Jack in the Box has been one of the most popular fast-food restaurants in this country.
The first Jack in the Box drive-thru was known as the “food machine” when it first opened in San Diego in 1951. At first, the restaurant contained only a kitchen with sufficient space inside for one employee to transact orders and another one to prepare the food. Now, with time, many more restaurants have been opened, remodeled, the kitchens are a lot bigger, there are more employees, and now, there is even a new alternative for placing orders.
Jack in the Box has recently released their new 1-2-3 step self-order kiosk.
The kiosk is a color touch-screen computer that customers can use to place their own order instead of going back to the classic counter, where a guest service employee takes their order for them.
The Jack in the Box located on Mt. Vernon Avenue has thought “outside the box” by setting up a self-order kiosk that provides product pricing and images of their products.
Bernie Szcypiorki, restaurant manager of this location, stated that his restaurant has had the kiosk for a couple of months and that it has really helped his employees interact a lot more with their guest.
“Many of our customers have given me a lot of positive feedback on the kiosk. Many people at first don’t know how it works, but at the end they find it to be fun,” said Szcypiorki. “But also, a lot of people ask if with these machines we are trying to remove employees, but in reality, it’s not like that. Our only purpose with this is to make our cashiers interact with our customers in a more personal level, rather than just business.”
Szcypiorki also stated that while customers are using the kiosk, the employees still offer their assistance to make the experience easier.
“We’re are very happy with this kiosk. I think having it nowadays is something inevitable, especially with all the younger kids texting, using laptops, cell phones, and everything else that is in our new technology,” said Szcypiorki.
On the customer side, Olivia Chavez, 31, believes that this new way of placing orders through the kiosk is a great idea. “I really like this machine a lot because it makes my order a lot more efficient,” said Chavez. “At first I thought it was hard to use, but it is really not, and I really like that I don’t have to wait in line like I used to.”
Chavez claims to be a regular Jack in the Box customer since she attended high school and that the new way of placing orders with this kiosk simply made her day a lot easier.
“I wish they had invented this years ago,” said Chavez.
On the contrary, Chris Lang, 22, a college student, thinks it is the worst thing Jack in the Box has ever come up with.
“Using this machine wasn’t hard at all, but I think that having a real person in front of me is the best way for me to be happy with the service,” said Lang. “When there’s just a robot taking my order I get the feeling that I am not welcome because the machine can’t obviously make my day a better one like the cashiers always do.”
This new alternative of placing orders through a self-serve kiosk at Jack in the Box has brought many perspectives from its customers, but Szcypiorki stated, “It is a fact that its only purpose is to provide better service to the customers, rather than trying to eliminate the one-on-one personal order, since the employees are always there to help. Our only purpose with the kiosk is to provide better service and satisfaction.”