Table of Contents

Learn from the Best and the Worst

Kiosk case studies can be difficult to locate. Most companies with a strong case study would rather NOT disclose to their competitors. And the bad ones are buried.

Even when you get what looks like a good case study, upon closer examination the full story is rarely told. For example Shake Shack “sounds” quite good but upon closer examination you will see that zero negative factors have been convered. There are always advantages and also disadvantages. Trade offs. One the one hand a perfectly mannered Mr. Hyde during the day, but a real Jekyll behind the scenes as well.

The lesson is that vendors and companies prefer that you only know what they want you to know. They can obscure and even hide the real facts but the final outcome cannot be changed.

Some relevant 2025 Case Studies

Shake Shack — Self-Service Kiosk Implementation

Shake Shack deployed self-service kiosks (ordering + payment) as part of a push to streamline operations and modernize customer interactions. Pyramid Technologies, Inc.
According to the case study, the kiosks helped reduce labor costs, improve efficiency, and contributed to better margins — making them a “high-margin channel” for the company. Pyramid Technologies, Inc.
Closer look — This is not a kiosk in usual sense. Basically an iPad in kiosk mode which is mounted. Consumer grade. Factors to consider:
- Problems – overheating
- battery swell (even when constantly powered)
- cable strain
- screen glare or fingerprints
- Lower upfront cost, but higher replacement frequency
- Less serviceable, shorter lifecycle
- Compliance and Liability
  - Few tablet-based kiosk enclosures meet:
  - ADA reach
  - tactile input
  - screen angle
  - wheelchair clearance
  - audio-jack standard
  - This is an area where Shake Shack is likely out of compliance.

Wesco Convenience Stores — AI-Powered Self-Checkout Expansion

In early 2025, Wesco announced it would double the number of its AI-powered checkout kiosks (from the provider Mashgin), following a “highly successful initial deployment.” Convenience

Click for full size Mashgin

This demonstrates a trend of kiosk adoption not just in fast food or retail, but in convenience stores — a segment that often deals with high transaction volumes and customer turnover, making efficiency gains impactful.
Wesco’s case underscores the growing relevance of unattended/convenience-store kiosk deployment beyond traditional fast-food or retail POS.
These are self-checkout units. The only possible use for AI is for product identification, and that should not be needed.
Size of project? Mashgin is a very small what we in the industry might call a boutique kiosk. It relies on locations and negotiates for those locations. Sports stadiums and C-Stores are large targets. In Wesco, “with the expansion,” we are talking 20 kiosks. Most standard kiosk manufacturers typically do much larger batch sizes.

Outdoor Smart-City Deployment: Sunshine Coast Council (Australia) + Giada AE613 Hardware

A 2025 case study described how Sunshine Coast Council deployed outdoor interactive kiosks (digital signage / wayfinding / public-information) in the Maroochydore City Centre using rugged Giada AE613 players. Self Service Kiosk Machine
The hardware was chosen for its reliability (wide temp range, 24/7 uptime, triple-display output), making it a viable reference for durable outdoor kiosk deployments — an increasingly relevant vertical as cities and municipalities look to deploy smart-city infrastructure. Self Service Kiosk Machine
For your kiosk-industry analysis, this case reinforces how “core kiosks” can go beyond retail/restaurant — into public infrastructure, urban wayfinding, and signage.
Worth noting Giada won Best of 2024 Award for the jukeboxes
Consistently delivery of very good case studies year after year.

2025 User-Experience & Market Survey Insight

According to a 2025 survey of kiosk users, key drivers of kiosk satisfaction are speed, convenience, order accuracy, customization, and accessibility. Younger generations in particular are driving adoption. Self Service Kiosk Machine+1
This reinforces the business case for kiosks: they’re not just operational tools — they’re strategic levers for enhancing customer experience while meeting evolving consumer expectations.
Given your interest in ADA compliance, accessibility, and inclusive design, these findings support the notion that kiosks with good UX (and accessible design) are not only preferred — but may become baseline for competitive viability.

Enterprise-grade Self-Service Implementations: Multi-Industry Use from E‑Star Kiosk Manufacturer

E-Star’s 2024 case-study summary shows wide-ranging kiosk deployments across fast food, retail, hospitality (hotels), healthcare, transportation/airports, storage/postal, and more. estarkiosk.com
These examples show kiosks’ versatility and underline the expanding scope of “core kiosk” applications — from self-ordering, check-in, payment, information, to logistics support.
For whoever is building a “top Kiosk Master List” (as you are), these provide concrete reference points — and justify a broad category-based view rather than overly narrow (e.g. only POS or only QSR).

Here is a listing of kiosk case studies –

Posts 2025: 89