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How to use a TV as a menu board (step-by-step DIY guide)

how to use a tv as a menu board

If you own a restaurant, cafe, food truck, or even a small snack shop, turning your TV into a digital menu board is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to elevate your customer experience. With the help of a cloud-based digital signage platform like Signage Space, you can create stunning, updatable menus without needing any design or tech skills.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything from choosing the right hardware to displaying your menu content on your screen.

What you’ll need

  • TV (Smart TV or regular TV with HDMI)
  • Internet connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
  • Android TV box or Android Stick (if your TV isn’t Smart)
  • A free account on Signage Space
  • Your digital menu content (images, videos)

Step-by-step instructions

1. Mount and position your TV

Place your TV where customers can clearly see it above the counter, behind the bar, or near the entrance. Make sure there’s access to power and the internet.

restaurant

2. Connect your TV to the Internet

If you have a Smart TV, connect it to Wi-Fi via Settings. If not, use an Android TV box or Android stick (like the Amazon Fire Stick or Xiaomi Mi Stick) to turn your TV into a smart screen.

tv setup

3. Install the Signage Space Player App

Open Google Play Store on your Smart TV or Android device. Search for Signage Space Player and install the app: Signage Space on Google Play.

install digital signage app

4. Sign up on Signage Space

Go to SignageSpace.com and sign up for a free account.

signage space sign up

Once you’re logged in;

5. Add a screen by giving your TV a name

6. Link your screen using the code displayed on your TV

pairing code

Now your TV is connected to your Signage Space account!

7. Create your menu playlist

In your Signage Space dashboard, you can easily manage your playlists;

menu playlist

– Upload your menu images or videos (JPEG, PNG, or MP4)

– Add them to a playlist

– Set display durations for each item (e.g., 10 seconds per each)

8. Publish the menu playlist to your screen

Publish the menu playlist to your screen

💡 Tip: You can update your menu any time from any device. Whether it’s changing a price or promoting a daily special, edits are instant.

9. Set it and forget it

Your menu now loops continuously on your TV screen. You can schedule content by time of day (e.g., breakfast menu in the morning, dinner menu at night) or update items with just a few clicks.

Why use Signage Space?

– Free to use with no hardware lock-in

– Easy drag-and-drop menu creation

– Use one account for multiple screens

– Cloud-based access from anywhere

– Supports both images and videos

– Works great for restaurants, food trucks, and cafés

You’re done!

With just a TV and an internet connection, you’ve created a professional-looking digital menu board. Thanks to Signage Space, managing your menus is now as easy as sending an email and best of all, it’s free.

Create a Free Account on Signage Space and try it today.