Why Ordering Food at a Kiosk Can Be Smooth, Easy—And More Expensive Than You Realize

Ordering at a restaurant kiosk could save you time. It may also stick you with a higher tab.

Chains from Panera to Shake Shack have rolled out the machines in recent years. Several have cited their record of bolstering sales: Tabs are about 8% higher at quick-service venues and 15% bigger at fast-casual restaurants when customers order at a kiosk rather than with an employee, according to 2024 surveys from Technomic, a food service research and consulting firm.

Experts have multiple theories on why we spend more in the glow of the kiosk. Sales associates may not suggest adding a drink or side to every diner if dozens are lined up in front of their registers, but machines never forget to upsell, restaurant executives said. Kiosks also feature mouth-watering pictures, and make people certain they won’t be judged for indulging, industry experts said.

“We now have kiosks in all of our Shacks, and it’s been an amazing contributor to our business,” Shake Shack CEO Robert Lynch said in December, according to a transcript provided by AlphaSense. “It’s definitely delivering a check benefit.”

Shake Shack’s (SHAK) baseline expectation is that the technology will raise sales by a high, single-digit percent, CFO Katie Fogertey said last spring. Burger chain Jack in the Box (JACK) and salad maker Sweetgreen (SG) touted kiosks’ ability to push up sales at least 10% while discussing plans within the past year to expand their use.

Kiosks can improve sales and gather valuable consumer data, but the machines perform worse in restaurants with lines, according to Lu Lu, an associate professor at Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management. Customers feel more pressure to rush at a kiosk than at the register when others are waiting behind them, she said, because they fear being blamed for a slowdown.

“They tend to spend less time browsing through menu options, and eventually, they order less,” Lu said.

Kiosks may also be getting credit for attracting consumers who are likelier to get more whether they order at the counter or a machine, said Robert Byrne, senior director of consumer research at Technomic. This includes high-income customers and large groups that are more likely to split extras, such as sides and desserts. 

Some restaurants turn to the technology because they believe it can lessen employees’ load—a move that’s especially helpful in tight labor markets, Lu said. But restaurant executives have reported mixed results on how the technology impacts staffing. 

FGNY, which owns Five Guys franchises, has employees stationed near kiosks to greet customers and help them navigate the technology, CEO Patrice Leys said. Average sales have grown about 15% with the technology, Leys said, but he is taking a deliberate approach to rolling them out across his 55 restaurants in New York.

“We don’t want to just rush into it,” Leys said, adding that Five Guys is known for having “a very homey feel.”

Kiosks help employees at Xi’an Fancy Food focus on the dishes, which showcase cuisine from north-central China, said Jason Wang, CEO of the New York City-based fast-casual chain. Wang believes people are more aware of the financial implications of their orders when they speak or hear a sum aloud.

“If you’re just clicking buttons, it feels less real,” Wang said.