New technology is constantly making its way into the restaurant industry, meaning in-house operations can change quickly and dramatically. The arrival of self-ordering kiosks on the restaurant scene sparked a considerable change in how customers order and pay for their food.
Self-service kiosks can be a fantastic way to transform the ordering process in your restaurant — but if you’re new to the idea, you might want more information about them to help you choose the best type for your restaurant. That’s where we come in.
We’ve put together a helpful guide to self-ordering kiosks to answer all your questions and give you a solid understanding of this specific type of restaurant technology.
Self-ordering kiosks, also known as self-service kiosks, are devices used in restaurants that let customers place and pay for their orders without a staff member. They can be large, freestanding touchscreen devices or more straightforward tablets or iPads loaded with software.
Customers browse menu items on the kiosk and add them to their virtual cart. They then pay for their order at the kiosk — the software synchronizes with the restaurant’s point-of-sale (POS) system. Many kiosks offer both credit card and contactless payment options.
The device will send a notification to the kitchen display screen (KDS), alerting the chefs or back-of-house (BOH) team of what needs to be cooked. The chefs prep the food, and a server takes it out to the customer. Some kiosk solutions have additional functionality that lets the customer receive a notification on their phone once their food is ready to collect from the counter.
Many fast-food restaurant chains use self-ordering kiosks. You’ve probably used them in places like McDonald’s and Taco Bell. But they can also be used to great effect in small or independent restaurants or even in coffee shops and cafes.
Restaurant kiosk systems can be used in all kinds of restaurants. Whether you run a quick-service restaurant(QSR), a fast-casual restaurant, or another type of counter-service restaurant, you could benefit from setting up a self-ordering system.
There are several advantages to kiosk solutions in restaurants. Most restaurateurs considering this type of technology are looking to improve the overall dining experience for their customers, and kiosks are a fantastic way to do that.
One of the main benefits of self-serve kiosks is that you can reduce wait times for your customers.
Let’s say your restaurant regularly has long queues during the lunchtime rush. Customers who want to eat quickly may be put off and could go elsewhere. By bringing in a couple of self-ordering kiosks, your team will be able to process more orders in less time, reducing wait times and improving the customer experience.
Establishing an effective ordering system is essential for ensuring a smooth service. Self-service kiosks work with your POS system to reduce the steps in your ordering process.
Rather than a server taking orders by hand, carrying them to the BOH team, and manually adding them to a table’s check, the process is automatic. The customer places and pays for their order on the kiosk, and it goes through to the KDS immediately. The kitchen receives orders in real time, and servers don’t have to worry about printing checks.
Another benefit of self-ordering kiosks is the reduced number of wrong orders sent to the kitchen.
Because customers are placing orders themselves, the risk of miscommunication is essentially eliminated. Customer orders go directly from the customer to the KDS, so there’s no way for a server to mishear or misunderstand what the customer wants.
You won’t be able to eradicate errors fully. Some customers might be unfamiliar with the kiosk technology, so there are bound to be a few mistakes. However, you can significantly reduce the number of incorrect orders being processed, saving money and reducing food waste. Better order accuracy also means greater customer satisfaction. It’s a win-win!
Kiosk software also allows you to increase sales and improve your bottom line. Some self-ordering kiosks have the functionality to suggest add-ons to customers when they place their orders. For example, if a customer is ordering a burger, you can program the kiosk software to ask if they want fries or a drink to go with it.
Moreover, research suggests that people order more food when using a self-service device because they aren’t so embarrassed about placing a large order. This can boost your sales and increase your profit margins.
Setting up a self-checkout system in your restaurant can also lower your labor costs.
Without self-ordering technology, during busy periods, you’ll have to schedule more serving staff to ensure you have enough hands on deck to process all your customers’ orders. But with a self-ordering kiosk or two, you can keep your usual number of staff on the books and still get everyone’s order through to the kitchen quickly.
Good kiosk software works seamlessly with your POS system to provide real-time updates on your sales data. The software updates your sales information every time a customer places an order.
KioskBuddy, for example, works with Square’s restaurant POS to provide business owners with up-to-date sales information. It has a live analytics dashboard that lets you view all your sales over a specified period. You can filter the dashboard to view your overall sales or narrow it down to the sales on each kiosk.
This functionality makes it simple to track your sales and get a better understanding of your restaurant’s monthly performance. Exporting your sales data to a spreadsheet or other monitoring software is also easy.
The price of kiosks can vary depending on the functionality you need and the type of hardware you choose.
Large freestanding devices are usually costly. You’ll need to purchase hardware and pay for the software it uses. The hardware alone can cost up to $4,000.
It can be worth the investment for large corporations — they’ll be able to process far more orders, meaning the benefits can outweigh the cost. However, smaller businesses and independent restaurants are unlikely to be able to justify such a significant investment.
The good news is that there’s a far more cost-effective way to set up self-service systems in your restaurant. Software like KioskBuddy is affordable; pricing starts at just $50 per month.
Moreover, you won’t need to shell out for expensive hardware since KioskBuddy works on a tablet. All you need to set up a self-ordering device is KioskBuddy, an iPad, and a Square Kiosk — which lets you mount your kiosk on a wall or counter and process contactless and credit card payments.
Self-ordering kiosks are a fantastic way to improve the ordering experience in your restaurant. They can help you cut down on wrong orders or long waits for customers — among other benefits.
Choose KioskBuddy for a better ordering experience in your QSR or self-service restaurant. It’s quick and easy to set up and works seamlessly with your POS system to enhance your ordering system and simplify your restaurant processes.
Sign up for KioskBuddy today and enjoy a 30-day free trial.