A variety of businesses can take advantage of smart lockers in this increasingly contactless world, including restaurants.
Eateries continue to promote pickup and delivery options, even when their dining areas are open, in an effort to minimize person-to-person interactions. Package lockers contribute to this cause by organizing and streamlining order transactions in a way that keeps customers and employees safe.
Check out a few of the benefits of using smart lockers for food pickup and delivery.
No staff interruptions
As they reopen with social distancing in mind, restaurants may have to limit sit-down visitors. However, customers who are unable to reserve seating can continue to place takeout orders.
And customers who place their orders online and pick them up through the package lockers likely won’t require any staff assistance. The lockers are backed by an easy-to-use, self-serve system that keeps employees focused on dine-in customers and sanitation procedures.
Convenient, contactless access
When located outside or in an area with minimal traffic, package lockers allow customers and delivery drivers to avoid crossing paths with dine-in customers and staff. They also won’t have to wait in line at a pickup counter.
It’s also possible to install the lockers with the back panels removed and facing the kitchen area. This arrangement gives kitchen staff easy access to the lockers, so they can deposit orders without coming around to the front and interfering with guest traffic.
A touchless future
In restaurants, consumers say touchless gestures, orders at the counter, and mobile apps are more preferable than public touchscreens. Only 14% of American consumers consider public touchscreens hygienic, and nearly 75% expect to use more touchless technologies in the future.
Although interacting with a touchscreen is an option when using smart lockers, it’s not a necessity. Customers and drivers can use a mobile app or scan a QR code to access orders — no need to touch the kiosk.
Time-saving and tracking opportunities
Because the smart locker system supports integration with a variety of applications, customers can place, pay for, track deliveries, and pick up their orders all from the same platform. And delivery personnel will be able to use their own apps to pick up multiple orders at a time and notify customers when their orders are en route.
But what happens if orders aren’t picked up in time? Cold foods can stay fresh in refrigerated or frozen lockers. But for foods at risk of spoiling, the system has the capability of alerting restaurant staff when a certain length of time has passed without pickup. This can help businesses avoid food waste.
If it seems like package lockers could be a good fit for your business, contact us today.
