Elliot Maras Profile

Elliot Maras — Self-Service Technology Journalist, Industry Analyst and Event Moderator Elliot Maras is one of the leading journalists and analysts covering self-service technology, unattended retail, kiosk systems, restaurant automation, vending technology, and retail automation. With more than 30 years of reporting experience, he provides market intelligence, conference coverage, executive thought leadership, and strategic communications services for technology… Read More »

NRA Kiosk News – Elliot Maras Tours NRA & QSR POS Providers

Original article by Elliot Maras published on KioskMarketplace May 2019 The self-service drumbeat rattled Chicago’s McCormick Place last week as attendees swarmed exhibits promising faster customer service. This year’s National Restaurant Show showcased even more interactive kiosks (39 exhibitors) than last year’s record-breaking 36 exhibitors. Less than a third of this year’s companies (11 exhibitors) were repeats from… Read More »

Top 10 Kiosk stories of 2017 per KMC: Self-order food kiosks dominate reader interest

Self-order kiosks in restaurants dominated reader interest in 2017 as several national foodservice chains announced kiosk deployments.

Source: www.kioskmarketplace.com

Writeup on most read stories on KMC this past year by Elliot Maras. 

 

1. best read story in 2017 was a summary of self-serve kiosk introductions at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago.

 

2. The second best read story addressed disability access lawsuits, an ongoing issue that continues to dog self-service technology. 

 

3. Redbox announced plans to add 1,500 kiosks. 

 

The usual “we are going to launch” PRs. 

 

KFC to launch 5,000 kiosks with facial recognition to predict customers’ orders in China. Interesting that they have partnered with Baidu (BIDU).

 

Subway and McDonalds of course.

 

I think here in December a lot of buzz for Taco Bell and YUM has been percolating.  One might think they have issued an RFP…

Independent ATMs 2025: Evolution Continues

Independent ATMs 2025: Evolution Continues By Elliot Maras | October 8, 2025 0 Comment Bruce Renard, executive director of NAC, and Patrick Conner, chairman, welcome attendees to Las Vegas. NAC 2025 Serves Up Innovation In Las Vegas Attendees who converged on Caesars Palace for last week’s NAC 2025 conference and expo came in search of a better understanding of the role… Read More »

About Kiosk Industry

Who and What Kiosk Industry is As a visitor of the Kiosk Industry, you are most likely involved in the self-service industry either as a supplier or a buyer. Welcome. Advisory Board  — Funding and governance Kiosk Industry Group is a collaborative hub for the self-service kiosk industry, curated by editor Craig Keefner. We serve as an independent… Read More »

Top Questions AI gets Asked

Kiosk Questions That Are Most Often Asked Worth examining the AI engines to see what questions they are most often asked, when it comes to kiosks.  With Google we can see “keywords” but tougher to understand the surrounding context. ChatGpt October 2025 Here are the top five kiosk questions people most often ask as of October 2025: What… Read More »

Eyebot Kiosk for Vision Screening Test

Eyebot kiosk offers push-button vision test, eyeglasses Rx Innovations in both kiosk and medical equipment technology continue to make health checkups faster and easier. People looking for a fast and easy way to get their vision checked now have a self-service solution, Eyebot, a freestanding, self-serve kiosk that offers a non-invasive, 90-minute vision test on a touchscreen. In… Read More »

AI, Connectivity, Robotics And Data Spur Self Service On Multiple Fronts

AI, Connectivity, Robotics In Self-Service It would hardly be an overstatement to say that artificial intelligence computing, in combination with more powerful connectivity, robotics and an explosion of data, has jump-started innovation in most industries. For the self-service industry, the technology has unleashed opportunities to boost customer experiences, oftentimes in a more economical manner. Such advancements have fostered… Read More »

Self-Service Market Research — Outlook by Tech providers on 2025

Tech Providers Optimistic for 2025 Self-service innovation continues to create opportunities to make buying and selling products and services easier and more convenient. Thanks in large measure to rising consumer acceptance of self-service technology, a labor shortage for traditional retail, and the evolving capabilities of self-service technology. Technology providers interviewed in recent weeks by KioskIndustry.org agreed the outlook… Read More »

NAMA Vending Preview

Don’t miss NAMA 2025 May 7-9: Convenience Service Delivered Editor’s Note: Be sure and visit Crane CPI in #2331, DPL Wireless in #1874, Actineon in 2067, and Pyramid in 2249 while at the show. Zhilai is in 2640 (pizza vending machine). 365 Markets has a HUGE booth. By Elliot Maras Keeping up with today’s technology-savvy consumer is not… Read More »

Orphan Posts

Listing of Orphan Posts To make sure google has these kiosk pages indexed we include them here. Reported from LinkScan Sep 14th — 28xx HIPAA Kiosks Section 508 Kiosks Windows Lockdown For Kiosks Android Lockdown Browser Digital Signage CMS Standard Kiosk Enclosures Tablet AIO Design Kiosk Software Custom Tablet Kiosks Payment Kiosk and Bill Pay Kiosk Kiosk Case… Read More »

Kiosk Manufacturers – Featured

Kiosk Manufacturers The Best Intro The best kiosk manufacturers and kiosk solution providers which we recommend begin with our sponsors. They are the industry leaders in their technology and solutions and these kiosk companies have a long history of success and most importantly customers which recommend them. These companies all have long track records of implementing best-in-class kiosk… Read More »

The Industry Group Advisory Board for the Kiosk Association

Funding & Governance Partners Their job is to keep us grounded and informed. The kiosk and self-service industry have the benefit of companies and people who are vested in the industry and want to help create a stronger industry.  We also maintain kma.global as the focused association news and events website.  We salute these companies which put some… Read More »

Vending CBD Kiosk Deal Is Smart – Simon Property Group

Vending kiosks for malls Vending CBD kiosks’ novelty might serve as an added attraction for shoppers, while short-term kiosk leases are low risk. Article published March 7, 2019 on National Real Estate Investor.  Excerpt follows.  — https://www.nreionline.com/retail/simon-property-group-s-cbd-kiosk-deal-smart-way-benefit-emerging-trend-experts-say Liz Wolf | Mar 07, 2019 Simon Property Group is introducing a new line-up of mall kiosks, which many might agree is not your… Read More »

Join the Kiosk Manfacturer Association

Support the Kiosk Association Beginning in November 2015 we began accepting membership and sponsors thru end of 2016. The mission of the group is to promote kiosks and related self-service technology along with best practices. We do this via success stories, kiosk case studies and news releases. Multiple RFP services help us (and you) keep an eye on… Read More »

McDonalds Kiosks – Feature – Serves you right!

Good article by Elliot Maras published last week regarding jobs and the fast food kiosk. By now you’ve already heard it — the introduction of self-order restaurant kiosks is raising fears that kiosks are killing jobs. News media outlets and websites are perpetuating the story that restaurants want to replace workers with kiosks to protect their bottom lines.… Read More »

Kiosk Industry Group – About

About Kiosk Industry Group Kiosk Industry Group operates as a collective “cooperative” device for the self-service kiosk industry and generally moderated by the perspective for the editor Craig Keefner. The kma.global Kiosk Manufacturer Association is confined to being an association with bylaws and officers and committees.  All of that was and is necessary to get our collective perspective… Read More »

McDonalds Kiosk Effect dominates NRA Kiosk Show

The number of self-order kiosks on display at the National Restaurant Show nearly tripled over last year’s exhibits as hardware and software manufacturers rushed to meet the demand from restaurants.

Source: www.fastcasual.com

Good review of self-order kiosks at NRA 2018.

 

Excerpt:  

What a difference a year makes! Last year’s National Restaurant Show featured 12 self-serve kiosks. This year, the number on display at Chicago’s McCormick Place nearly tripled as kiosk manufacturers scrambled to meet the restaurant industry’s demand to improve customer service with new technology.

 

As McDonald’s continues its nationwide rollout of self-order kiosks, thousands of QSRs and fast casual restaurants don’t want to get left behind and are shopping the market. 

 

Kiosk hardware and software manufacturers continue to fine tune their self-order kiosks, while POS system manufacturers introduce kiosk modules that integrate with mobile ordering, kitchen display systems and back-office management software.

 

Many of the offerings on display support customer conveniences beyond self-order and pay, such as order pickup, nutrition information, digital messaging and customer loyalty programs. 

Following are highlights from the trade show floor listed in alphabetical order: