Self-ordering kiosks have become a global standard in fast food and fast casual establishments in recent years. Nevertheless, small eateries have been much more cautious and sluggish to implement this sort of self-serve technology than the McDonald’s and Paneras of the world, who went all in on kiosks early on.

Technology that was before seen to be expensive and impersonal is now viewed as a handy choice for patrons and a cost-effective solution for businesses.

Convenience is not the only advantage, however. Additionally, self-ordering kiosks have improved order accuracy, decreased wait times, and—most importantly—increased check sizes for restaurants. These are advantages that almost all establishments may take advantage of.

Restaurant kiosk software is a digital platform that allows customers to place orders independently, streamlining the ordering process and reducing wait times in restaurants.

A self-ordering kiosk: what is it?

A self-ordering kiosk, as the name suggests, allows customers to place their own orders and make their own payments; it functions similarly to an advanced vending machine but for meals.

Typically, these devices include a touchscreen—often a tablet—that has an intuitive digital interface. The menu for the restaurant will be shown on this screen, which will also assist patrons with the ordering procedure, including food customization, payment, and pickup. The kiosk may also provide prompts with various specials or menu modifications that customers would not otherwise be aware of when they construct their order.

The Reasons Behind the Growth of Self-Ordering Kiosks

As previously stated, self-serve kiosks are not very novel. Many large restaurant chains had already implemented self-ordering kiosks before the had seen rapid success with the technology. According to McDonald’s, establishments that installed kiosks had an average increase in sales of 5% to 6%. Additionally, Chili’s witnessed a staggering 20% spike in dessert sales after adding self-ordering kiosks to its tables.

Changes in consumer behavior are mostly to blame for the increase in sales. Consumers now demand the same degree of control, flexibility, and personalisation when they visit a restaurant in person since they have become used to the convenience and quickness of online ordering. Restaurant kiosks are well positioned to satisfy consumers’ evolving expectations since they are expressly designed to provide this quicker and more customized ordering experience.

Furthermore, more people than simply tech-savvy Millennials want more control over their eating experiences. Customers of all months were willing to utilize self- standardization kiosks, according to a Tillster compendium. Indeed, 30% percent of those boosters said they would rather categorization from a self-ordering kiosk rather than a counter clerk if the queues were the paired length, and sixty-five percent of those patrons prescribed they would visit a restaurant more often if self-service kiosks were reachable.

Although self-ordering kiosks were already consummation popularity among restaurants and dependents, the further increased the popularity of QSR technology, generally because of its many safety advantageousness. Because self-ordering kiosks let patrons knock together their meals, make orders, and even pay without attaining to speak to restaurant workers, they have underwritten eateries in encouraging social alienation. In addition, recent advancements in AI restaurant technology have made today’s kiosks smarter and more effective than before.

Self-service payments enable customers to thoroughgoing transactions independently, often making use of kiosks, mobile apps, or online portals, providing betterment and efficiency.

Self-ordering kiosks: Five Advantages for Restaurants

It’s evident that self-ordering kiosks are becoming more and more common, and for good reason. We go over the top five advantages of self-ordering kiosks for eateries like yours below.

1. Bigger check sizes

The effect of self-ordering kiosks on average check sizes may be their greatest advantage.

Your self-ordering kiosk can highlight your high margin goods and expensive add-ons for you, saving you the trouble of having your personnel do it. You may choose to provide visitors with targeted and clear upsell suggestions while they’re creating their orders when they use a self-ordering kiosk. This might include exclusive offers like 2-for-1 bargains, but it can also involve calculated upsells like upgrading to premium sides, adding more paid toppings, or combining meals into a combination.

When you review your POS data and see the impact these little add-ons make, you’ll be pleasantly delighted. Just take it from Taco Bell, which received 20% more revenue from digital orders than from orders processed by employees.

In the instance of McDonald’s, the restaurant company discovered that patrons who used a kiosk spent almost one dollar more each order, which led to a 30% increase in the average check size. Additionally, McDonald’s discovered that 20% of patrons who had not previously placed an order for a drink would do so after seeing it advertised on the kiosk. And that means you will have a lot more money in your pocket overall.

2. Shorter Wait Times

Self-ordering kiosks also expedite the ordering procedure, which is a clear advantage.

It’s a fact that famished consumers detest standing in long lineups. In fact, according to a Tillster survey, 75% of consumers would rather buy from a self-service kiosk if there was a wait of more than five people to speak with a cashier. What if there are ten persons in line? 91% of respondents are in favor of placing their order at a restaurant kiosk.

With only a few taps, consumers may construct their order, send it to the kitchen, and pay at a self-ordering kiosk, which can help cut down on wait times. Once their order is ready, customers may exit the queue and wait to pick it up at a designated counter.

Although this may not seem like a much speedier procedure, Appetize research indicated that using kiosks cut down on overall order time by about 40%. Because quicker ordering times and lower wait times result in operational savings, some restaurants—like one Moe’s Southwest Grill location in Pittsburgh—have gone so far as to open kiosk-only locations.

3. Improve Order Precision

When your clients choose and submit their own orders, there will be far less room for mistake in the orders. Because it guarantees that customers know precisely what they’re getting, a kiosk with a visual menu is immensely helpful in minimizing misunderstandings and the awkward “This isn’t what I ordered” exchanges.

Your kitchen won’t have to waste time making an improper meal or an unordered item thanks to improved order accuracy. As a result, you won’t have to deal with irate clients or unfavorable internet evaluations. In the end, you can eliminate having to pay for voids and discounts using self-ordering technology.

As there are fewer points of consumer connection these days, restaurants need to prioritize increased order accuracy. The key to delivering a fantastic customer experience at restaurants these days is getting the food right, since they can no longer amaze patrons with the same kind of hands-on dine-in service.

4. Reduce Labor Costs

Self-ordering kiosks provide restaurateurs with the ability to reassign workers, which helps alleviate the productivity problem. Employees at the front of the house who used to physically take orders may now be redirected to other duties that boost revenue and enhance the clientele’s experience.

This kind of flexible hiring may lower your total labor expenditures in addition to increasing production. Self-ordering kiosks may reduce the number of employees you require during peak hours, even if they cannot and should not replace all restaurant staff. Additionally, cutting spending on one or two employees may assist businesses on a limited budget maintain operating costs low enough to continue in business.

5. Maintain Comfort for Employees and Customers

Perhaps the greatest advantage of self-ordering kiosks in the aftermath, by minimizing in-person encounters, they can contribute to maintaining staff and consumer comfort levels. Certain individuals could still feel more at ease placing their orders from a kiosk than from a person, even if the danger of infection decreases.

Self-serve technology allows apprehensive customers to order and give back for their meals unaccompanied, providing them with a heavenly and stress-free dining experience. A kiosk lets a vendee place an order and send it straightaway to the kitchen without procuring to speak to a staff member face-to-face, whether it’s centered at the entrance of your restaurant or right next to each table.

Self-checkout kiosks are often bedecked with barcode scanners, scales, and payment interchanges, making it easy for customers to unshortened their transactions instinctively.

Things to Consider Before Buying a POS Kiosk

Although it’s evident that kiosks have a lot to offer businesses (and their patrons), purchasing one isn’t always as simple as it would appear.

Chain restaurants often use enterprise-level solutions for their freestanding and wall-mounted kiosks, which may cost thousands of dollars and need labor-intensive installation. These high-tech kiosks aren’t the best option for most establishments.

If accessible, tablet-based kiosks that link with your current point of sale system are a much more affordable and user-friendly choice for independent eateries.

A few essential characteristics to consider if you’re shopping for this kind of tablet-based restaurant kiosk are as follows:

Menu Building: You should be able to create an aesthetically pleasing menu at your restaurant kiosk by including images of each dish. Customers should be able to click on various menu items to get a description or ingredient list.

Menu Prompts: To increase the average check size, look for kiosk software that makes it simple to add menu modifiers and upsell prompts.

Loyalty: Seek for integrated loyalty programs that have the capacity to retain consumer data for next purchases or marketing campaigns.

Customer Notifications: Increase productivity by implementing a system that may send text or email messages to clients’ mobile devices or individual displays to notify them when their purchases are available. Kiosk Android is a specialized version of the Android operating system designed specifically for interactive kiosks and point-of-sale (POS) devices.