Self order kiosks have slowly been revolutionizing the way many industries do business. First, it was in the airline industry, then retail, and now, the hospitality industry has begun adopting this groundbreaking technology.
It’s no surprise—self order kiosks have been instrumental in helping restaurants meet customer expectations and demands while growing their bottom lines. Now that restaurants have been adding more channels with online ordering and mobile POS, kiosks can be a powerful asset to help capitalize on an omnichannel approach.
Here are five ways kiosks can help you grow your revenue:
Shorter Queues
Self order kiosks are veritable line-busting machines. You can use them to supplement front-of-house staff during busy times, or use them as the primary way to take orders and redirect your labor to other areas. The faster service these provide means that more patrons are served, increasing revenue for your restaurant.
When used in combination with a traditional POS staffed by an employee, self-serve kiosks allow multiple avenues for customers to move through lines quickly. In fact, self-serve kiosks can reduce order time by as much as 40%. And the appeal of these kiosks is widespread throughout younger generations, with millennials 39% more likely than Gen X or baby boomers to prefer digital services.
Increased Ticket Sizes
McDonald’s found that the average check size was 30% higher with kiosks, 20% of customers who didn’t initially order a drink would when it was offered via kiosk, according to the Harvard Business Review. Kiosks never forget to upsell during transactions, while a harried employee might. Instead, they automatically prompt guests with additional options—from extra toppings, to drinks, to desserts. Photos of upsell items are visually persuasive and can be a more powerful tool than suggestions from servers.
Order Customization
One of the primary demands from customers is easy customization. Front-of-house employees may not have the time to rattle off long lists of options to customers, but self-order kiosks can display all of these options instantly. Plus, less face-to-face interaction removes social friction—a customer won’t feel any embarrassment for ordering a complex or high-calorie item like they would if they had to announce it in front of everyone.
With self order kiosks, you can display an expanded menu with more options than you can fit on a static menu board. Guests can see options like add/remove toppings, swap out sides, upgrade drinks, choose vegan/gluten free substitutes and more.
Improved Order Accuracy
Not only do kiosks allow for more customized orders, but these customizations will be recorded more accurately than if they were written down by a server or entered in by front-of-house staff. Human error is inevitable, and employees may miss something, tap the wrong button, or have a hard time hearing. With kiosks, guests can review their orders at the end, double-checking that every detail is correct before submitting.
Reduced Labor Costs
Labor is a huge expense. You can keep this expense low by implementing self-order kiosks, which reduce the need for front-of-house staff and allow you to redirect that labor towards expediting orders and providing better customer experiences. This will improve overall guest satisfaction and help you allocate your resources more appropriately.
For more information on how self order kiosks can benefit your restaurant, contact Focus POS today.
