Self-ordering kiosks for restaurants have been on the rise over the past years. Especially for quick service restaurants, self-ordering kiosks have proven to be very effective. These self-ordering kiosks are convenient for guests of quick service restaurants. It’s a way for these guests to avoid having to wait in a line to order.

However, self-ordering kiosks are not cheap. A self-ordering kiosk can cost your quick service restaurant more than $ 5.000 per kiosk. Next, there is also the space it takes in your restaurant. A self-ordering kiosk itself requires 10ft2. If it gets very busy, you even get lines for the self-ordering kiosk.

What alternatives are there for a self-ordering kiosk?

There are better, cheaper alternatives for a self-ordering kiosk in quick service restaurants. At Table Duck, we’ve developed a chatbot that can take orders and payments for restaurants. A guest can place an order via messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp and for you as a restaurant owner, it goes fully automatically.

It uses the smartphone of the guest instead of physical hardware in your quick service restaurant and it can take orders for table service, delivery and pickup, all in one channel.

Payments are handled in the chatbot via more than 10 national and international payment methods, including credit card, Apple Pay and PayPal. Learn more about how the chatbot works

Data to improve guest experience in your quick service restaurant

The beauty of using chatbots instead of self-ordering kiosks to take orders is also the collection of data. By using a chatbot, you can collect individual preferences of guests. It’s a 1-1 relationship you’re building.

Next, you can easily send promotional messages, even if the guest is not in your quick service restaurant. "It’s Friday night. Do you want to order pizza for delivery again?" How convenient.

Self-ordering kiosks for quick service restaurants have been a good first step in using more digital technology in restaurant. However, digital technology never stops to develop, so new ways and tools are coming.