital touchpoints. QR code usage in hospitality has increased by 433% globally since 2021, reflecting how customers are embracing instant interactions as part of their everyday experience.

There has been a significant rise in digital ordering trends, however, our research with The Caterer found that consumers are not ready to move entirely to digital experiences. 63% of respondents said they want to use mobile and apps for payment, yet nearly half (49.3%) said that their customers have a preference for human interaction.This reinforces the need for a balanced approach, choosing technology that enhances service rather than replacing it.

Core Capabilities

What Makes Digital Signage Effective for Modern Hospitality Venues?

Digital signage has become an essential tool for hospitality businesses of every size, offering a flexible and efficient way to communicate with customers. Due to its versatility, digital signage can be deployed in any hospitality environment looking to increase footfalls. By replacing traditional printed materials, you can easily change menus, special offers, or event details remotely in real-time, saving time and reducing printing costs significantly.

Digital signage allows full customisation to match the theme or branding of each event. You can tailor visuals, messaging, branding and layouts to suit corporate events, or private parties easily and quickly. Visually impactful, they have the ability to attract more customers and increase sales, making it a valuable investment for both independent operators and larger catering companies.

How Does Digital Signage Fit Into Your Wider Hospitality Ecosystem?

Our digital signage integrates smoothly with both EPoS and kitchen management systems (KMS), keeping menus, promotions, and order status updated in real time. Orders from tills, self service kiosks, or apps flow directly to the kitchen system and the displays, ensuring accurate communication for both staff and customers. Signage can also present allergen and dietary details for consistent compliance.

Lolly HQ acts as the central hub, connecting EPoS, kitchen systems and digital displays to streamline operations and support a better customer experience. Live updates such as “In Preparation” and “Ready to Collect” can be shown through Lolly Click and Collect screens, helping reduce wait times and interruptions. Lolly currently supports integrations with Beaver, Trison and Yodeck.

Performance Visibility Across Your Entire Operation

Effective decision making in hospitality relies on accurate, timely information. Lolly HQ brings reporting and operational oversight into one place, providing a centralised view of your business. The core of Lolly’s integrated ecosystem, it connects seamlessly with all of your Lolly products, giving operators a single interface for monitoring, reporting, analysis and insights. With a single cloud portal, accessible through any browser or the mobile interface, to monitor and manage your business from anywhere. Real time data on spending, inventory and staff performance is presented through simple dashboards and downloadable reports.

Hosted on Microsoft Azure with Cyber Essentials accreditation, it delivers strong security and automated monitoring. With every site and system connected through one hub, Lolly HQ supports smoother operations and stronger overall performance.

A Smarter Future for Hospitality Businesses

In summary, digital signage offers countless advantages for businesses looking to upgrade their front-of-house marketing strategies, as well as streamline customer ordering. With full control over scheduling, the Lolly screens will display the right information at the right time, seamlessly switching between breakfast, lunch, evening, and even happy hour menus.

Peter Moore, CEO of Lolly, comments: “Helping our sector to thrive and grow during this difficult period is our top priority, and we are continually developing our digital suite of products to provide cutting edge solutions.

“Now, more than ever before, hospitality providers have to stand out from the crowd and  attract new customers, as well as upsell to their existing client base. With our digital signage solution we hope they can stay one step ahead.”

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