The use of touch-screen kiosks in QSR and casual dining restaurants are likely to fall after lockdown ends, new research by mobile order and pay provider Wi5 has found.
Nearly two thirds (61%) of consumers said they would avoid using the kiosks to order food when the lockdown measures are lifted, citing the lack of hygiene in touching a screen used by others before eating as the biggest concern.
Instead, 59% said they would now be more likely to use their own mobile or order and pay from a table than before the crisis.
However, the research suggested that consumer concerns went far beyond the hygiene of kiosks, as only 59% said they were likely to return to a fast food restaurant within weeks of venues opening, a number that falls further for casual dining restaurants (51%) and pubs and bars (51%).
When asked what would encourage them to return to hospitality spaces, 58% said they would want to know the venue is regularly cleaned, and 48% would want to see customer capacity limits in stores.
Several consumers said they would want to see certain health and safety measures adopted through the crisis continue, with 54% wanting to see provision of hand-sanitising and 36% saying they would be swayed positively by seeing floor markers for social distancing.
The research was carried out between 18 -21 April, with responses recorded via an online survey of 500 UK adults.
Precis
Consumers to avoid touch-screens post-lockdown
Nearly two thirds (61%) of consumers said they would avoid using touch-screen kiosks to order food when the lockdown measures are lifted, citing the lack of hygiene in touching a screen used by others before eating as the biggest concern, new research by mobile order and pay provider Wi5 has found. Instead, 59% said they would now be more likely to use their own mobile or order and pay from a table than before the crisis.
