The restaurant industry is forever evolving. If you wanted to go out to eat ten years ago, you might get stuck waiting in long lines or deal with some frustrated employees trying to get everyone’s order. Today, there are options! Long lines? Just order on your app. Nobody at the front to take your order immediately upon arrival? Use a kiosk. Kiosks are gaining popularity as they offer yet another convenient way to get your order in. While it might not be the warm greeting you are accustomed to receiving, many customers prefer this method of ordering. There are many benefits to utilizing this trend and it is likely to become even more prevalent among quick service restaurants.
Order Accuracy
Using a kiosk to order is a great way to ensure you get what you went there for. In your quest to get your order in verbally with the person working at the front, there’s always a chance of miscommunication. For example, they may not hear you correctly, they may forget to ask if you want it the way it comes or if you have any special requests, or you may forget to mention part of your order. When using a kiosk you are able to think through what you want and visually see what you can add or remove from your entree giving you more control and better accuracy. Of course, the cooks have to read the order correctly, but kiosks can eliminate part of the human error and will give you a better chance at getting exactly what you want.
Skip The Lines and Small Talk
While some people miss social interaction when ordering food, many find it a relief to not have to talk to anyone. Some customers prefer to walk in, order at a kiosk and eat in peace. Not only do some people prefer to not have to speak with anyone, but providing the option of skipping the lines can be a huge advantage. We have all been to a fast food restaurant that has just been flooded with kids from a football game or other school activity. They all need to order through the person at the front so they can pay together, and in that scenario, kiosks can be a big benefit by giving those who are not part of the bus crowd the option of placing their order without the wait. You have a far better chance of keeping those customers in the store instead of them leaving immediately to find somewhere else to eat.
Reliability
Kiosks may have their occasional technical difficulties, but are pretty reliable in day to day operations. Kiosks will not pull a no call, no show, come in late or call in sick. You can depend on them to be there and do their job no matter the weather conditions or any other outside factor that can’t be controlled. They will not be rude to customers or walk out in the middle of a shift, and you can count on them to upsell every single time. This is not to say that people will buy more every time, but the kiosk will show images of their promotional items and ask if they want to add anything else to their order before they check out.
More and more restaurants are saying yes to kiosks. It is not threatening to take over jobs, but instead is acting as a great resource, allowing employees the opportunity to get things done with ease. They now have more time to help prep orders, clean, stock supplies and attend to other customers who are ordering in person or have a question about the menu. There are so many advantages to including kiosks, but of course each restaurant has to weigh the pros and cons and decide what is best for them!
