NCR Voyix and GRUBBRR Debut Restaurant Kiosk

Digital commerce firm NCR Voyix has launched a partnership with restaurant-focused software provider GRUBBRR.

The collaboration, announced Thursday (May 16), has resulted in the Aloha Kiosk, designed to help restaurants cope with challenges such as increased wages and food costs.

“Digital technologies like the interactive Aloha Kiosk by NCR Voyix provide a better experience for the customer and less stress on the staff,” said Benny Tadele, executive vice president and president of NCR Voyix, Restaurants. “The Aloha Kiosk is integrated with the NCR Voyix Commerce Platform, enabling a seamless flow of data and the ability to unlock unique omnichannel ordering experiences for our customers.”

As the company notes in a news release, the rising popularity of self-service kiosks come at the same time that the Labor Department is predicting an average of 2.6 million job openings over the next eight years. At the same time, fast food eateries in California are dealing with a higher minimum wage law, with other states weighing similar legislation.

“With escalating costs, a shrinking labor force and the desire to provide multiple options for guest ordering and engagement, solutions like the Aloha Kiosk by NCR Voyix make perfect sense for the restaurant industry as they increase efficiencies and empower brands to do more with less,” said Tadele.

And restaurants can use the assistance, as PYMNTS pointed out earlier this week.

“Even as Main Street businesses outperform the rest of the economy, there’s a whole different set of rules for restaurants,” that report said. “For example, PYMNTS Intelligence found that over the last 12 months, Main Street businesses have operated with the lowest risk of closing since early 2020.”

A report by Fiserv goes into greater detail, showing that small business sales for April increased 5.6% year over year and 2.2% month over month. Restaurants were an exception, with the Fiserv report showing that small businesses that attract discretionary spending, restaurants among them, did not do as well in April as in recent months.

“The sector saw sales growth slow as consumer demand for lower-priced food options increased,” PYMNTS wrote.

“Restaurant spending shrank 3.1% compared to March and was off 0.2% from April 2023. The reduction in restaurant foot traffic was much less significant, indicating that consumers are still visiting restaurants but ordering less expensive items or choosing lower-cost establishments.”