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The idea has been around for several years -- kiosk demos were big at the Foodservice Technology expo five years ago, and now they are entering the real world. From a business standpoint, it would seem to be a no-brainer: A kiosk is always on time, never needs a bathroom break, and won't give the customer -- or the manager -- any lip. But are they cheaper hires?
Michael Norwich, Jr., who owns a new Jack-in-the-Box with a kiosk in El Paso, TX, explains that cost savings aren't part of the appeal. "It may be that the kiosk results in a higher-than-average check or increases the volume of sales, but it's hard to quantify that so far, since we only opened two weeks ago." He's not at all sure the kiosk will end up costing less than a live employee. "We have a person who oversees the kiosk, who guides people through using it, hands them their beverage cups, things like that," Norwich points out. So why bother with the kiosk, if it doesn't save any dough? According to Norwich, it's all about the cool factor. "Its usage skews very high among the teen and young adult crowd," he says. "They're technologically savvy, and we figured they would like it."
What's the consumer perspective? One blogger described the kiosk interface he used in Bellevue, WA ,as "very well done and easy." While the voice lacked something to be desired -- "I have to imagine it would get annoying listening to [it] all day" -- the kiosk presented menu choices that the customer didn't know about, like the option to take a salad instead of fries.
There's still a little human interaction to be had. After an order is placed with the kiosk, customers wait for their numbers to be called by an actual live person. And for the technophobes among us, there are still plenty of employees with pulses to help you out. "Most orders in our store still go through a traditional point-of-sale system," Norwich says. Translation: Service with a smile.
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4-20-2010 @2:11PM oldtaku said... These things are like self-checkout lines. They're fantastic IF there's nobody ahead of you in line. You just pick what you want poof poof poof, pay, all done. Fast, and the only person who can screw up your order is you (or the bagger).
But if there's someone ahead of you who would have trouble using an ATM, much less something with this many choices, forget it.
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4-23-2010 @4:59PM Jim 90069 said... I had a problem this morning, talking to the screen three times to change order from one to two, then the bagger gave me someone else's Breakfast Bowl, and shorted me a sandwich. You mentioned problems at the ATM. Some have to read each word, as if "the message to THEM will be different, this time." LOL
4-23-2010 @7:10PM porticia said... Looks like it would improve business.. but have to say.. still not gonna get me to go and eat fast food.. My husband and I have decided that we won't eat at restaurants (espcially fast food joints) during the week any more and cook for ourselves. This has helped us cut out a lot of the excess calories and generally eat a lot healthier. There was one problem. He wouldn't get off his lazy butt and I found I was doing all the cooking.. then I went out and found this beginners recipe book for him.. it was so perfect..so hilarious, and very politically incorrect. I won't tell you the name of the book on here.. cause some of the more conservative readers will jump down my throat, but if you have a good sense of humor and are not easily offended.. google "Whipped & Beaten Culinary Works".. but seriously. .don't goto the site if you can't take a good joke!
4-20-2010 @2:28PM LinC said... I like eliminating the weak link of the young slob at the cash register who always gets my order wrong (even when he reads it back to me). Now if robots would just assemble my order correctly in the kitchen!
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4-21-2010 @7:31AM Frances said... That young poor slob could be your son, daughter, or even you....these machines are putting people out of work. Look at the US economy....hell, why don't we just do a call in order and outsource it to Mexico or India?
4-23-2010 @4:24PM oldtaku said... > why don't we just do a call in order and outsource it to Mexico or India
Because the idea is to make it more reliable, not less. That's all it is. If the people at the counter could get my order right there'd be no need for the kiosks.
Actually, a half-way point for this is the drive-in lines where they show you your order as it's being rung up. Then at least you can correct the person on the other side of the squawk box. Maybe they should do that for the normal registers as well.
4-23-2010 @6:35PM Tim said... They should put touch screens at the tables so that there wouldn't be any waiting in line. Then they could hire some young person to bring it to you, if they can find one smart enough to read a table number and match it with the table. Better yet, remember the banks with the vacuum tubes? Have the food sent right to your table via the tube. Let the young kids start throwing papers and mowing lawns for a living. OOOPS, I forgot, all the illegals have those jobs.
4-20-2010 @3:34PM psyphi said... Now, if they were to replace the food preparers with robots, it would immediately become my favorite fast food restaurant.
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4-23-2010 @8:02PM psyphi said... Katie... Actually, I was thinking less of the mistakes they make and more about what can get into your food when someone else is preparing it. And preparing it as quickly as possible, and in a hot, sweaty, environment. coughing, sneezing and even just talking will get plenty of saliva in your food. Yum. Hair, sweat, mucus. Hungry yet? Oh yes, and did they wash their hands after their last bathroom break? And that's not even getting into the fact that some of them are psychos who will purposely put even worse things into your food. You should already know this having worked in the fast food industry.
But you make a good point. They make mistakes. They make plenty of mistakes. And I'm supposed to want this to continue... why? Just another good reason to replace them with the robots.
So, seriously, if there are any fast food industry CEOs out there reading this. If you build it, they will come. They will come to your restaurant in droves.
4-20-2010 @2:55PM Anna said... They have these at the Sheetz and Wawa gas station convenience stores around here. I like it because there are usually enough machines that I don't have to wait in line for one cashier. My order is placed quickly, and it's ready for me by the time I've paid at the front counter.
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4-21-2010 @9:36AM Numb said... Yup - Sheetz and Wawa have them and they're fantastic. As somebody who is somewhat finnicky, I *love* being able to select exactly what I do and do not want on my orders and not having to worry about whether the cashier understands my request or not. Personally, I can not wait until these become the industry standard.
4-23-2010 @6:10PM diane said... These are great! I love them!!
4-20-2010 @3:04PM Michael said... Taco bell had these in a few stores back in the late 90s. I guess they were ahead of their time...
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4-20-2010 @4:06PM jonthegm said... My only problem with these is that they encourage me to fiddle with combinations in my order. I find myself trying to optimize everything out to a ludicrous extent.
Full disclosure: 3 years ago, I helped work on the Admin side of the emn8 boxes you see in the Jack in the Box picture. Having contact with the sku lists may have sparked additional curiosity about what I could get away with as far as legal sandwich combinations.
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4-20-2010 @4:13PM noza said... I remember a similar system at Arby's in the mid-90's. It was a touch-screen system to take an order, but the machine didn't accept credit card or cash; it would give you a number and then you would have to pay an actual human cashier.
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4-20-2010 @7:51PM Michelle said... This sounds awesome! Bring it to California!! The lines will lessen and more people will come to the fast food joint at high peak times! For example, In N Out in Torrance and Chronic Tacos in Redondo Beach!!
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4-21-2010 @7:43AM Carol said... Here in Bflo. NY the things are "OPEN", allowing people passing by coughing, sneezing and "whatnot", to even men plucking boogers off thier fingers!!! People not using a plastic bag over thier hand to sub for a glove touching the bread prod's and whatever is there. Where the salads and hot foods are sleeves going in the food. It's just 1 big contamanated thing here going on. In the summer the flies and other flying insects off and on the food. It's "GOD AWFUL, AND THEY WON'T CHANGE IT". Often people wonder why after eating this food they get sick????
It don't take a micro brain surgeon to figure this out.
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4-21-2010 @9:04AM LinC said... Try washing your hands. It works wonders.
4-23-2010 @4:59PM Michelle said... Carol! GROSS!!! Where the heck are you shopping? I'm from Buffalo, and I don't see any of that anymore, except maybe at some shady all you can eat buffet place which is disgusting!! Try Wegmans if you really need a buffet place, or Andersons maybe for a sandwich. And, I think you are slightly confused about the article. It's about self serve kisoks in places like Wendys (to place fast food orders) or Wilson Farms (like at the deli counter).
4-23-2010 @6:07PM whirple said... hey Carol, sorry to give you the bad news: but it's not just Men that pluck boogers off their nose. As a matter of fact, the latest statistics show that 78% of persons who pluck boogers are Women, so let's try to be more accurate,please.