Marketing and POS material are important tools for marketers to attract and influence purchase decisions in-stores. Millions of dollars are spent each year on the design of POS materials and messages such as menu boards to drive improved sales in store. Using the Tobii Pro Glasses 2, we conducted a sample study to demonstrate how eye tracking can be applied to understanding menu board design in Quick Service Restaurants (QSR).

1. Prepared for:
Prepared by:
Date:
Version:
Eye Tracking & Understanding
Effectiveness of Menu Boards in
Quick Service Restaurants (QSR)
Sample study
Luke Goh Objective Experience
16 May 2016
1

2. Introduction: Understanding
decision making in stores
2
Marketing and POS material are important tools for marketers to attract
and influence purchase decisions in-stores. Millions of dollars are spent
each year on the design of POS materials and messages such as menu
boards to drive improved sales in store.
While there are occasions that POS materials and messages are successful
in driving purchase decisions, there are many occasions whereby it falter
as well. Therefore it is important for marketers to understand why and
what drives consumer decisions and purchases, and what to avoid in order
to maximize their in-store marketing effort.
Eye tracking is one technology that can be easily adapted for this.
Advancements in wearable eye trackers has allowed for studies to be
conducted in in-store environment, not possible previously. Now,
researchers can equip subjects with eye tracking glasses and better
understand how they interact with different messages and channels in any
environment.
Specifically, Objective Experience uses the new Tobii Glasses 2 eye tracker
for its in-store studies for its clients. Its ultra-lightweight and unobtrusive
head unit makes test participants feel comfortable when conducting the
test, while the new real-world mapping tool integrated into Tobii Pro
Glasses Analyzer software simplifies the logging process and significantly
reduces the time needed to analyse the data captured with the Glasses 2.
The next few pages will demonstrate how the Tobii Glasses 2 can be used
in a sample study, and the different metrics that can be collected and use
for analysis.
The ultra-lightweight Tobii Glasses 2 designed for the use in the real world
environment.

3. Overview of the Pilot Study
3
In this sample study, Objective Experience aims to demonstrate how eye
tracking can be applied to understanding menu board design in QSR
with 4 respondents wearing Tobii Glasses 2.
During the study, each participant is required to order a meal from the
available options displayed on the menu board. Eye tracking data of
what participants were looking at were captured in the process.
The eye tracking data gathered allowed us to analyse the respondents’
eye-movement profile (i.e. fixations, gaze patterns) to generate heat
maps and gaze plots showing their viewing behaviour.
The eye tracking study was followed up by a short RTA (retrospective
think aloud) interview afterwards to gain a deeper understanding of
their purchase decision. During the RTA session, we replayed and went
through the eye tracking video with the respondents.
Due to the small handful of people we used for the pilot study, the data
gathered provides limited insight. A larger and more comprehensive
study (at least 30 participants per cell) is recommended.

4. Top 3 Findings

5. 5
Key findings
1. Users mostly fixated
on the Extra Value
Meals section
Eye tracking heat map data
showed that users fixated
mostly on the Extra Value
Meals section on the menu
board.
Some of customers
mentioned that they
“randomly browse” the menu
board to check if any new
value meal was added to the
menu, while others
compared prices between
meals before deciding on
their purchases.
1. Extra Value Meals section received the most attention
1
Eye tracking heat map data showed that users fixated mostly on the Extra Value Meals
section on the menu board.
Participants spent on average 9.09 seconds looking at the Extra Value Meals, the most
time spent on one section. (Refer to pg 7 for full eye-tracking statistics.)

6. 6
Key findings
2. Users encountered
difficulty when trying to
locate an alternative
side to fries
Eye tracking gaze plot data
showed users looked all over
the menu board trying to
locate alternative sides.
Using our eye tracking data
and through the RTA
interviews, we understood that
some users had wanted to look
for sides under the ‘Beverages
& Desserts’ menu. However, it
was only until much later that
they found the sides menu in
the centre menu board.
Thus this created a issue
whereby users had to look
randomly just to find the
options and pricing of the
sides.
2. Users had difficulty locating alternative sides
2
Eye tracking gaze plot data showed that users looked all over the menu board trying to
locate alternative sides. Users wanted to look for sides under the ‘Beverages & Desserts’
menu. Only until much later they found the sides menu in the centre menu board.

7. 7
Key findings
3. The promotional menu
boards did not attract a
lot of attention
Eye tracking heat map data
showed that users did not pay
much attention to the
promotional menu boards.
In the RTA interviews, users
commented they noticed the
promotional menu on the first
screen from the left, but if the
offerings did not pique their
interest, they would
immediately divert their
attention to the Extra Value
Meals section. Users did not
notice the second promotional
menu board on the far right
because of the awkward way it
is positioned (i.e. not facing the
customer front-on).
3. Users noticed the promotional menu board but did
not express much interest
3
Eye tracking heat map data showed that users did not pay much attention to the
promotional menu boards because the menu did not interest them, or because the
screen is in an awkward position.
3
Participants spent on average 3.43 seconds looking at the first promotion menu board.
Only 1 participant looked at the second promotion menu board. (Refer to pg 7 for full
eye-tracking statistics.)

8. Eye-tracking Statistics
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Participant Happy Meal Promotion Sides Value Meal Promo2 Average Median Sum Total Analysis Set Duration Total Recording Duration
Participant1 0.72 1.86 0.64 0.52 0.00 0.93 0.68 3.74 16.34 106.85
Participant2 5.12 1.04 5.52 15.90 0.00 6.89 5.32 27.57 38.03 173.45
Participant3 1.00 5.90 0.64 10.02 3.28 4.17 3.28 20.84 36.77 215.66
Participant4 0.68 4.92 0.54 9.92 0.00 4.01 2.80 16.06 18.26 217.76
Average 1.88 3.43 1.83 9.09 0.82 4.00 3.02 17.05 27.35 178.43
Percentage Fixated (%) 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
Total Visit Duration
Participant Happy Meal Promotion Sides Value Meal Promo2 Average Median
Participant1 7 11 7 10 0 8.75 8.50
Participant2 6 8 16 17 0 11.75 12.00
Participant3 9 14 9 26 18 15.20 14.00
Participant4 8 5 10 9 0 8.00 8.50
Average 7.50 9.50 10.50 15.50 4.50 10.93 10.75
Percentage Fixated (%) 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
Visit Count
Participant Happy Meal Promotion Sides Value Meal Promo2 Average Median Sum
Total Analysis Set
Fixation Count Total Analysis Set Duration Total Recording Duration
Participant1 34 87 32 26 0 44.75 33.00 179 476 16.34 106.85
Participant2 256 52 275 784 0 341.75 265.50 1367 1883 38.03 173.45
Participant3 49 270 32 492 155 199.60 155.00 998 1745 36.77 215.66
Participant4 33 245 27 491 0 199.00 139.00 796 892 18.26 217.76
Average 93.00 163.50 91.50 448.25 38.75 196.28 148.13 835.00 1249.00 27.35 178.43
Percentage Fixated (%) 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00
Fixation Count

9. Summary

10. Summary
10
In the sample study, we showed what the different data that can be
collected with the Tobii Glasses 2 eye tracker. Together with the Tobii
Pro Glasses Analyzer software, our researchers were able to quickly and
easily log the eye tracking data onto snapshots images for in-depth
analysis, using 8% of time needed as compared to traditional methods.
As this study is just to demonstrate what the new Tobii Glasses 2 can
do, in order to understand the effectiveness of the menu board better,
Objective Experience recommends similar study to be conducted with a
large pool of respondents from different demographic groups, and at
different times during the day.
For instance, Objective Experience recommends the research to be
conducted:
1) with at least 30 respondents representing various
demographic groups;
2) at a minimum of 2 QSR restaurant locations;
3) with mobile eye-tracking at the pre-determined QSRs using
Tobii Glasses 2; and
4) with follow-up Retrospective Think Aloud (RTA) in-depth
interviews.

11. Want more information? Get in touch
Lead consultant: Luke Goh, UX Consultant
Email: lukegoh@objectiveexperience.com
Phone: +65 9678 8620