Where self-ordering can reduce operating costs

Follow the work through a shift

Start with the tasks staff carry out: taking orders, answering menu questions, handling payments, preparing food, resolving mistakes and maintaining the ordering area. A kiosk changes that mix. It does not remove the need for service.

Record a normal shift and a peak shift. Use the same definitions at each location so the results can be compared.

Separate time released from money saved

If a colleague spends less time taking orders, that time might go into food preparation, shelf replenishment or helping customers. That is useful capacity. It becomes a cash saving only when paid hours or another real expense falls.

Keep a seperate line for capacity released in the business case. Otherwise it is easy to count a benefit twice: once as fewer wages and again as extra sales handled by the same team.

Look closely at errors and rework

Clear customer selections may reduce order-taking mistakes. Still, problems can arise when modifiers are unclear, a product is unavailable or the kitchen receives the wrong information. Record the reason for each remake or refund rather than grouping everything under “errors”.

Count the ingredients, packaging and paid rework time involved. Compare like-for-like periods and check whether a menu or staffing change explains part of the difference.

Budget for the work that remains

• Cleaning screens and keeping the ordering point usable.
• Checking printers, payment terminals and consumables.
• Helping customers who need assistance.
• Updating product information and reviewing promotions.
• Responding to incidents and following the fallback procedure.

Allocate an owner and a realistic allowance for these tasks. Include software, support, hardware maintenance and payment fees in the same model.

Use the pilot to decide

Tapit’s self-service proposition is intended to reduce counter pressure, improve order accuracy and reduce personnel training costs. The amount available to your stores depends on how they operate. Establish that amount in a pilot rather than applying an assumed percentage to the whole wage bill.

The calculator accepts realised monthly cash savings separately from incremental sales contribution.