Kiosks used to be something only the big chains had. Now plenty of independent restaurants, cafes and takeaways use them too. But is one worth it for a smaller venue? Here's how to decide.

What a kiosk does for you

  • Shorter queues. Customers can order and pay on their own while your team serves the next person, so the line moves faster at peak times.
  • Bigger orders. The kiosk suggests extras and upgrades with every order, without anyone having to remember to ask.
  • More time for your team. Staff spend less time taking orders and more time making and serving.
  • Customers who prefer it. Many people simply like ordering this way, and our kiosks have an accessibility mode for customers with disabilities.

Where kiosks work best

Kiosks make the biggest difference in counter-service venues with busy spells: quick-service restaurants, takeaways, cafes with a morning rush, and food halls. Pair one with a kitchen display screen and a collection screen, and customers can go from ordering to collecting without queueing at the counter at all.

If you run full table service, handhelds for ordering at the table may suit you better.

What it costs

With OnePlusTwo, all prices + VAT:

  • Kiosk hardware: the 22-inch package is £799 (Sunmi or Zebra branded) and the 27-inch package is £1,049 (Sunmi branded). Both come with a stand and printer.
  • Kiosk software: £59 a month. If you're running a till and a kiosk together, our ultimate bundle covers the software licences for one POS and one kiosk for £99 a month. Hardware isn't included in that price.
  • More kiosks: each kiosk from the second onwards is £19 a month.

See the full details on our self-service kiosks page.

A simple way to work out if it pays

You don't need a complicated business case. Take three numbers from your own venue:

  1. How many orders a month you'd expect through the kiosk
  2. How much extra you think each of those orders might add, from suggested extras and upgrades
  3. The kiosk's monthly cost

Multiply the first two together and compare the answer with the third. For example, purely as an illustration: if 1,000 kiosk orders a month each added 30p, that would be £300 a month, against a software cost of £59 a month. Then think about the time it gives back to your team, which is harder to put a number on but often just as valuable.

The bottom line

If you have counter service and queues at busy times, a kiosk is well worth a look. Book a free demo and we'll show you how it would work in your venue.