Self-order kiosks

A kiosk is a second front counter that never gets tired of explaining the modifiers. Done well, it shortens the line at peak, frees a cashier for other work and shows guests options a busy cashier might skip. Done badly, it becomes a screen nobody uses next to a longer line. This guide covers where kiosks fit, what they cost and what to check.

Where kiosks fit

• Good fit: counter service with a steady line, food halls, quick-service menus with many build-your-own options, venues where guests order in groups.
• Weaker fit: full-service dining, very small menus where a cashier is just as fast, and restaurants where many guests want to talk through the menu.

What a kiosk should do

• The same menu as the counter, with the same modifiers and prices, maintained in one place.
• Pictures and clear modifier steps, so a guest can build a bowl or a burger without help.
• Suggested add-ons (a drink, a side) that guests can skip easily.
• Card, tap and phone payment on the kiosk, and an option to pay at the counter.
• Order numbers or names for pickup, with the order going straight to the kitchen.
• Loyalty sign-in by phone number, if you run a program.
• Sold-out items removed automatically when the kitchen runs out.

What they cost

Vendors price kiosk software per device per month, plus hardware. Square, for example, prices its kiosk app at $50 a month per device on Plus and $30 on Premium, checked October 1, 2026. SpotOn lists its kiosk as an add-on at $60 a month, plus hardware. Others quote it per restaurant.

Two kiosks at $50 a month each cost $100 a month, or $3,600 over three years, plus the kiosk hardware and stands. If they let you move one cashier shift to food prep at lunch, compare that against what the shift costs you.

Accessibility and the staffed alternative

Kiosks raise real accessibility questions for guests who are blind or have low vision, use a wheelchair, or have trouble with touchscreens. There is no final federal rule written specifically for restaurant kiosks: the U.S. Access Board issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on self-service machines, including kiosks, on September 21, 2022, which is a proposal rather than a rule. Ask each vendor:

• Can the kiosk be reached and used from a seated position?
• Does it offer audio guidance, a screen reader or a tactile keypad?
• Can the screen switch to a larger text or high-contrast mode?

Whatever the answers, keep a staffed register open so every guest can order.

Placement and line flow

• Put kiosks where guests see them as they walk in, before the counter line.
• Leave space so a guest at a kiosk doesn't block the line or the door.
• Have a staff member near the kiosks for the first weeks, to help and to see where guests get stuck.
• Make the pickup point obvious, with order numbers called or shown on a screen.

Setting up the menu for kiosks

A kiosk menu needs more care than a cashier's screen, because there's nobody to explain it. Use clear item names, a photo for the top sellers, required choices that can't be skipped (size, protein), and short descriptions. Test with a few regulars before launch and watch where they hesitate.

What to ask in a demo

1. Is the kiosk menu the same menu as the counter, or a separate one to maintain?
2. What does the kiosk cost per month, and what hardware does it need?
3. What accessibility features does it have?
4. What happens to kiosk orders when the internet drops?

For other ways guests can order without a cashier, see QR ordering and online ordering.