Article

Kiosks help burger chain attract younger customer base

A&W Canada deploys self-service kiosks in latest remodel.

August 30, 2011 by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Brands often turn to technology to grab the attention of a younger demographic, and A&W Canada was no exception. It embarked upon a "renewal process" in 2008, hoping to expand its footprint in metropolitan markets and attract new customers with self-service options.

The challenge, according to Rob Fussey, director of concept development at A&W Canada, was in not compromising the 55-year-old iconic brand while at the same time wooing a younger, technologically savvy crowd. A&W Canada, which was originally part of the American-based chain until 1972, turned in sales of $794 million last year, No. 2 in the country behind McDonald's. The exploration of new markets was a big change for the 730-unit chain, which mostly exists in rural areas and has a faithful, older consumer base.

The new prototype that includes self-service ordering kiosks now exists in 12 units, Fussey said.

The new concept stores each feature two to four self-service kiosks, supplied by Panasonic Canada, that are separate from the traditional queues.

"The kiosks made sense for the target we were going for, which was 20 to 35 year olds looking for a burger in a hurry. We wanted them to be able to manage their own time through the ordering process and with this option, they can," Fussey said.

Customerresponse

Fussey said consumer response to the technology has been mostly positive.

"Kiosks have seen very little development so far in Canada, so the feedback depends on restaurant location. We have one restaurant that had a 20-percent lift in sales through the kiosks, so overall it's been a good experience so far," he said.

Additionally, FRCH placed a smaller menu with minimal information next to each ordering terminal. This unusual feature was born out of FRCH's research that found people tend to order the same items repeatedly because they feel more pressure while they're looking up at a large, busy menu board.

"By putting these menu boards next to the POS, it's creating more of a dialogue between the person behind the counter and the person ordering," said Rob Depp, vice president of specialty retail design and project supervisor at FRCH Design Worldwide, the Cincinnati-based company tapped to execute the prototype.

"A&W had a strong loyalty from the baby boomer demographic and they wanted to continue that, but also create new consumers and create a contemporary relevance for them," said Depp. "But because we cut the clutter, it's still a quick process."

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