Wendy’s to install self-ordering kiosks at 1,000 locations

Customers of burger chain Wendy's will soon be serviced through self-ordering kiosks, in a move to enhance service and cut labour costs.

Under its plans, the company will install the kiosks at one out of every six of its franchises nationwide by the end of this year.

The cost of three kiosks at a typical location would work out at about $15,000, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The payback on the machines would come in less than two years from labour savings and increased sales according to David Trimm, Wendy's chief information officer.

The kiosks would serve two purposes according to Trimm - catering to younger customers by giving them an ordering experience they preferred and cutting labour costs.

With kiosks, customers would be able to beat the long lines of customers at peak dining hours, while Wendy's would be able to raise the out put at its kitchens.

The kiosks would be installed at around 1,000 locations.

''They are looking to improve their automation and their labor costs, and this is a good way to do it,'' said Darren Tristano, vice president with Technomic - a food-service research and consulting firm, Associated Press reported. ''They are also trying to enhance the customer experience. Younger customers prefer to use a kiosk.''

According to a number of companies, including Panera Bread, kiosks increased employee productivity and were especially valuable during lunchtime and other rush-hours.

Breitbart News reported that several Wendy's franchises were struggling due to wage costs in 2016. Wendy's said it had offered to install kiosks in several locations last year and had received positive feedback from customers and franchisees.

Wendy's franchises ''will likely look at the opportunity to reduce overall staff, look at the opportunity to certainly reduce hours and any other cost reduction opportunities, not just price,''  Wendy's CEO Emil Brolick had said in 2015.