Your Kiosk Order Is More Than an Order — It May Be Training a Customer Model A recent Gizmodo headline got our attention: “Your McDonald’s File is Probably Bigger Than Your FBI File.” That is intentionally provocative and sensational. But the story behind it is considerably more interesting for the self-service industry. Gizmodo was reporting on a WIRED… Read More »
Pilot Adds 156 Self-Order Kiosks Across Wendy’s Locations Pilot Company, North America’s largest travel center operator, is modernizing food ordering across its network by deploying self-order kiosks and adopting the digital platforms already used by its quick-service restaurant partners, as reported by Chain Store Age’s Dan Berthiaume. Down towards the end of his story Dan brings up the… Read More »
Lots of digital signage content the last 30 days. We are big fans of interactive digital screens and not so much of strictly digital signage (though we track media players on thinclient.org) Europe has written the rulebook for interactive self-service and the U.S. has not, while signage vendors are walking into interactive territory without noticing they just crossed… Read More »
Europe Wrote Most of One Conversational AI, voice ordering, multilingual kiosks and the drive-thru lane sit almost entirely outside U.S. accessibility law. They do not sit outside European law. Here is what to specify. The Industry Group | Summer 2026 | kioskindustry.org This is the companion to our piece on the shelved Access Board kiosk rule, The ADA… Read More »
Why Custom Kiosk Enclosure Design Matters Understanding kiosk enclosure design — The difference between a kiosk that thrives and one that fails often comes down to design. Expert kiosk designers don’t just design kiosks that work—they design kiosks that delight, inspire confidence, and deliver results. It takes years of trial and error to understand the nuances of kiosk design. … Read More »
Industry statistics* show location counts and tech rollouts, but stock performance reveals where investors are putting real capital. The newly launched TIG Restaurant 20 Equity Index (R20)—an equal-weighted basket of 20 major publicly traded restaurant brands relevant to self-service, digital ordering, and labor automation—reveals a stark market divide: Casual / Full Service (5 stocks): +38.0% YoY (Led by… Read More »
Self-service technology is now fundamental infrastructure for retail, restaurants, healthcare, vending, transportation and public services. But as kiosks, self-checkout and unattended payments become routine, accessibility must become more than a final compliance review. On September 15, representatives from The Industry Group, Kiosk Industry, the Kiosk Manufacturer Association and accessibility technology partners will meet with Executive Director Sachin Dev… Read More »
PRNewswire — APnews ‘TIGER 2026’ Released with RetailNOW 2026 Event Image caption: Kiosk and POS Market Report ‘TIGER 2026′ Released with RetailNOW 2026 Event By NEWS SOURCE: The Industry Group Published 9:27 AM MDT, July 20, 2026 – The report sizes the global self-service kiosk market at 39.4 billion dollars in 2024, growing to 82.1 billion dollars by 2031 –… Read More »
Accessibility From The Start – Designed, Configured and Tested This is the first kiosk designed from the ground up for accessibility. TFA is known for its work with Southwest Airlines and their check-in units. This is the first AI-assist for conversational AI voice kiosk we have seen. Not surprised to see Soundhound in the mix. Starting at $2667. … Read More »
The $50,000 Question Why scrap a $4,000 stainless steel enclosure because a $400 PC or a $200 card reader is obsolete? The Compliance Hammer: HHS 504 and EAA 2025/2026. The Hardware Reality: Transitioning from “Passive Terminals” to “Edge AI Hubs.” Retrofit or Replace Toolkit — discount for NRA Section 1: The “Brain” Swap Legacy PC Assessment: Identifying the… 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, HMI… Read More »
Recognizing Industry Pioneers and Innovators The Kiosk Industry Group Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose long-term contributions have materially shaped the self-service, kiosk, accessibility, automation, and interactive technology industries. It exists to document and honor sustained impact over time, not short-term success or product cycles. Announcements 2026 Hall Of Fame Inductees Best of 2025 Kiosk Industry Group Awards… Read More »
Request for Information Thanks for visiting and we are happy to help. Typically we distribute your request to all of the members and they will respond to you. Craig can respond personally if you prefer. craigkeefner@pm.me craig.keefner@gmail.com You can text Craig at 720-324-1837 Top Ten Self-Service Products Our Members Provide Kiosk Enclosures – indoor, outdoor, standard, custom Kiosk… Read More »
Crypto Kiosk acceptance in self service: How fast is it moving? One key takeaway from Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas last week was promising signs of retail acceptance of cryptocurrency as a method of payment, a development that bodes well for crypto acceptance in self-service kiosks. The growth of crypto payment acceptance jibes with the ongoing expansion of… Read More »
Market Data Research for McDonald’s and Other Restaurants Report on restaurant market research and kiosks worldwide by Dataos (RBR). Much better than the usual internet scrapes for the Indian datamarts like Research & Markets. They actually contacted us and we provided input on McDonald’s and Burger King. Wendy’s too. Other research conpanies do not canvas people so kudos… Read More »
McDonald’s Kiosk Provider ACRELEC We are happy to welcome Thibaud and ACRELEC as a gold sponsor of the Association. Best known for its deep involvement with McDonald’s, ACRELEC has many customers worldwide. US headquarters are in Chicago Some interesting facts are ACRELEC has over 30,000 software licenses (many at McDonald’s I hazard the guess). Interesting too is the… Read More »
Restaurant Kiosk Technology Trends Spotted at The NRA Show 2018 With another successful year at the National Restaurant Association Show under our belts (our 13th!), we gathered the most talked about technology trends from the show to share – just in case you missed it… 1. Third-party delivery replacement Restaurant operators have come across many issues with… Read More »
Acrelec Unveils Rebrand as Company Continues Market Expansion March 27, 2025 — From CityBiz — It’s been clear for awhile that Acrelec is the leader in restaurant kiosks, and a lot more. Editors Note: The Acrelec logo communicates a sense of modernity, innovation, and technological sophistication. The stylized “A” design resembles a sleek, curved shape, suggesting dynamism and… Read More »
Cash and Coin Self-Order Kiosk We are impressed with the new cash and coin self-order kiosk from Acrelec and Glory. Good note and coin capacity and reasonably fast. From LinkedIn We are delighted to share with you the first installation in Spain of the new C27 kiosk developed by ACRELEC and GLORY. Located in Jollibee, Calle Arenal (Madrid),… Read More »
National Restaurant Association Show 2025 and Kiosk Association Visit Booth 8030 for Kiosks and Digital Signage at National Restaurant Association Show — As seen on APnews and also PRnewswire WESTMINSTER, Colo., April 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Come see Kiosk Manufacturer Association (KMA) in booth 8030 (NRA site). Self-order kiosks and smart food vending will be highlighted, implementing interactive and static digital signage… 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 »
Accessibility Considerations for Digital Screens and Wayfinding It is relatively rare to see digital signage ADA and accessibility talked about, much less demonstrated. We are guilty as well. I noticed we have no fixed category for “digital signage ADA”. We do now. Digital signage AI for sure but accessibility not. Our member 22Miles has a good infographic on… Read More »
ADVANTECH Finalizes AURES Acquisition Introducing the “ADVANTECH-AURES” Brand to the Global Market TAIPEI, Taiwan – Oct 4th, 2024 – ADVANTECH (TWSE: 2395), a global leader in AIoT and artificial intelligence, announced today that it has finalized its acquisition on block shares of AURES Technologies SA, a French Company renowned for its POS and KIOSK Brands. On October 1st,… Read More »
What Next For the Self-Service Industry? We heard about it last week and noted it on the homepage. Zebra has a knack for this. Think Motorola for example. Rumors were that Crestview wasn’t entirely happy with the results at Elo. Rumors of the sale were at RetailNOW. We are sad to see Elotouch, once again, sold off. They… 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 »
From Decline to Discipline: Why Steak ’n Shake Turned to Automation For decades, Steak ’n Shake built its reputation on made-to-order burgers, table service, and late-night diners. But by the late 2010s, that model was under severe pressure. Rising labor costs, inconsistent service, shrinking margins, and declining traffic forced leadership to rethink the fundamentals of how orders were… 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 »
Using McDonald’s Self-Order Kiosk for Interview? McDonald’s “First Job Confessional” is a reality TV‑inspired, social‑first campaign that turns order kiosks into confessional booths where people share first‑job stories in exchange for McDonald’s gift cards, both on-site and online. Noted on Marketing Dive Why this matters: McDonald’s is quietly showing how a familiar self‑order kiosk can double as a… Read More »
GRUBBRR is private (Boca Raton, spun out of Sam Zietz’s TouchSuite, which acquired it in late 2018), so everything below is third-party estimate or company-disclosed — no audited numbers exist. Seems to originated and exists still to an extent in that peculiar Samsung, NCR, Toast and Square ecosystem. Software middleware. Orchestration. Commerce Automation. Big splash was with Samsung… Read More »
Self-Service Restaurant Kiosks Enhance Customer Experience Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. and GRUBBRR team with The Chicken Shack on a self-service kiosk solution program for the restaurant chain’s multiple locations. In Brief 22 Locations (west of Mississippi) Line busting the cash register lines major benefit Increased ticket averages per customer Insight Frank Mayer has been expanding its unattended… Read More »
Drive Thru Menu Board by Peerless-AV Case Study Contact Rachel Hinds for more information (rachel RHinds@peerless-av.com) Drive Thru Menu Board case study – Ordering coffee at BigFoot Java, a popular coffee chain in the Pacific Northwest, is now even more quick and convenient. ☕ Alongside EcoDigital Media, we created an elevated, digitized drive-thru experience by installing our Outdoor… Read More »
Parcel Lockers, Food Lockers Updated August 31, 2025 — Lockers for parcel pickup and vending dispensing are surging in popularity. Apartment complexes and more. Amazon is across the 7-Eleven chain. One of the new ideas are custom solar-powered pickup lockers for residential consumers. Porch pirates are just one factor. We took a look at the space recently. What… Read More »
Kiosk Self Order with Ordering Kiosk Every week another case study for a restaurant going self-order hits my desk. While monsters like Chick-Fil-A do a test delivery site and suck all the oxygen out of the media, another small to medium business takes advantage of self-service done right. Hero Boy Sandwich in Georgia Hero Boy Sandwich Co. in… Read More »
Equitable Access for Customers Matters! Nice blog from TPGi on equitable access barrier-free aka Blind and Low Vision customers and how to give them equal access. Barrier-free and Universal Design come to mind. We are reminded of Dot Pad and braille tactile labels for Amazon Hubs in California (45,000 of them). Here is pdf of blog — TPGi… Read More »
The Hidden Benefits of Self-Order Kiosks Nice video by Acrelec covering main benefits of self-order kiosks. Self-order kiosks have become a familiar sight in restaurants, offering convenience and efficiency to customers. But beyond the obvious advantages, these kiosks bring several hidden benefits that can transform operations and elevate the dining experience. Let’s uncover what makes self-order kiosks a game-changer for restaurants.… Read More »
