McDonalds kiosk, the alternatives to equip your restaurant in 2023

The McDonald's kiosk has become a reference for many restaurant owners. For more than 10 years, the brand has been equipping its restaurants with this technology. This allowed them to significantly increase their turnover, but also to gain more market shares compared to their competitors such as Burger King or Five Guys.

Independent restaurant owners also see a real opportunity to develop their business, and decide to also acquire order kiosks. The price of a McDonald's kiosk being at least €15,000, many are turning to alternatives that are much cheaper, but just as effective.

How the McDonalds kiosks became a functional tool

How does McDonald's kiosk work ?

Ordering a meal at McDonald's couldn't be easier. All you have to do is have a bank card and be guided on the order kiosk. Customers discover a digital menu where they can easily select the products they want. Thanks to the payment terminal, payment is made directly on the terminal. A receipt is then printed with the order summary. It serves as proof of purchase so customers can pick up their food directly at the counter.

The McDonald's kiosk was set up to meet customers' need for speed, especially during meal times between 12:00 and 14:00 and 19:00 and 21:00 Everyone wins, customers are served quickly, and the brand reduces wait times during rush hours.

Centralized order management

McDonalds control kiosks are also a tool that allows you to centralize all orders. Previously, an employee had to systematically give the order ticket to the kitchen to start the preparation, but also re-enter each of the sales made during the day into his cash register system. Today it's all over.

Once the order is taken from the kiosk, it arrives directly in the kitchen on preparation screens. It is also automatically entered into the brand's POS, which calculates the turnover achieved to the nearest second.

This allows McDonald's to better manage its orders, but also to monitor its stocks in real time. It also brings greater visibility into restaurant activity, thus promoting the improvement of other processes to improve performance.

Innovation, a major challenge for the McDonald's brand

The McDonald's kiosk, at the heart of the strategy

With 1.8 million meals served per day, McDonald's has no room for error. The challenge today for the group is to gain flexibility without losing sight of the efficiency standards of the number one fast-food restaurant. For example, here are the few aspects for which a long period of research and development has been carried out.

• Saves time during payment

It is undoubtedly a well-kept secret! When the order is placed on the McDonald's kiosk, it is already sent in preparation when the customer presses “pay”, and not when the payment is made. Cela saves about 20 seconds for each order and thus promotes production in the kitchen.

For home delivery, McDonald's is currently in the testing phase. When customers place their order from the app, order preparation is started when the delivery person arrives less than three minutes from the restaurant.

• Geolocated table service

Technology at the service of fast food will never cease to surprise. Once the order is taken at the McDonald's kiosk, and the sandwiches are ready. These are placed next to the counter. A screen shows the assignments based on the orders placed both for the eBike and the Click and Collect. Another novelty concerns table service. Once the order has been paid at the kiosk, the customer takes an easel which, thanks to sensors scattered inside and in the restaurant, allows the waiter to bring the order more quickly.

Loyalty at the heart of the brand's goals

Since its creation, McDonald's has been a pioneer in the evolution of services provided to its customers: drive-thru, free Wi-Fi, order kiosks, Click & Collect, table service and home delivery were invented thanks to listening to and observing customers. Also, loyalty was a major challenge in view of the rise of brands such as Burger King or Five Guys.

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So, McDonald's is completely digitizing its loyalty system. The famous loyalty card is now directly accessible on customers' smartphones. All they have to do is scan it on the order kiosk, and thus earn loyalty points allowing them to reach different levels.

• Level 1 - 15 points: A hot drink or a small cold drink or a hamburger of your choice offered
• Level 2 - 30 Points: A free cheeseburger or a McDonald's sandwich or a box of 4 Chicken McNuggets
• Level 3 - 45 Points: A sundae or a McFlurry or a pastry of your choice offered depending on availability in the restaurant
• Level 4 - 60 Points: A sandwich of your choice offered according to availability in the restaurant
• Level 5 - 75 Points: A Best Of menu of your choice offered according to availability in the restaurant (excluding Grands Premiums and Signature range)

McDonald's order kiosk, equip your restaurant yourself

Cheap charging station alternatives

Many restaurant owners are adopting this innovative solution, which gives them numerous advantages. Others are still reluctant due to relatively high prices. Indeed, very few restaurant owners can afford to pay more than 10,000 euros for a kiosk like at McDonalds. However, there are many alternatives for equipping yourself with cheaper kiosks, the best known remains the solution. Tabesto.

It is one of the leaders in the control kiosk market. The company offers order kiosks that are accessible to all types of restaurants.

The strength of Tabesto lies in an irreproachable customer service that is accessible 7 days a week when needed, but also in an order taking solution at the cutting edge of technology.

Advantages of a control kiosk

Several brands, independent companies as well as chains, have made the choice to gradually make the transition from a traditional service to a service. using exclusively or partially digital solutions. These solutions have proven their worth, particularly in the context of health restrictions, by allowing many restaurants to improve order taking, but also:

• To increase the average basket of their customers by 15 to 30%.
• To have better management of restaurant stocks.
• To reduce the phenomena of queues.
• To speed up the rotation of tables, and thus to serve more customers during the service.
• To reduce customer waiting by taking orders more quickly via the kiosk.
• To streamline service during rush periods by allowing orders to be taken both at the counter and at the order kiosks.

Acquiring a McDonald's kiosk is therefore accessible to any restaurant owner. wishing to develop its business and its turnover quickly. It is becoming more and more democratic, and is gradually becoming an indispensable tool.

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