Wetzel's Pretzels Rolls Out Menu Boards That Integrate Video
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
Wetzel pretzel men highlight the “history” of the chain in short films on menu boards.
In an innovative move for the industry , Wetzel’s Pretzels at Downtown Disney in Anaheim, California, has introduced new video menu boards that quickly switch from product photos and information to short animated films in the style of old Walt Disney shorts, according to QSR Magazine
The films star the chains “Wetzel Men” baker characters, and take viewers on a journey through a fictional Wetzel’s Pretzels factory, in a very Willy Wonka-esque way, to demonstrate how the featured products are made.
Company executives state that they believe Wetzel’s to be the first quick-serve chain to incorporate video into digital menu boards.
The new integrated menu boards, which are 12 feet wide and 27 inches tall, were debuted in November. According to The Nation’s Restaurant News, every five minutes, the characters “pull back the curtain and move around the boards,” which feature images of menu items.
Bill Phelps, chief executive and co-founder of Wetzel’s Pretzels, told the Nation’s Restaurant News that the boards have now been implemented in eight franchised units. “It got great reception by both the franchisees and guests, so it’s something we are rolling out fairly quickly in 2015,” he explained. “We hope to have the new menu boards into about 150 stores by the end of 2015.”
Wetzel’s controls a total of 275 stores, mostly in malls, across the United States. The new menu boards have a price tag of approximately $9,000, and cost about $100 a month to maintain. Phelps explained that the video content is managed and updated directly from the franchisor’s central server.
The boards have gotten great response from patrons, Phelps stated. “The customers waiting in line just smile, like it’s part of the whole show,” he said. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously, so it’s a fun place to get a fresh-tasting snack. These capture the brand. They capture the fun and the essence of the brand.”
“These animated films enable Wetzel’s Pretzels to engage guests in an entertaining and brand-consistent way, and they’ve been met with great applause,” said Phelps in a press release. “Along with being fun, they speak to the brand’s commitment to being the sector innovator, creating excitement that drives traffic and sales.”
Phelps cautioned that this approach might not work for all quick service restaurants, however. “We’re unique in that we had the Wetzel Men characters, which we always considered a cross between the Keebler Elves and the Smurfs and a Bart Simpson,” he said. “These characters lend themselves to animation. I’m not sure a lot of brands lend themselves well to animation.”
The animations, which play in rotation every few minutes throughout the day, can be viewed here.