Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) in today’s world need to be able to adapt quickly and offer a variety of ways to order their food. Self-ordering kiosks are one way that QSRs can offer an alternative ordering method that does not require the guest to interact with a human cashier. Quick-service restaurants have been using self-order kiosks as an icebreaker for introducing new technology and allowing guests to experiment with ordering options.
They are also convenient, as they do not require cashiers, making them ideal for high traffic locations such as drive-thrus or fast-food chains. Fast casual, fine dining, and casual dining all have quick-service outlets within their brand portfolios.
What is a kiosk?
Self-order kiosks are electronic devices, often made of stainless steel, that allow guests to order food and beverages themselves by scanning a code on the screen. They are usually connected to a network so that all the data that is entered into the system can be sent to the kitchen to prepare an order. Self-order kiosks are found in a wide range of settings including fast food chains, grocery stores, and sit-down restaurants. While they are most often found in quick-service chains, they are also found in sit-down restaurants.
Self-order kiosks might look like a countertop unit with a menu and a touchscreen menu, or they might be an iPad mounted inside a wall. Self-order kiosks are either cashless or cash-paid.
Self-order kiosks for QSRs
Self-order kiosks can be a great tool for QSRs to test out new menu items, or to help customers try new menu items that they do not regularly order from the restaurant. This can be especially helpful for chains that have a wide variety of menu items and are constantly trying out new recipes. Self-order kiosks can also streamline the ordering process for customers who have certain dietary restrictions that require special consideration. There are self-order kiosks for all types of industries to help improve customer experience and increase customer satisfaction.
For example, a self-order kiosk can be used to increase customer efficiency and decrease wait times. Instead of walking up to the cashier and ordering, customers can simply scan their items, check out, and walk away. By reducing the number of people needed to process orders, customer wait times can be significantly decreased.
How self-order kiosks benefit customers
Self-ordering kiosks are a convenient way for guests to order without the help of a cashier. Guests can simply select their food or beverage items from a menu and then pay at the self-order kiosk. Because no cashier is required, customers can order their food and beverages from a self-order kiosk solo. Self-order kiosks are most often found outside of QSR chains, but the convenience of ordering from a computer or a smartphone makes them a convenient option for all types of customers.
Some self-order kiosks are accessible through voice recognition, making them even more accessible to customers. Self-order kiosks are also beneficial for guests with disabilities. Some kiosks are designed with a screenreader on them so that guests who are hard of hearing can easily order their food. Self-order kiosks can also be designed with large type so that customers with vision impairments can easily read information such as nutritional information and ingredients.
The added flexibility of self-ordering kiosks
Self-order kiosks are an excellent tool for brands to explore new menu items and for customers to order meals that they would not normally order from the chain. Chains can also use the flexibility that self-ordering kiosks provide to offer limited time offers or seasonal menu items. Self-order kiosks can also be used to give customers the option of a custom-made item so that each meal is customized to the customer’s preferences. This option can be especially helpful for customers who have special dietary restrictions that require careful consideration.
Self-order menus can also be used to offer a variety of add-ons to guests’ existing orders. This allows brands to offer guests additional choices without requiring them to return to the original ordering process. Self-order kiosks can also be used to help guests with dietary restrictions or allergies.
Self-order kiosks in the fine dining world
Self-order kiosks can also be a great choice for fine dining chains. There are many fine dining chains that are experimenting with new menu items and offering limited time only menu items. Self-ordering kiosks can be a useful tool for these chains to offer guests the flexibility to order these items or to select from a variety of menus. Add-on items such as bread or water, or premium beverages can also be easily added.
Self-order kiosks can also help fine dining chains offer a variety of price points. While most QSR chains offer a variety of price points, many fine dining chains do not have the same price points across all of their locations. Self-order kiosks can be a useful tool for these chains to easily offer a variety of price points at a distance.
Bottom line
Self-ordering kiosks offer QSRs many benefits, but they also require a lot of effort and attention from the team in charge of the technology. For QSRs that want to innovate and test new products and explore new menu items, self-ordering kiosks can be an important tool in the brand’s arsenal. Key Takeaways The next step in the evolution of quick-service restaurants is self-ordering kiosks.
These technologies allow guests to order food and beverages without interacting with a cashier and give brands new opportunities to offer menu items, experiment with new ingredients, and add flexibility to pricing and add-ons.
EZ-Chow has solutions such as an Online Ordering, Self-Ordering Kiosks and Rewards/Loyalty Solutions that integrate into your existing POS systems. EZ-Chow, Inc is headquartered in the Southern Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky region. Started in 2015, EZ-Chow’s mission is to provide single or multi-unit restaurants and other on-demand organizations a branded, multi-channel digital customer engagement platform – built specifically with the organization’s requirements in mind.
To learn how EZ-Chow can help you with these initiatives and more, get started by contacting us here.
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Author
Marketing,Branding & e-Commerce -Consultant
Click to learn more about Bernie Fussenegger
