Shake Shack Trying Out Cashless Kiosks In Quest To Speed Up Ordering Process

In an effort to speed things up in its restaurants, Shake Shack is trying out a few new things at one New York City location, including cashless kiosks that customers use to place orders monitored by employees.

The chain is introducing cashless kiosks at a new location in Astor Place, a restaurant dubbed “the playground” because the company uses it to test new innovations, CNBC reports.

Diners will send their orders directly to the kitchen either by using one of the digital kiosk — with a “hospitality champ” nearby if they need help — or using their phones.

Customers won’t be able to pay with cash, as Shake Shack wants to see if ditching paper money will make the process run more smoothly.

The kitchen has also been rearranged to “eliminate friction time,” CEO Randy Garutti tells CNBC. Once an order is ready, instead of getting a buzz on a Shake Shack pager, customers will now receive a text. That way, guests won’t have to stay in the restaurant while they wait for their food.

“It’s really a guest-centric strategy,” Garutti told CNBC. “We get the best people and the best hospitality. It’s not just about the hamburgers.”