Electronic ordering kiosks/self-checkout

[bcla]

Just wondering what people's experience has been with these.

Just recently I went to a local Costco to order a whole pizza, when someone in line (was a Costco employee) told me that the layout had changed and I was in a prepaid pickup only line. I didn't quite understand why there were three windows just for pickup and one for cash, but I got in line and ordered. I didn't see any of the usual pin-pads where one could use a credit/debit card or maybe a Costco Cash card. Then as I exited with my pizza I noticed there was a table that had maybe 6 touch screens with pin-pads for ordering and paying by card. Whole pizza itself was picked up at the same specific window.

Several McDonald's I've been to have these ordering kiosks now. It might depend on the individual location, but I was at one (Seattle - near the Space Needle) where it was mandatory to order using one unless the customer had a disability. They do scan for coupon codes, but they don't always work well. And if you pay with cash, it spits out a receipt where the customer still needs to go to the counter to pay, although it doesn't take much time.

Of course self-checkout at supermarkets and discount stores has been around for a while. I use them because the lines are typically faster, but I notice quite a few people refuse to use them. Occasionally they have problems, but there's usually one employee present to do manual overrides. The thing that really annoys me is if my kid is with me and picking something up or leaning on the platform triggers a message that it needs to be cleared. I guess they have that because they weigh the items to try and catch people adding things that weren't scanned.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

The one McD that has kiosks, that I've ever used (it's at a Pilot on the way to MI that we always stop at), don't have a scanner for the app, which is the only reason I would go to McD so I can get the buy one, get one free McCAfe's, so it's really not useful to me.

I LOVE Panera's kiosks. I was recently in MI at a Panera and they didn't have them. Sometimes I forget I live in a "Big City" area where things are usually a little more technically advanced than my rural MI (but I still love MI more!)

Our Costco doesn't have the kiosks, but I would LOVE if they got them! Maybe I will suggest it.

I self-scan at Target, I refuse to do it at Marianos. I feel like I pay enough of a premium to shop there, I don't feel I need to give myself a part-time job just to get out of the store with my groceries.

I am a lunatic when my kids are with me at the self-scans and they lean on the scale. Seriously! They have been around all my kids' lives...they KNOW BETTER! lol

 

[BLAZEY]

Our McDonald`s have these too, but there are still a couple of cashiers for people who don't want to use these or are paying with cash. I personally hate them and the self check outs. I have always found them to take longer than waiting in line for human cashier. The are always not scanning or are broke down, and I have to wait for the attendant anyways. If I have 1 item I may use them but more I will go to a real human cashier. Our Canadian Tire put them in a couple of years ago. They are now gone and 2 human cashier have replace the machines.

 

[tvguy]

Walmart, and the local chain grocery store have the self checks.
Walmart's seem to work just fine.
The local grocery store's have issues. You scan a gallon of milk and put it in the bagging area and the computer ladies voice says "UNEXPECTED ITEM IN THE BAGGING AREA". How on earth is it unexpected? I scanned it. I was charged for it. The computer should have known how much a gallon of milk weighs. Then someone has to come over and clear it.
Walmart seems to have turned off that function.

 

[bcla]

The one McD that has kiosks, that I've ever used (it's at a Pilot on the way to MI that we always stop at), don't have a scanner for the app, which is the only reason I would go to McD so I can get the buy one, get one free McCAfe's, so it's really not useful to me.

I LOVE Panera's kiosks. I was recently in MI at a Panera and they didn't have them. Sometimes I forget I live in a "Big City" area where things are usually a little more technically advanced than my rural MI (but I still love MI more!)

Our Costco doesn't have the kiosks, but I would LOVE if they got them! Maybe I will suggest it.

I self-scan at Target, I refuse to do it at Marianos. I feel like I pay enough of a premium to shop there, I don't feel I need to give myself a part-time job just to get out of the store with my groceries.

I am a lunatic when my kids are with me at the self-scans and they lean on the scale. Seriously! They have been around all my kids' lives...they KNOW BETTER! lol

Well - what usually happens is that I'm buying something for my kid, who then can't wait to grab it. Depending on the system it might have a message of "Would you like to skip bagging?" or it stops everything if the item was removed from the platform and then waits for an employee to clear it.

The scanner for the McDonald's kiosk should be under the pin pad. Sometimes I can't get it to scan, but there should be an option to manually enter the coupon code. Also - the coupon code has to be sampled first, then the item selected, which is the total opposite of how it's used at the counter. I've only seen the kind in the photo, but I don't have a lot of experience with them outside of that one location in Seattle and the ones here in California. Not all locations have them, and the one in Seattle was the only one I've seen where it's required to order using them.

I've seen a few other restaurants that have that kind of ordering, but often it's using specially programmed tablet computers. The one at my local Costco seems to be pretty new. I played around with one to see how it worked before cancelling the order, and apparently it doesn't require an active Costco membership. I found some video showing one of the early testing sites for the system:

I'm not sure how this is going to work if it's at a location with an outdoor food court. Those are popular with people who aren't Costco members. I'm not sure if they would place them indoors and pickup is outdoors. I don't think weather is a concern because it's usually covered, but they could be subject to vandalism at night when nobody is there.

 

[bcla]

Walmart, and the local chain grocery store have the self checks.
Walmart's seem to work just fine.
The local grocery store's have issues. You scan a gallon of milk and put it in the bagging area and the computer ladies voice says "UNEXPECTED ITEM IN THE BAGGING AREA". How on earth is it unexpected? I scanned it. I was charged for it. The computer should have known how much a gallon of milk weighs. Then someone has to come over and clear it.
Walmart seems to have turned off that function.

Totally random, but I have this quirk where I like to spend $2 bills. And I've tried them at various self-checkout locations. I haven't found a single self-checkout that wouldn't accept them.

 

[gillep]

Always use self checkouts if available (and not buying alcohol in CA), like the ordering kiosks but not a lot of places that I go near me have them, my favorite are the apps where I can order ahead and have my food waiting for me when I arrive (shutout to Panera).

I have pretty much gotten self checkouts down to a science, even using my own bags without any employee intervention.

 

[tvguy]

Totally random, but I have this quirk where I like to spend $2 bills. And I've tried them at various self-checkout locations. I haven't found a single self-checkout that wouldn't accept them.

LOL. I went to the bank 6 years ago to get $2 bills for tips on a cruise I was taking. Used to be a very common suggestion on the Cruise Line Forum. Teller looked at me like I was crazy. "I've never seen a $2 bill and I don't thing the U.S. uses them". She did go ask the manager, who came over and said they could order as many as I wanted from the Federal Reserve and have them in 2 days, but they don't keep them on hand.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I don’t get the point of them at places like Red Robin. I’m fine with them for fast food or grocery checkout.

 

[bcla]

LOL. I went to the bank 6 years ago to get $2 bills for tips on a cruise I was taking. Used to be a very common suggestion on the Cruise Line Forum. Teller looked at me like I was crazy. "I've never seen a $2 bill and I don't thing the U.S. uses them". She did go ask the manager, who came over and said they could order as many as I wanted from the Federal Reserve and have them in 2 days, but they don't keep them on hand.

I've never had a teller look at me like I was crazy at any bank when I asked for them. I've been told they didn't have any at times. I've waited a the teller to ask other tellers if they had any. And if I wanted a bunch (I've gotten as many as $800 at a time) they might end up going to the vault to get them. I was usually told that it wasn't a problem because they eventually have to go to the vault to get bills anyways.

 

[bcla]

I don’t get the point of them at places like Red Robin. I’m fine with them for fast food or grocery checkout.

You mean the ordering tablets? I guess if your server is really busy you can use them to order additional items or to pay. I remember once I was told I could find my loyalty program number through the tablet. I don't think I've ever paid through it though. On one occasion my kid played around with one and ended up accidentally ordering their games, which cost maybe $2. I've also been able to find out what the bill would be before the server brought in the paper version.

 

[GreatLakes]

I like them. So far I have had better luck with alterations to my meals when ordering electronically (either kiosk or web/app). It seems like they pay more attention to the requests like no sauce or extra tomato when you order electronically.

 

[bcla]

I suppose the systems are also tied into online ordering. I kind of like those because I can take my time and not feel like I'm holding up a line. Also - I've been able to order combo deals that weren't available at the restaurant. Also - I've seen modifications available that were a lot clearer than trying to explain what I want to a cashier.

 

[Colleen27]

I despise the ones at McDs. The categories just aren't intuitive and the interface response is slow enough that I tend to jump the gun and tap again before it reacts, which means I then have to undo whatever the second tap did. I'm not a big fan of grocery store self-scans either, just because it adds work to something that is already a chore to begin with - I don't want to ring up and bag my own stuff unless I have a tiny order (which I never do, with a household of 6!).

The one place I do like them, at least when they're paired with adequate staffing, is table service restaurants. I love being able to "call" the waiter if s/he pulls a disappearing act when I want a refill, and I like not having to wait for the check, then for the server to run my card and return for a signature/tip. Plus there's no letting the card out of my sight, which isn't something I'm overly concerned about but do recognize as a minor security risk.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

You mean the ordering tablets? I guess if your server is really busy you can use them to order additional items or to pay. I remember once I was told I could find my loyalty program number through the tablet. I don't think I've ever paid through it though. On one occasion my kid played around with one and ended up accidentally ordering their games, which cost maybe $2. I've also been able to find out what the bill would be before the server brought in the paper version.

That’s them, but they’ve been completely useless when we’ve used them. Server ended up spending twice as much time setting it up than he or she could have saved. Last time at RR, the server just shoved it aside as soon as we sat down.

 

[bcla]

That’s them, but they’ve been completely useless when we’ve used them. Server ended up spending twice as much time setting it up than he or she could have saved. Last time at RR, the server just shoved it aside as soon as we sat down.

I don't believe I've ever ordered through one, but I have seen them used for the loyalty program. I think that's where I entered the loyalty program info in order to get a discount.

 

[Diznygrl]

Self-checkouts, I can take or leave. But I think ordering kiosks like the new ones at McDonald's are ridiculous and unnecessary. Maybe it's because I don't ever do special orders where I need to make 15 different changes to a hamburger, but at any rate you have to tap through a bunch of steps just to order something, which takes WAY longer than walking up to the counter and saying, "Two #1s for here." Plus if you pay cash it's even more of a waste of time because you have to go up to the counter to pay anyway. I avoid the kiosks whenever I can (sometimes a particular McD's will MAKE you use them). IMO this is a situation of just because you can (make a fancy touchscreen ordering station) doesn't mean you should.

 

[emmybee]

I refuse to use them. It strikes me as a ploy to not pay for labor, and I cannot support that. For each machine I see the loss of a job for a human being. So I'll wait in line, and if they ever got long enough to be ridiculous due to lack of employees, management will hear about it from me.

 

[superme80]

I refuse to use them. It strikes me as a ploy to not pay for labor, and I cannot support that. For each machine I see the loss of a job for a human being. So I'll wait in line, and if they ever got long enough to be ridiculous due to lack of employees, management will hear about it from me.

Me too. I only use them at the grocery store if they have a shorter line and I am short on time. 90% of the time I use a regular cashier. Not a fan of having to pay at my table at restaurants.

 

[disneychrista]

I like the self checkout's because I am rarely buying more than 10 things and it is faster. Not so much a fan of the kiosk at McDonald's (which they were forcing people to use the last time I went for lunch). I use cash and I still have to go to a cashier to pay, so why can't they just take my order.