Surprisingly though, the restaurant industry is still in its first decade of the self-service kiosk game, despite the steadily increasing number of kiosk installations (and already-impressive self-service success stories\u2026but more on that later<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, self-service kiosks may be relatively new to the restaurant industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the idea of self-service \u2014 and the public\u2019s desire to serve themselves \u2014 definitely <\/em>isn\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n (It was just way<\/em> less tech-y before.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Back in 1946, the first all-you-can-eat American buffet<\/span><\/a> opened at Las Vegas\u2019 El Rancho casino. Legend has it that employee Herb McDonald was gathering goodies for a midnight snack when casino patrons noticed and wanted in. So, instead of encouraging them to leave<\/em> the casino for food, McDonald laid out snacks for the patrons to munch on before they headed back to the slots\u2026 and the Buckaroo Buffet opened not long after. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fast forward about 40 years, and self-service had found its way to grocery stores, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In July 1986<\/span><\/a>, a Kroger store in Atlanta added the first ever automated checkout machine (ACM) to its store \u2014 and with great success. Kroger\u2019s then-VP said shopper response was \u201cvery positive,\u201d and a second Kroger in the area geared up to have ACMs installed, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2016, we finally saw self-service kiosks reach the restaurant industry. QSRs like McDonald\u2019s have been leading the kiosk crowd since then, while tons of other restaurants caught up a few short years later in response to the pandemic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, while the development of restaurant self-service kiosks was much more intentional than the snaccident<\/em> behind the buffet craze, the principle is the same:<\/p>\n\n\n\n People want<\/em> to have control over their food experiences, whether it\u2019s loading up on cold cuts between poker hands or customizing their Junior Chicken combos on a touch-screen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the years, restaurant self-service kiosks have become the rule rather than the exception. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s because they\u2019ve proven time and time again that they\u2019re a smart move for restaurants, both from a business perspective and from a customer satisfaction perspective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, here are just some <\/em>of the benefits a restaurant self-service kiosk can offer you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Restaurant self-service kiosks automate and speed up orders<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Restaurant self-service kiosks increase your restaurant\u2019s revenue <\/p>\n\n\n\n David Gibbs, the CEO of Yum Brands, said<\/span><\/a> \u201c[average] kiosk sales [for Habit Burger Grill] see 10% higher checks than front counter sales.\u201d Considering kiosks offer stress-free personalization options, shorter wait times, and automatic upsell recommendations\u2026 a steady increase in customer spend isn\u2019t a big surprise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, we\u2019ve seen that restaurant self-service kiosks can offer an impressive range of benefits to restaurant owners. But what does a successful <\/em>restaurant self-service kiosk look like in practice?<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the best success cases of restaurant self-service kiosks is McDonald\u2019s, considered one of the \u201coriginal\u201d adopters of this type of restaurant tech. <\/p>\n\n\n\n McDonald\u2019s first started experimenting with self-service kiosks back in 2003 as a solution to \u201cspeed up the order and delivery process<\/span><\/a>\u201d for its customers. Then, in 2018, McDonald\u2019s revealed<\/span><\/a> a 2-year plan to add self-service kiosks to every restaurant in the U.S. (which, if you do the math, means adding kiosks to 10 stores every single day<\/em>).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As of now, McDonald\u2019s is considered \u201cthe world\u2019s largest deployer of [self-service kiosks]<\/span><\/a>,\u201d with over 130,000 kiosks installed in restaurants around the world\u2026 but how do we know their kiosks are actually working?<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Simple: their digital sales speak volumes.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2022, Chris Kempczinski \u2013 McDonald\u2019s President & Chief Executive Officer \u2013 reported over $6 billion<\/span><\/a> in digital sales. And, considering McDonald\u2019s kiosks showed an average order increase of 6%<\/span><\/a> in the first year after rollout, it\u2019s understandable that Kempczinski continues to call the brand\u2019s digital channels \u201c [their] biggest opportunities for growth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re ready to get your restaurant on the self-service kiosk train, Craver\u2019s got your back. Our self-serve kiosk solutions help you capitalize on the power of kiosks in 3 big ways: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your customers are your<\/em> customers because they love everything about your restaurant. Why not add that same level of brand recognition to your digital channels, too? Craver\u2019s self-service kiosks are branded with your unique colors, logos, and images, turning everything your customers love about you into a digital experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Improved processes and efficiencies<\/p>\n\n\n\n Craver\u2019s self-service kiosks also free up your employees from front counter duty, streamlining the order-to-kitchen pipeline while allowing them to engage with your customers for a better experience. When your restaurant adds a self-service kiosk, you can finally reallocate your time and energy to the place it matters most \u2014 customer satisfaction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Better customer experience<\/p>\n\n\n\n The nice thing about Craver\u2019s self-service kiosks is how they improve customer satisfaction, too. With order personalization at your customer\u2019s (anonymous) fingertips, they make sure they get the right order without worrying about menu anxiety. And, the cherry on the kiosk cake? No more waiting in lines that never end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The self-service kiosk market is expected to reach ~$27 billion<\/span><\/a> this year, fueled by evidence of better CX, improved efficiencies, and a stronger digital experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, with everything you know about the power of restaurant self-service kiosks\u2026 are you ready to see what a kiosk could look like for your restaurant?<\/p>\n\n\nA Brief History of Restaurant Self-Service<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Grocery](\"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Best-Restaurant-POS-7.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhy Restaurant Self-Service Kiosks Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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McDonald\u2019s: A Self-Service Kiosk Success Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"McDonald's](\"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Best-Restaurant-POS-5.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow Local Restaurants Can Replicate That Success (with Craver) <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Customer](\"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Best-Restaurant-POS-6.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWrap Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n