Hardware

Open Lockers introduces automated restaurant pickup system

Image courtesy Open Lockers

October 20, 2026

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Open Lockers has launched a smart locker system designed to streamline restaurant takeout and third-party delivery pickups, with an installation in New York City and another planned for Florida, according to a press release.

The company's system integrates with restaurant point-of-sale platforms to automate order handoffs and reduce congestion at pickup counters. A 24-locker installation is operating at Shaver Hall, 424 Fifth Ave. in Manhattan, while an upcoming Backyard Burgers location in Kissimmee, Florida, is expected to feature eight lockers built into an exterior wall.

The system allows restaurant employees to place completed orders into designated lockers, which remain secured until customers or delivery drivers retrieve their purchases using unique access codes. Customers receive order status notifications, and each locker features a touchscreen that displays identifying information and can present personalized content or advertising. Open Lockers said the technology can reduce order mix-ups, limit unauthorized access to food and free employees to focus on dine-in customers. The lockers can be installed as standalone units or integrated into interior or exterior walls.

Open Lockers CEO Jed Sullivan said in the release the company's patented technology distinguishes its offering from other automated pickup systems. The company holds patents covering smart food locker designs, touchscreen-equipped doors, operator displays and text-message-based retrieval features. Open Lockers is positioning the system as a solution for restaurants managing increasing volumes of digital orders, with the goal of improving pickup efficiency while reducing the labor required to coordinate customer and delivery driver handoffs.

Self-service is no longer just about convenience. It’s becoming a powerful way to increase sales, reduce costs and reach customers in new places — and you can see what’s next at the Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Show, Dec. 14-16 in Miami Beach.