About 47% of diners say they would use a self-service technology, such as a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) kiosk, to customize their orders. This is one of the many reasons why restaurant employees are changing how they interact with customers through the use of new technology.
In an effort to keep up with the wave of fast casual restaurants on the market, existing franchises have had to make updates to the way they conduct business. Many of the new fast casual establishments, who cater to the majority of diners (54%), say they are willing to utilize a self-service POS. Now, it’s up to traditional restaurants to keep pace by integrating technology that serves customers’ growing demands.
The Breakout of QSR Kiosks
QSR kiosks began appearing at restaurants just a few years ago. Fast casual establishments found that in order to remain competitive in the changing market, they needed to begin rolling out newer forms of digital ordering. While each QSR had menus that catered to different audiences, these kiosks provided a new customer experience to patrons.
“We are finding that customers are enjoying the whole experience — including the kiosks that allow customers to customize their sandwich with their choice of bun, protein, and additional ingredients,” one restaurant spokesperson noted.
The Future is QSR POS Software
Now that QSR kiosks and software are here, the future looks bright. Although some fear that more automation could take jobs away from the restaurant field, industry experts disagree. Some feel that these kiosks could give their company the opportunity to bring “manpower to the front of the house” to provide a better dining experience.
“This technology has been available to restaurants for years, but price was high and labor was cheap,” kiosk manufacturing expert Frank Olea told ZDNet. “Now it’s getting to the spot where brands can see the ROI. But right now we haven’t seen technology displace a lot of people, it’s just giving more options to the consumers.”
And as QSR POS software becomes more innovative and necessary, these kiosks will be able to do more than just register orders. In turn, increased efficiency will be able to expedite everything from reservation management to loyalty program registration. An enhanced customer experience ultimately means happier patrons, which can translate in the overall bottom line.
Final Thoughts
As both fast casual and traditional fast food restaurants have proven, the use of QSR kiosks does not mean that you have to lay off your staff – you simply gain an opportunity to reassign them to other tasks. In turn, you can focus more on providing a positive experience for your customers throughout their visit.
