Fast-Food Kiosks Slow To Catch On In U.S.

Bradenton Herald:

CHICAGO - Shoppers can buy gas, check in for a flight or scan their own groceries without the help of a clerk, but the self-serve kiosks revolutionizing so much of the world are having a tough time gaining traction in the nation’s fast-food industry.

Proponents say many customers prefer to take control of their order, rather than idling in line. They can order fries by just touching a picture of them on the screens of the machines developed by Miami-based Boink Systems Inc., Radiant Systems Inc. of Atlanta and RoboServer Systems Corp. of Las Vegas.

While major restaurant chains such as McDonald’s Corp., Taco Bell, Burger King and Dairy Queen have considered the idea, none has taken the step to order a roll-out of the technology.

“The country is not quite ready for self-serve,” said Devin Green, chief executive of ESP Systems LLC, which is deploying a system for alerting a restaurant’s staff that a patron needs service. “This is a people business. People go to a restaurant to be served.”

Dick Rivera, president and chief executive of Rubicon Enterprises and former chief operating officer of Darden Restaurants, there may be other ways “to put the customer in control that don’t detract from service.” Darden Restaurants owns Red Lobster and Olive Garden and other chains.

Bill Whitman, a spokesman for McDonald’s, said self-serve isn’t ready yet for prime time, at least at the Golden Arches.

“The opportunity that we see with kiosks is largely with convenience with customers in the play area,” said Whitman.