Bringing interactive meal-ordering to schools with Self-Serve Kiosks

Changes in young people’s interactions with the food service industry present new challenges and opportunities for schools and caterers. Students are now more empowered as young consumers, expecting modern and convenient dining experiences that match food delivery apps and modern fast-food restaurants.

With competition from out-of-the-gate options at an all-time high, how can schools keep up with changing trends to ensure tech-savvy students choose the on-site dining hall, increasing the uptake of healthy school meals?

Utilise the latest technology

Schools can now enhance their on-site dining offerings using integrated self-service technology. CRB Cunninghams’ Self-Serve Kiosks offer an independent meal-purchasing experience designed for secondary school, sixth form, and college students. Users simply select their meal from the intuitive touchscreen menu or scan items with the integrated barcode reader.

Pupils can quickly identify themselves by fingerprint, ID card, or passcode to pay with their school cashless catering account or use the integrated Chip & Pin device for card or mobile payments. The kiosk then prints their receipt, completing the smooth cashless transaction.

Aligning with students’ purchasing preferences

As native users of the latest consumer technologies, students expect technology to integrate with many aspects of their lives. This interactive approach to purchasing meals offers speed and convenience, mirroring the customer experience they value in shops and restaurants.

With 67% of 13- to 28-year-olds choosing restaurant kiosks over face-to-face ordering (RMS), Self-Serve Kiosks enable school caterers to compete with out-of-school meal options. By providing a modern and efficient way to order and pay, kiosks create a dining experience that encourages students to remain on-site for lunch rather than seeking alternatives.

Empower students with interactive meal-ordering

The benefits of interactive meal ordering go far beyond familiarity. It also gives students a sense of autonomy by providing more control over how they purchase meals and what they eat. Gen Z customers’ top-rated benefits of digital kiosks are:

1. Enjoying building their order
2. Finding it easy to navigate the interactive screen
3. Feeling like they have more time to browse the menu

Students value the ability to consider their options without the social pressure of ordering face-to-face with peers queueing behind them. Being able to independently browse a menu and check nutritional information, ingredients, allergens and prices at their own pace creates a more relaxed and enjoyable dining experience, increasing school meal uptake.

Streamline your school lunch service

Self-serve technology for schools also improves efficiency by offering additional points of sale that work alongside traditional tills.

CRB Cunninghams’ kiosks increase a cafeteria’s sales capacity, reducing queues, wait times, and crowding during peak service periods. Using Self-Serve Kiosks to purchase grab-and-go items helps students manage their busy schedules and fit eating, socialising, and attending extracurricular clubs into their shrinking lunch breaks.

With floor-standing, wall-mounted and countertop options, Self-Serve Kiosks offer significant space savings compared to traditional tills. Their compact footprint and flexibility make them a practical alternative for schools needing to expand their sales capacity or speed up their meal service in areas with limited space.

 Find out more about how Self-Serve Kiosks can enhance your school meal service.