Wendy’s is going all-in on self-order kiosks in 1,000 stores

Whatever you think of the debate for a $15-an-hour minimum wage, the nation’s fast food restaurants aren’t waiting around for it to affect their business should it become the trend nationwide. Instead, stores like Wendy’s are taking proactive steps to change their business model.

For Wendy’s it apparently means going all-in on the idea of self-service kiosks. According to a report in Fortune magazine, the fast food chain is going to install the self-service kiosks in 1,000 stores.

That means average of around three of the self-service kiosks per store, and the 1,000 stores is about 16 percent of the Wendy’s locations around the country.

Wendy’s is also spinning, errr, communicating that the change to the kiosks in these stores is about better serving the younger generation of customers who prefer interacting with the kiosks. It is something Darren Tristano, the vice-president of Techmonic (a food-service research and consulting company), points out via the Columbus Dispatch.

“They are looking to improve their automation and their labor costs, and this is a good way to do it,” he said. “They are also trying to enhance the customer experience. Younger customers prefer to use a kiosk.”

While Wendy’s certainly isn’t the first to think of the idea of self-service kiosks at its stores, it is way ahead of the curve in terms of the mass scale they are putting them to use.

According to the article in the Columbus Dispatch, the kiosks come at a cost of $15,000 for all three of them and they are expected to pay for themselves in two years time thanks to the savings in labor costs and increased sales as well.

The old-school order at the counter fans don’t need to fret though, because Wendy’s isn’t doing away with that option completely. You’ll still have the option to interact with a human being who can take your order as well.

It is just that there will be fewer of those types of employees needed over the coming year at Wendy’s, which plans to hit the 1,000-store mark by the end of the year.

So, brush up on your touch-screen ordering ability, because if Wendy’s is successful at it you can bet the other major chains are going to be following suit very soon.

[Fortune]