Kum & Go Case Study

Kum & Go has recently launched a new, fresh, made-to-order food program featuring stackers and bowls for all dayparts. Menu items feature premium ingredients, as well as grab-and-go burritos also available for customers with time constraints. The program is currently launched in their Little Rock, AR and Omaha, NE markets and actively being rolled out in the Des Moines, IA market.

Their new program requires self-service kiosks for self-ordering their made-to-order menu items; Once a customer orders their stacker or bowl, a receipt is printed while their order is sent to the kitchen. The customer takes the receipt and may continue to shop throughout the store while their order is being prepared. The customer then takes their receipt and additional items from around the store to the front register to check out. Once they have completed check out, the customer returns with their paid receipt to collect their made-to-order food.

Overall, the feedback from our customers has been positive. Customers like the control they have when ordering and the customization our menu offers to ensure they get exactly what they want, while we enjoy the ease of use and reliable up-sell features the kiosk provides,” according to Levon Hooks, chief information officer at Kum & Go. “We selected Elo as our hardware vendor using their durable 22-inch I-series with Bite's custom self-ordering software that offers the customer ordering interface and kitchen communication. Overall, associates are embracing the new technology and enjoy the engagement opportunities with customers it provides.

Kum & Go’s technology RFP incorporated several hardware and software providers. The decision took months to ensure the right holistic solution was selected for the company-wide self-ordering direction with healthy made to order food. The Kum & Go CIO said at the end it came down to the Elo modular design and ease of integration with the Bite software partnership and the ability to scale this solution with ease of deployment and day to day management.

Following success from their pilot program, Kum & Go will continue rolling their new brand and food program out to dozens of stores each year, taking a market-by-market approach. This project at Kum & Go involves several internal teams and departments including key department stakeholders in information technology, marketing, food, and store merchandising and design. The future of self-ordering is here, enabling stores to keep their associates doing the work that requires people skills: checking in inventory, cooking delicious, made-to-order food, delivering curbside orders, and answering questions.

Self-ordering kiosks have become a new customer expectation in several QSR, convenience stores, and retail. The convenience of shorter lines, getting your order right, and learning more about the customization options has consumers ordering more highly modified items and 100% reliable upsells. In addition to the increase in sales, self-ordering kiosk garner market share; Kiosk Marketplace reports that with a line of just 5 people, 57 percent of customers leave and go to a nearby competitor. The research also found that by the time the line reaches 10 people, 91 percent of customers will leave. A staggering 60 percent of all customers indicated they would visit more often if self-ordering kiosks were offered. The future of self-ordering solutions promises great value to both consumers and businesses.