Qu Unveils Kiosk Upgrades to Help Restaurants Win Amid Economic Pressures

New features drive revenue, ease frontline strain, and deliver a more intuitive and brand-forward guest experience

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As quick-service and fast-casual restaurants navigate a challenging economic environment and rising costs, kiosks are emerging as a way to drive higher check averages, streamline operations, and support staff during peak periods. According to Qu's 2025 State of Digital report, 62% of restaurant brands now use or plan to adopt kiosk technology — up from 43% a year ago — including 80% of QSRs and more than half of fast casual brands.

Still, major hurdles remain. The report highlights top barriers to adoption: cost, workflow disruptions, and difficulty integrating with existing systems. Qu's latest wave of kiosk enhancements directly address these barriers with platform-wide updates that improve adoption, staff efficiency, and profitability — without major technology overhauls or costly new hardware.

Cost Advantage: No New Hardware Required
For brands using Qu's Flex POS terminals, kiosk mode can be activated without buying additional equipment. This allows restaurants to expand kiosk use gradually, match adoption to demand, and minimize upfront spending — a notable advantage at a time when operators must keep capital costs down.

"We've seen strong performance at the kiosk, so the next step is implementing intelligent upsell prompts," said Steve Smyth, director of restaurant technology at Taco John's. "It's about guiding guests toward items they'll enjoy, in a way that feels natural and helpful."

Improving the Guest Journey While Boosting Revenue
Qu's latest upgrades aim to make kiosks easier to navigate, creating opportunities for guests to engage more holistically with the brand and explore more of the menu:

• Multi-select cross-sells suggest relevant add-ons in a way that feels helpful rather than pushy
• Loyalty prompts encourage account log-ins or signups before ordering, linking transactions to rewards, and prompting premium add-ons that increase check size
• Multi-brand loyalty support lets guests choose which brand to earn rewards with at multi-brand locations—creating more perceived value, repeat visits, and higher spend over time

Early results show a measurable impact:

• Taco John's kiosk orders average 19% higher than counter service
• WOWorks reports kiosk tickets averaging $3 more than in-person orders
• A multi-brand fast-casual operator saw upsell prompts lift average checks up to 22%.

Alleviate Staff Pressures During Peak Hours
To keep teams efficient, especially during rushes or short-staffed shifts, Qu introduced tools that help restaurants adapt in real time:

• Qu Flex, a hybrid POS/Kiosk that switches between cashier- and guest-facing modes in seconds
• Cashier-facing displays enabling team members to assist with kiosk orders without interrupting service
• Instant updates to menu, pricing, 86s, loyalty, and cross-sell settings across all channels, without middleware or duplicate entry

"These features allow operators to assign staff where they're needed most — whether on the make line, greeting guests, or managing the drive-thru," said Brian Crum, VP of product at Qu. "By reducing time spent on repetitive screen tasks, employees can focus on the faster-paced, hands-on parts of the job that require coordination, attention, and a human touch. This flexibility also opens opportunities to hire from a broader talent pool, accommodating employees with different comfort levels for guest interaction."

Brand Engagement and Accessibility
Qu's upgrades also focus on attracting guests to kiosks and ensuring they can be used by a wide range of customers:

• Dynamic screensaver mode rotates video, animations, and seasonal content to draw guests in
• Animated pages and branded menu banners guide navigation while reinforcing brand identity
• ADA screen reader support activates as soon as headphones are plugged in
• Visual adjustments like dyslexia-friendly fonts, large cursors, and high-contrast modes
• Support for 50+ languages, an often-overlooked but critical layer of accessibility

"Kiosks aren't just about labor savings. They're part of the guest journey, a core expression of the brand, and a way to drive more revenue," added Crum. "These updates reflect what operators told us they need most."

Availability and Rollout
All enhancements are available now to Qu customers. Qu releases software updates on a three-week sprint cycle, enabling rapid iteration based on operator feedback — and eliminating the need for middleware or redundant systems, which helps brands reduce long-term tech costs.

To learn more about Qu's kiosk offerings, visit qubeyond.com/ordering/kiosk.

About Qu
Qu is evolving restaurant POS to create a truly connected restaurant experience for guests and operators at quick-service and fast-casual restaurants. Qu's industry-leading, cloud-native Unified Commerce Platform fuses the ordering, operations and guest engagement functions, delivering the real-time data needed to drive loyal, repeat guests. Based in Arlington, Virginia, Qu is backed by leading restaurant entrepreneurs and investors, including Cota Capital, Enlightened Hospitality Investments (EHI), Bobby Cox Companies, and NRD Capital. Visit qubeyond.com and stay connected with LinkedIn.

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SOURCE Qu