An Exploratory Study on the Impact of Self-Service Technology on Restaurant Operations

Abstract

The introduction of self-service technology (SST) into the casual dining segment is looming upon the horizon. This paper examines the involvement of customers in the service process, SSTs in the retail industry, and finally SSTs in the casual dining segment and the response of customers to an alpha SST location in the casual dining segment. The findings indicate the most frequently liked features were convenience, easy to use, and fast service. Multiple correspondence analysis showed that customer preferences and suggestions vary by their demographic characteristics, which imply that system features should be customized to targeted markets. Practical implications are discussed.

The Impact of Self-Service Technology and the Presence of Others on Cause-Related Marketing Programs in Restaurants

“…Technology such as ordering kiosks, tableside tablets, and mobile phone apps has the potential to positively impact the customer experience through shorter waiting times, shorter lines, and greater customer control (Kincaid & Baloglu, 2006;Kokkinou & Cranage, 2013;Kotler et al, 2014;Strom, 2014), all of which benefit the customer in the form of an enhanced service experience. Additionally, preliminary evidence suggests that these types of technologies are beneficial to the restaurant as well, resulting in higher check averages and increased profit margins (Quast, 2014).…”

“…Such technology has the potential to positively impact the customer experience through shorter waiting times, shorter lines, and greater customer control (Dixon, Kimes, & Verma, 2009; A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 3 Kincaid & Baloglu, 2006;Kokkinou & Cranage, 2013;Kotler, Bowen, & Makens, 2014).…”

Tourist behaviour towards self-service hotel technology adoption: Trust and subjective norm as key antecedents

“…Also, the control given by new technology provides more freedom to these customers. Increased technological adoption in the service industry (Kim, Christodoulidou, & Brewer, 2012) is the reason behind the introduction of a number of SSTs such as airport selfcheck-in kiosks, electronic tourist guides, tourism information kiosks, self-service systems in dining facilities, hotel self-check-in, and automated hotel check-out (Kincaid & Baloglu, 2005;Riebeck, Stark, Modsching, & Kawalek, 2008). The selection of any SST depends on several factors such as degree of complexity (Rogers, 1995), nature of the service to be delivered (Ong, 2010), size of the service firm, perception of staff members (Lam et al, 2007), and the type of service customers (Epstein, Pacini, Denes-Raj, & Heier, 1996).…”

The Influence of Technology Readiness on the Evaluation of Self-Service Technology Attributes and Resulting Attitude Toward Technology Usage

“…Research has also shown that the ease with which users can handle technology has a positive influence on their attitude towards using it within an organizational context (Davis, 1989;Agarwal et al, 2000;Venkatesh et al, 2003;Chen et al, 2006;Kumar et al, 2008;Kijsanayotin et al, 2009) and also within a consumer context related SST (Dabholkar et al, 2002;Dabholkar, Bobbitt, & Lee, 2003;Kincaid & Baloglu, 2005). Weijters et al (2007) also found perceived ease of use to be a key driver of consumer attitudes toward SST usage in a retail setting.…”