The University of Massachusetts installed self-serve kiosks for students to place orders. Despite beta testing by the Department of Dining Services, the introduction in the spring semester was a disaster, resulting in prompt removal of the kiosks. 

When students at a major university, presumably with acceptable computer and electronic skills, logic and intelligence, cannot operate an order system, there are serious questions as to the practicality and user friendliness. Frankly this commentator finds kiosks intimidating and requiring more time and effort than interacting with a human order-taker even a sulky one!

The intent of the kiosks was to relieve cashiers of pressure, given the difficulty in recruiting workers.  The Director of Dining Services, Garrett Distefano, belatedly requested student input Comments included “lines are longer since they are not effective” and “some people were confused and the lines are still the same”.  The respondent, a PhD student in physics that could otherwise be enrolled in marketing, stated, “When people can see what’s in front of them, it’s a lot easier to order.”  An Operations and Information Management major stated, “It takes way too long on the kiosk, and it holds up the line.”

If the University of Massachusetts cannot make order kiosks to work, then QSRs will have even greater difficulty, especially if there are bugs in systems and if kiosks are inoperative due to deficiencies in design or maintenance.  We have accustomed generations of consumers to interact with other humans to order fast food at a counter or to be served along a cafeteria line. Let us not move backwards in convenience and ease of service.