When we think about automating processes in companies, we often picture sophisticated technologies such as industrial robots, connected sensors, and programmable logic controllers.
However, automation is also present in simple everyday tasks, like when we set up email rules to archive messages, send automatic replies, or save attachments into specific folders.
But how can this kind of technology be applied in the foodservice industry or even in contract catering in a way that adds value to organizations?
The Foodservice Landscape in Brazil
The 2023 “Fispal Food Digital” survey, conducted by Fispal Food Service and Fispal Sorvetes in partnership with EJFGV (FGV’s junior agency), revealed the main goals for using technology inside establishments:
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Management and control (30%)
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Operational optimization (22%)
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Promotion of the establishment (18%)
The main factors considered when acquiring a technology resource are:
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Benefit delivered to the establishment (53%)
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Need for the resource (19%)
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Practicality (16%)
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Price (7%)
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Competitive differentiation (5%)
Another 2021 study carried out by FGV Projetos in partnership with the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development (ABDI) showed that 66% of micro and small businesses in the country remain in the early stages of digital maturity.
It is also worth noting that in Brazil the sector is highly fragmented. The 2024 CREST study by Mosaiclab for IFB shows that 23% of market players are part of chains, while 77% are independent.
In other words, there is significant growth potential as these companies move forward in their digital journeys, especially in workflows related to process automation.
Self Service Kiosks
When we think of concrete examples of automation applied to foodservice and contract catering—meaning repetitive tasks at the unit/store level and in back office operations—we might consider daily POS opening and closing routines, or automated replenishment (for example, when a system detects that inventory has dropped below the minimum threshold via a spreadsheet or telemetry, a bot logs into the supplier portal and generates a standard purchase order, and so on).
However, there is another technology gaining increasing prominence, helping automate an activity previously handled by cashiers: the self service kiosk.
According to a survey conducted by Opinion Box with Payface, 64% of Brazilians already use self service in physical stores, and 85% rate the experience positively. One of the factors that accelerated digital adoption was the Covid 19 pandemic, which sped up behavioral changes. Self service became a desirable solution for consumers who value speed, autonomy, and reduced physical contact.
Not surprisingly, the number of self service franchise units reached 7,883, representing a 39% increase between the first half of 2024 (5,653 units) and the same period in 2025.
In recent years, however, this technology has stood out for another reason: labor reduction. In many places, kiosks have almost completely replaced the space traditionally occupied by staffed checkouts. One example is McDonald’s, where a large part of the space is dedicated to allowing customers to order quickly without going to a physical counter (often, that option ends up being used mainly for cash payments).
Different Use Cases
From being used to collect satisfaction surveys to enabling transactions by end customers (in this case, the device is also commonly called a kiosk), self service terminals can support different scenarios that reduce or replace human interaction.
One of the most interesting applications is transaction processing. In an episode of the podcast “Pod do Varejo” featuring Alex BX Pinto, Executive Director of Sales, Marketing, and Digital at International Meal Company (the company behind brands such as Pizza Hut, KFC, and Frango Assado in Brazil), he mentioned three core premises that placed self service kiosks at the center of the company’s technology and cost strategy:
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Reducing labor costs, the most obvious one
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Offering more differentiated experiences within the same space (omnichannel)
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Enabling different product portfolios, pricing, and promotions depending on the channel used. With kiosks, they observed higher sales in stores that adopted self service
More than that: the average ticket size of a customer who orders via kiosk is higher than that of a customer who orders directly at the counter.
Why might that be? Two hypotheses were discussed in that episode: the visual appeal of product images on the kiosk (something that doesn’t exist when ordering directly at the counter), and the consumer’s perception of “control.” When customers select what they want to add to their order themselves, they feel in control of the situation—very different from when an attendant asks whether they want extra portions or add ons.
The success case he cited was KFC Brazil. In January 2023, they had no self service kiosks in place, and within one year, about 30% of their sales were processed through kiosks.
Tangible Benefits
As mentioned earlier, self service kiosks can generate significant savings for restaurants, especially by replacing part of human labor and optimizing service flow (and product sales). While there is no official figure that defines an average savings percentage, market studies and real world cases point to meaningful reductions in operating costs and gains in efficiency.
A survey cited by Exame highlights that kiosks reduce spending on staff and printed materials, while another study by Zig indicates that three kiosks can perform work equivalent to two attendants, with about 10% more efficiency than a conventional cashier station.
In a mid sized restaurant with two or three attendants dedicated to cashier duties and an average monthly cost of BRL 3,000 per employee, partially replacing that staffing structure with kiosks could generate savings of roughly BRL 4,700 per month (adding up the reduction of one position, lower consumables costs, and productivity gains).
On an annual basis, that is close to BRL 57,000, representing around a 50% reduction in direct service costs and roughly 10% to 20% of total operations, depending on the business model. Beyond cost reduction, kiosk automation tends to increase average ticket size and reduce lines, reinforcing its role not only as an efficiency technology but also as a revenue growth strategy and an improvement to the customer experience.
Conclusion
The rise of self service kiosks represents more than a technological upgrade: it symbolizes a cultural shift in how people purchase meals in corporate, educational, and hospital environments.
For the contract catering sector, this trend points to a future in which the diner experience and operational efficiency move forward together, with processes that are increasingly integrated, customizable, and sustainable.
As companies mature digitally, the challenge stops being simply implementing the technology and becomes using it strategically to reduce costs, expand customer autonomy, and turn consumption data into business intelligence.
