Giada Showcases Embedded Computing Embedded World 2026, one of the world’s most influential exhibitions for embedded systems and industrial computing, took place from March 10–12, 2026 in Nuremberg Messe. At the event, Giada Technology presented its latest embedded computing and industrial hardware solutions designed for digital signage, industrial automation, and intelligent edge applications. It signals that Giada is using Embedded World 2026 as… Read More »
Photo provided by the Consumer Technology Association. Tech Report from Las Vegas Everyone knows AI is changing the way we live. What became obvious walking the CES show this week is that everything from making the morning coffee to using the toilet to knowing the best route to get to wherever you’re going when you leave the house… Read More »
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 »
Robots for Food Delivery in Restaurants It’s a good time with NRA coming up to review some of the robot servers that are “flooding” the market now. Recently a feature on CBSnews and California restaurant (see link below) Key players in this emerging market include Appetronix Inc, Euphotic Labs, Home Tech Innovation Inc, Hyper Food Robotics Ltd, Kitchen… Read More »
National Restaurant Show, May 16-19, McCormick Place, Chicago The race is on in the restaurant space. Consumers, time pressed and increasingly tech savvy, rely on commercial foodservice for their daily meals, inflation notwithstanding. To meet this demand, foodservice operators cannot take a breather in acquiring the most cost efficient tools at their disposal. No small feat for an… Read More »
NAMA Los Angeles (Post-Show) + the 2024–2025 Census: growth is real, but the category is changing The NAMA show in Los Angeles is now in the books—and the 2024–2025 State of Convenience Services Census is out. Together, they confirm what operators already feel day-to-day: This is no longer “just vending.” It’s becoming a distributed network of self-service retail… Read More »
Giada Edge AI Media Player — Giada (Shenzhen JIEHE Technology) designs embedded computing platforms that power kiosks, digital signage, and edge AI systems. Giada is not the kiosk. It is not the software. Giada is the pragmatic edge compute layer for high-volume, display-driven self-service deployments. Where Giada Fits Modern self-service systems follow a consistent architecture: User Interface — kiosk, display,… Read More »
AI plays a key role in convenience services post-COVID rebound “Fresh Food, No Kitchen Required” was how Aramark Refreshments greeted visitors at Imagination Way, the entry point at the NAMA 2026 trade show in Los Angeles last week. That theme carried itself throughout the Los Angeles Convention Center as attendees discovered the myriad ways unattended retail technology enables… Read More »
Upgrading Legacy Kiosks to Edge AI Don’t Rip and Replace: Adding 26 TOPS of AI to Legacy Kiosks for Under $200 The most expensive phrase in the self-service industry is “end of life.” AI accelerators for your PCs — This is a look at Hailo upgrade to PC. We also compare to the Giada alternative and cover Coral… Read More »
NAMA 2026 Preview — Vending Becomes the Backbone of Unattended Retail NAMA (thenamashow.org) continues to evolve from a traditional vending show into unattended retail, payments, and automated commerce. If NRF is front-of-house retail theater and HIMSS is clinical workflow, NAMA is where real-world monetization infrastructure gets built. Date: April 22-24 Location: Los Angeles This year’s show reinforces a… Read More »
NAMA Show 2026 in Los Angeles Has there ever been a more exciting time to be in the convenience services industry? Take a look at the education schedule for NAMA 2026 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, April 22-24. The capabilities introduced by AI and related technologies have unleashed extensive possibilities for delivering white glove quality service in… Read More »
Today, March 29, 2026, the self-service industry is recalibrating as the QSR sector reaches a $1.55 trillion valuation milestone, driven more by tech-enabled price optimization than foot traffic. While the “hardware wars” continue in Asia, the domestic focus has shifted to Unified Automation Stacks—moving away from fragmented “cool kiosks” toward integrated, resilient infrastructure that manages everything from labor… Read More »
Retail Automation is no longer a “pilot program”—it is the 2026 baseline for survival. We’ve officially moved past the hype of “cool kiosks” into the reality of a converged Automation Stack. From Walmart’s 5,200-store DSL rollout to the rise of hot food robotics (shoutout to Sodexo and ART), the infrastructure is shifting under our feet. I’ve just published… Read More »
We are right that the initial “gold rush” phase—where everyone thought they could launch a generic burger brand from a parking lot pod—has definitely cooled off. But the model hasn’t died; it’s just consolidated and matured into something more professional and data-driven. As of early 2026, the industry has moved away from the “fly-by-night” virtual brand toward more… Read More »
The Self-Service industry is comprised of many topics and yes, it is complicated 🙂 Many verticals of all types. You often find patient check-in located in a supermarket for example. Here are our main topics Restaurant Technology Guide – Self‑order kiosks, drive‑thru and menu board systems, and AI‑driven ordering for QSR and fast‑casual restaurants. Self‑Service Technology Statistics – Market size,… Read More »
Good to Know Regarding Restaurants and Self-Service Kiosks, AI, Payments & the Modern Restaurant Stack Restaurants are no longer asking if they should deploy self-service—they are deciding how fast they can scale it. Labor pressure, rising costs, and customer expectations for speed have pushed digital ordering from “nice-to-have” to core infrastructure. Whether it’s a self-order kiosk in a… Read More »
Retaurants Self-Service – Kiosks, Drive-Thru, Menu Boards and more. The Self-Service Innovation Pavilion at NRA Show 2026 (Booth #5829, North Building) showcases a fully integrated, enterprise-grade self-service stack for restaurant operators. This is not a single vendor display—it is a coordinated ecosystem covering: Kiosk hardware AI and conversational interfaces Regulatory and Accessibility compliance (ADA / EAA / UL… Read More »
What Was Notable at HIMSS 2026 No one questions the importance of healthcare (here is our Hub for healthcare fyi). Sooner or later, it becomes everyone’s primary concern. The automation explosion that is changing human activities by the day is transforming healthcare in more ways than many people recognize. Those who attended last week’s HIMSS 2026 Las Vegas… Read More »
China’s upcoming Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) marks a decisive shift in the global technology landscape. Rather than focusing primarily on economic growth, Beijing is doubling down on technological sovereignty and industrial independence, particularly in hardware sectors such as semiconductors, AI accelerators, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. For global hardware vendors—and for industries that rely heavily on embedded computing, displays, and… Read More »
How Vending is Driving Electronic Payments The unattended retail sector—spanning vending machines, micro markets, and smart stores—has rapidly evolved into a sophisticated, high-value retail channel powered by digital payments and automation. In vending automation, the big majority of cash payments are for small dollar items. And that is where the change is coming. Cashless payments removed the industry’s… Read More »
What Is Kiosk Software? Kiosk software defines how users interact with the system—and how operators manage it at scale. This includes application software, remote device management, content control, analytics, security, and integration with POS, EHR, CRM, or payment platforms. Software Companies 2026 Standard for Edge AI and NPU Remote Monitoring More Remote Monitoring Digital Signage Software Sitekiosk Amazon… Read More »
Recent developments in self‑service technology for major restaurant chains Here’s our SST summary (January 25, 2026) focused on meaningful recent developments in self‑service technology for major restaurant chains (kiosks, conversational/voice AI, drive‑thru AI, robotics/automation, computer‑vision, and app/mobile ordering): Key Recent Developments AI & Drive‑Thru Ordering McDonald’s continues expanding AI applications in 2026, integrating AI across operations—improving drive‑thru accuracy and exploring… Read More »
Walmart, 7-Eleven Expand Self-Service Key Duplication Walmart is significantly expanding its rollout of self-service key duplication kiosks from KeyMe Locksmiths, reinforcing the shift toward automated, zero-labor retail services. In 2025 alone, Walmart added 1,667 new kiosks, more than doubling its in-store footprint. By the end of 2026, KeyMe kiosks will be available in over 3,330 Walmart locations. KeyMe’s… Read More »
Photo provided by the National Retail Federation. NRF Big Show 2026 Report One would be guilty of hyperbole to say that the NRF Big Show in New York City has become the largest self-service technology show in the world. But a veteran attendee can certainly say the number of unattended service exhibits has surged every year, driven by… Read More »
Walmart Self-Checkout Strategy Overview (2025) By 2025, Walmart handles self-checkout differently. Instead of just installing extra machines, they mix smart tech into the process. Artificial intelligence helps run some checkouts now. Shoppers can scan items on their phones while moving through aisles. A few stores test systems where payment happens without scanning at all. In places with higher… Read More »
Cover photo provided by the Consumer Technology Association. CES 2026 Preview Economic uncertainty hangs across much of the globe, but technology remains on the march. AI spending will continue to rise in 2026, with 68% of CEOs increasing investment, according to Teneo, the CEO advisory firm. Next week’s CES show in Las Vegas (Jan. 6-9) will preview much… Read More »
What We Saw Going On that was Meaningful Self-service technology in restaurants has moved beyond pilots. AI drive-thru, kiosks, mobile-first ordering, and selective automation are now operational realities—especially in QSR and fast casual. Here’s a short executive brief summarizing what’s actually happening across major brands as we head into 2026. Executive Brief McDonald’s — Rolled out Order Ahead… Read More »
LG Rolls Out New Self-Order Kiosks in Japan with USEN USEN Corporation and LG Electronics launch self ordering/payment kiosk in Japanese market. Importance of Announcement Restaurant and retail operators should care because LG’s Japan/Korea kiosks show where global self-order tech is heading: accessibility-by-design hardware (height-adjustable, screen reader, tactile, and voice) that can serve more customers independently and reduce… Read More »
Big Rollout Announced, Stratacache Lawsuit and Patents Worth noting some news around Alpha Modus. Bill payment kiosk to be rolled out to thousands of locations. The AlphaCash kiosks scheduled for deployment in Q1 2026, will initially offer Check Cashing, Money Transfer, Event Tickets, and Mobile Top-Up, with additional services planned as adoption grows. They are suing Stratacache —… Read More »
A look at kiosks, digital signage, lockers and other self-service trends Kiosks, Digital Signage & Unattended Retail Metrics by the Kiosk Association — (TIG and the kiosk association compiles this data for the benefit of is members and supporters. The KMA does not sell the report but provides it on an inform and educate basis.) Self-service technology has… Read More »
Where Kiosks, Digital Signage & Unattended Retail Deliver ROI We are constantly asked. “Where does self-service technology these days benefit the retailer and the customer. Self-service technology has moved far beyond simple ticketing or check-in. In 2025–2026, the strongest growth is coming from multi-modal automation ecosystems — kiosks, digital signage, vending, AI-driven POS, smart lockers, and cloud analytics.… Read More »
A Look at the Past and Into The Future with Digital Signage or Better Digital Screenage Digital signage has come a long way—from flickering neon and bulky CRT displays to today’s ultra-thin, AI-enhanced, cloud-managed systems. Yet, despite the explosive growth and visibility of digital signage in every sector—from retail to airports—its history has remained surprisingly under-documented. This post… Read More »
Top 50 POS Point-of-Sale Systems report by TIG The restaurant technology landscape is undergoing a major transformation driven by the rapid evolution of point-of-sale (POS) systems. As the operational hub of modern dining, POS platforms have moved far beyond simple transaction processing to become integrated ecosystems powering every aspect of service delivery, customer engagement, and business intelligence. Within… Read More »
Research Market Report Data for Top 50 Restaurants By TIG … The restaurant sector continues to evolve rapidly as operators leverage self-service technologies to improve efficiency, enhance customer experience, and drive profitability. Within the top 50 U.S. restaurant brands, the adoption of kiosk ordering systems, mobile apps, digital menu boards, and AI-enabled platforms has accelerated, signaling a clear… Read More »
AI and Kiosks Article Preview – WIP We don’t usually do this but here is the preliminary outline for our upcoming article AI and Intelligent Kiosks. Comments and suggestions are welcome. [email protected] We have a new columnist coming on board with market research experience and input and interviews are always helpful I. Introduction – The New Intelligence Behind… Read More »
