In-room ordering and digital F&B: the menu that sells the most is the one on the TV
Why the phone is no longer enough
Calling the front desk requires speaking a foreign language, knowing what's on the menu, and guessing whether the kitchen is open. For an international guest — or simply an introverted one — that's three good reasons to order a pizza from outside. The digital channel removes the awkwardness and makes the service equally available to everyone.
How to design a digital menu that converts
A few categories on the home screen (breakfast, light lunch, dinner, desserts, bar), real photos for the top three dishes in each category, price always visible, stated delivery time and mandatory allergen labelling (EU Regulation 1169/2011). Items should be ordered by margin, not alphabetically: the first screen is the hotel's most valuable shop window.
Hours, availability and sold out
The menu needs to be time-aware: at 11pm it should show the night menu, not breakfast. The kitchen must be able to mark a dish as sold out in real time from the back office, avoiding the apologetic phone call that ruins the experience. It's the feature chefs ask for most and the one most often forgotten in specifications.
Smart upselling, not intrusive
A suggested pairing (a glass of wine with the dish), a larger size, a dessert at the end of the order: three contextual suggestions are worth more than twenty banners. The acceptance rate of pairings is the KPI to watch, and it should be measured by time slot and guest segment.
The kitchen-side operational flow
The order needs to arrive where staff will see it: a kitchen printer, a departmental tablet or directly in the F&B management system. Every order carries the room number, guest name, notes (allergies, requested time) and the channel it came from. Order status — received, being prepared, out for delivery — is shown back on the guest's TV: this is the feature that eliminates the 'how much longer?' calls.
Minibar and packaged products
The digital minibar is a particularly profitable case: the guest checks the price list on the TV, declares what they've consumed or requests a restock, the charge is applied automatically and housekeeping receives the restocking list by floor. Many properties use this as an opportunity to extend the concept into a small e-commerce offering of local products, with in-room delivery or check-out collection.
What to measure every week
Orders per occupied room, average digital spend versus phone spend, menu-visit conversion rate, top 10 dishes by margin, average delivery time and share of orders outside peak hours. These are six figures the F&B director can review in two minutes, and they drive real decisions on menu and shifts.
Frequently asked questions
Do guests really order from the TV?+
Yes, especially international guests, families and late arrivals. The digital channel doesn't replace the phone: it works alongside it, capturing orders that would otherwise never have happened.
How are allergens handled?+
Every menu item must show the allergens required under EU Regulation 1169/2011, with the same accuracy as the paper menu. The system should also let guests add free-text notes that reach the kitchen along with the order.
Can an order be paid for immediately instead of charged to the room?+
Yes: room charge and immediate payment can coexist. Some properties enable direct payment for guests without a card guarantee, and room charge for everyone else.
Is a dedicated F&B management system needed?+
Not necessarily to get started: many hotels begin with kitchen printing and departmental tablets. POS integration becomes useful once volume grows or when F&B accounting needs to be kept separate.
What if the kitchen is closed?+
The menu shows the night menu or the reopening time, and can accept pre-orders for breakfast. There should never be an empty screen: the guest should always find an available alternative.