Experience for the World’s Favorite Fried Chicken
When millions of customers crave their favorite fried chicken, they expect a quick, effortless way to order. But do you know what keeps the lines moving and satisfaction high? It’s not just the crispy, golden-brown coating — it’s the multilingual, ADA compliant kiosk technology we developed, designed to make every transaction fast, easy, and accurate.
Here’s how Growth Acceleration Partners helped a leading fried chicken chain add a little spice to their in-store ordering experience, one touchscreen at a time.
Building a Kiosk System
When GAP first took on the challenge, there were no customer-facing kiosks in the fried chicken chain’s restaurants. The vision was clear, but the path forward involved creating something entirely new. Over the next two years, GAP engineers built a robust, scalable kiosk app. It’s now deployed in over 700 stores, with plans to reach 1,200 by year’s end.
The kiosks were added in stores to simplify the customer experience and increase sales. Remember the last time you were in line for your favorite fast food, scanning the menu while feeling the pressure of the long line behind you? Kiosks remove that pressure, allowing customers to take their time visually building their order. This not only reduces errors and complaints, but also provides a more relaxed, personalized ordering experience.
Building your order is actually fun. You start by selecting Dine In or Carry Out, then select your language preference — either English or Spanish. Then the product tiles with images of the juicy, crispy chicken up close fill the screen.
It’s simple to choose and customize the items you want. Depending on your selections, the kiosk may even offer promotional items before displaying your digital receipt. There’s a brief animation letting you know your payment has been accepted and instructions to pick up your order. If you have a loyalty card, you can scan that at the kiosk.
Stores with kiosks show an impressive reduction in wait times. Statistics reveal the process — from placing an order to collecting it — takes less than 3 minutes. The lines keep moving and customers get their meals quickly and exactly the way they ordered it. The company’s annual report highlighted an increase in kiosk sales of 64% over the previous year.
Technology for Kiosks
GAP engineers received Android code that needed to be completed and tested for use in stores. Kotlin helped the GAP team use existing Java libraries and frameworks. The GAP team integrated everything from Jetpack Compose for new layouts to accessibility features that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The kiosks offer modes that lower the screen height for wheelchair users, and text-to-speech functionality for visually impaired customers, to navigate the menu via a d-pad and headphones. These features ensure every customer can easily order their favorite fried chicken variation.
On the backend, the kiosks communicate with both a legacy and a new point-of-sale (POS) system. The kiosks also support two types of pin pads for payments, both Ingenico devices that communicate with different protocols.
Datadog is used to track system performance in real-time, providing developers with details to quickly address any issues. And Google Analytics is used to track customer transactions from payments to loyalty card scans, so the company can better understand customer behavior and improve the ordering experience.
Fast Food Future
Depending on the source, 65-75% of Americans eat fast food once a week. The take-out fried chicken market — because yes, there is such a thing as a take-out fried chicken market — is expected to nearly double in the next decade. This is attributed in part to advances in technology.
In-store kiosks are not just a convenience; they help fast food brands meet rising demand while improving the customer experience. With faster, more accurate ordering, kiosks make the fast-food experience less stressful.
Business Insider reports major fast food chains across the country have kiosks on their digital roadmaps, and we understand why. Kiosks help businesses save on labor costs and increase their revenues. Kiosks allow fast food brands to make menu item changes in real-time when they need to respond quickly to inventory changes.
The GAP team will continue to refine the kiosk application so it satisfies customers craving their favorite fried chicken. Future enhancements will ensure our client serves their customers’ ever-expanding palette.
