Liam walked into a quick service restaurant (QSR) and didn’t want to feel rushed.
He wanted to see all the menu items, browse the combos, swap out the fries, add extra sauce, maybe even get dessert. So instead of heading to the counter, he walked up to the self-serve kiosk. The experience? Smooth. Private. Zero pressure.
But once the order was in, Liam stepped back and looked up, only to see his presence reduced to an order number on a screen. A shorter wait time, but no check-in. No confirmation. No quick smile from the staff.
The whole process worked fine. But it didn’t feel like much.
That’s the trade-off more QSR guests are noticing. And it’s why we put self-ordering kiosk to the test in our
2025 Emerging Experiences Study, to understand if the tradeoff is worth it.
We mystery shopped three major brands, placing real orders through in-store kiosks to see how the customer experience really stacks up against the 2025 On-Premise Benchmark study where customers entered the store and placed their order at the counter with an employee.
Let’s tap into the results.
We studied more emerging experiences like drive-thru voice AI and mobile order pickups.
Read our blog on the Emerging Restaurant Trends for the full breakdown.
The rise of self-ordering kiosks isn’t slowing down. In fact, 76% of guests said when the lines were long, the screen was the smarter move. To dive deeper, we mystery shopped some of the big guns. For Shake Shack, McDonald’s, and Panera, digital ordering kiosks are doing more than keeping lines short. They’re creating shorter wait times and efficient orders, translating to a seamless customer journey.
Guests Were in the Driver’s Seat
At the self-service kiosk, the pressure’s off. You’re not holding up a line or trying to scan a menu in five seconds. You tap. You scroll. You swap. And for 98% of shoppers, customizing was a breeze. Compared to the counter, where some guests rush or skip the extras, the screen creates happier customers with space to explore.
Shopper Insights:
“I liked that you could click on items from the menu, view their ingredients, and customize them easily”
Pickup Signs Point to Customer Satisfaction
Ordering is only half the customer experience. Guests need to know where to go. In our study, 83% of kiosk shoppers got clear instructions after placing their order. And 84% said there was signage to help them find the right spot. That may seem simple, but it changes everything.
When signage was present, satisfaction with the pickup experience was five percentage points higher. McDonald’s hit 90% signage visibility and 95% defined pickup areas, while Panera topped the chart with 98% designated pickup zones and 93% signage. For first timers especially, that clarity is gold.
Soft Sell Showed Up Strong
Kiosks delivered the upsell with confidence. In our study, 79% of shoppers using self-serve kiosks were offered a suggestive sell, outperforming the traditional counter benchmark of 75%. It’s subtle, seamless, and it works. One brand even saw upsells offered 20% more than at the traditional counter.
But here’s the twist. A major QSR built around kiosks came up short. With all that tech, they still missed the moment. Just a reminder that digital tools don’t close the deal, but smart execution does.
Want to see how far kiosks can really go? Download the 2025 Emerging Experiences Study and tap into the full story.
Let’s not sugarcoat it. For all the operational efficiency, our mystery shoppers found a few places where the kiosk solution could still evolve.
404 Error: Friendliness Not Found
This is where the screen starts to feel like a wall, and where customer service is tested.
Sure, people love convenience. But restaurants? They’re still built on connection. Without a warm welcome or even a glance, the experience starts to feel… cold. Kiosks scored just 66% on friendliness, compared to 78% in our on-premise benchmark. That difference sticks with people.
One brand even dipped to 50%, and it wasn’t a fluke. That same brand had the fewest greetings or acknowledgments when shoppers walked in. On the flip side, one standout brand hit a perfect 100% on satisfaction with order experience, service speed, and pickup experience. Could this brand have possibly found a way to pair kiosks with hospitality and thoughtful design? Read our study for more
Shopper Insights:
"“It was an expected experience; there was nothing memorable, good, or bad.”
“I was not greeted when I came in, but I was greeted as I was waiting for my order and asked if I needed anything.”
Glitchy Processes
Here’s the reality: kiosks are becoming digital coworkers. But like any tech, they need care with kiosk software updates, checks, and maintenance. When they’re scaled too fast without that support, things break.
We saw glitches in about 7% of orders. One brand alone accounted for 15% of them. From missing receipts to error messages, these aren’t just bugs—they’re interruptions in the guest journey.
Even something as basic as a display board matters. Without it, customers are left in limbo. Did the order go through? Is it ready? Or do they need to awkwardly chase down a restaurant staff to find out?
Shopper Insights:
“There should be a display board showing the pickup order status.”
“I stood at the counter to ask for my receipt for 6-8 minutes and was never even greeted. They also could not locate my receipt even though I purchased it at the kiosk.”
“There was no estimated time or tracking system in place. Overall, the service was slow, and the service counter had many random numbers, food items, and envelopes scattered around.”
New Users Felt Left Out
Not everyone walks in knowing how self-serve kiosks work. And when the system assumes they do, it leaves first-timers feeling alienated and dissatisfied.
They take longer. They get confused. And when no one greets them at the door, they lose their one shot at support. That first impression? It matters.
It’s all connected. If you want a kiosk experience that works for everyone, you’ve got to think holistically. The brands that do this well? They’re turning digital touchpoints into human-centered wins.
Shopper Insights:
“During checkout using the kiosk, it would have been nice to understand how to make a meal a combo or if I could order certain items together to get a discount.”
“I did not see a link on the kiosk screen to request a printed receipt, but the employee went in the back and printed one for me when I asked for it.”
"They could have employees checking on customers to see if they needed help with anything."
Some brands are just pressing buttons. Others are pushing the experience forward. See who’s doing it right in the full report.
Be a step ahead with the essential restaurant KPIs to evaluate customer success.
Mystery Shopping: See the Screen Like a Guest Does
Your kiosk experience might look like it’s working. But what does it actually feel like to be a part of it?
That’s where mystery shopping flips the script. It puts you behind the screen, in your guest’s shoes, tapping through menus, waiting for handoffs, spotting moments that metrics don’t catch.
With targeted kiosk shops, you’ll learn:
Think your system is seamless? This is how you know for sure.
Because when the experience works from every angle, your guests feel it. Our Mystery Shopping Programs reveal what metrics miss. Give it a try, reach out to us.
In our study, overall satisfaction for restaurant kiosk users landed at 89%, trailing the 94% benchmark for traditional ordering. Why the gap? It’s likely the many micro-moments where friction sneaks in. A missed greeting. A confusing handoff. A glitchy screen. And sometimes, the absence of a human touch makes even the best tech feel… cold.
The truth is, kiosks are powerful when done right. They offer control, customization, and even better upsell performance. But the brands standing out are designing a full experience around them, blending speed with empathy, and tech with thoughtful hospitality.
Want to know which brands nailed it? And where the biggest opportunities lie for your own locations? The 2025 Emerging Experiences Study breaks it all down.