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Moe's Southwest Grill: Kiosks to play role in fast casual's digitization

Moe's Southwest Grill views self-order kiosks as part of its digitization of fast casual. The kiosks will be available to all franchisees and are expected to improve throughput and create a more family-friendly environment.

December 11, 2019 by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Editor's Note: This is the first part in a two-part series on Moe's Southwest Grill and the brand's expectations from kiosks deployments.

Jon Gilliam, vice president of operations at Moe's Southwest Grill, sees digital technology playing a big role in the evolution of fast casual dining.

That's why he's excited about the company's first two "all-digital/kiosk-only" locations planned for the upcoming first quarter — one in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and one in Charlottesville, Virginia. Each location will house four self-order kiosks and feature Moe's new brand design. Customers who want to pay with cash will hit a button on the kiosk, then pay at the cashier.

Jon Gilliam sees digital sales rising in importance.

"We're seeing sales shift into this digital space," Gilliam told Kiosk Marketplace. "Today, many consumers are looking to order quick."

Continuing digitization

The kiosks, which Gilliam credits for creating the first "all-digital/kiosk-only" Mexican fast casuals, follow the recent introduction of the brand's order app.

The company, which has over 715 stores, had been observing an expanding digitization of the business, including online ordering and the use of apps, Gilliam said.

"That created a need for us to focus on a second bake line," he said. The second line will be for preparing digital and pickup orders and will ensure the orders do not disrupt in-store traffic.

"I think we're continuing to just jump on the importance of digital sales, making it easy for our guests and be more acceptable for our guests no matter where you are," he said. Online orders are already above 10% in two years.

Gilliam expects the kiosks, which will be available to all franchisees, to improve throughput and create a more family friendly environment.

Improved customer experience

"We see it as a a way for people to take their time and order," he said. "The experience will be easy for them and simple." He doesn't expect extensive wait lines at kiosks as happens at cashier stations. There will be one cashier on hand for guests who don't want to use kiosks.

The kiosks will accept credit cards and Apple Pay. Students at the University of Pittsburgh will be able to use their university CC cards.

The Pittsburgh restaurant will seat approximately 15 while the Charlottesville restaurant will seat about 40.

The Pittsburgh and Charlottesville stores will also be the brand's first stores to have kitchen display systems, Gillian said.

"We want to have KDS screens so that we have all the digital orders going on those screens," he said. "Not for the in-store guests, or the external guests, but for those who order on a kiosk."

Prior to the Pittsburgh and Charlottesville openings, the company will introduce two kiosks at a company-owned restaurant in Roswell, Georgia to monitor customer reaction, Gilliam said. The store will still have a cashier.

Company explores different models

The company has looked at different kiosk models but had not decided on a provider at the time of this report. Moe's uses NCR POS and management software, Gilliam said, although franchisees can choose their own accounting software.

Moe's places a lot of emphasis on a supplier's willingness to work in a cooperative manner, he said. The company also wants to work with a vendor who has invested for the future.

The brand is keeping all of its options open for both kiosk and KDS screen providers, Gilliam said. It is not imperative that the same manufacturer provide both the self-order kiosks and the KDS screens. "Ideally it is the same provider," he said.

The company has not yet finalized what the cost of the kiosk effort will be.

Part two in this two-part series will explore the franchisees' expectations from the kiosks.

Photos courtesy of Moe's Southwest Grill.