Elderly ‘shut out of restaurants’ as chains cut costs with self-service kiosks

Some of Britain’s biggest food outlets risk excluding elderly customers as they turn to self-service kiosks to cut costs, campaigners have warned.

Fast food chains including McDonald’s, Leon and Subway are using self-service as a way for customers to order as wage costs rise and the hospitality industry grapples with a shortage of staff.

Almost all of McDonald’s 1,450 restaurants now have self-service kiosks.

But campaigners have said they risk alienating elderly diners who may not be able to use the technology.

Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, said: “What it’s doing is actually saying to older people that you’re not really welcomed in our establishment.

“They’re not that bothered about losing older people, because they’re making more money by cutting staff to do the necessary human-to-human contact. It’s a rather soulless world.

“It will stop a lot of people from going into those establishments in the first place. They will likely look around for places where you can actually go in order from a waiter or somebody to talk you through the different items.”

More than half of all fast food outlets in the UK had installed self-service kiosks by 2020, according to a report by Kurve Kiosk.

A poll of 2,000 consumers by the Kiosk company found that less than half would choose a self-serve kiosk over a cashier.

Kiosks are also to be introduced at Subway restaurants across the south of England after a franchisee that runs hundreds of outlets began rolling them out over recent weeks.

Caroline Abrahams, director at charity Age UK, said: “As technology develops and many are using cash less and less, it’s understandable that organisations are looking at how they can automate functions but it’s important they remember that some of us, particularly if we are older, can find these new approaches difficult to navigate.

“It would be completely unfair to exclude swathes of our older population from being able to eat out or shop because everyday activities require use of an app or a self-service kiosk.”

Most chains still allow shoppers to order at the till if they do not wish to use a kiosk.

A McDonald’s spokesman says this is the case in its sites but that introducing more kiosks “freed up more of our people to spend more time ensuring every customer has the best possible experience”.

It comes as the rise of self-service checkouts in supermarkets has also proved controversial.

Tesco has been forced to defend its roll-out after a backlash from customers, while northern supermarket Booths is removing them to improve customer service.

Simon Stenning, hospitality industry expert and director of Future Foodservice, said: “Even M&S have now got digital kiosks being rolled out into their cafes.

“When you see that a very traditional cafe operator like M&S can put in digital kiosks, the dam has been broken and they will be everywhere.

“The reality is that anyone who has got a member of staff just stood at a till waiting to take orders and take payment – it’s harder to recruit people just for that, the labour pot is shrinking, and technology just makes it so much easier.”

A Subway spokesman said: “We are exploring innovative restaurant design features, such as the integration of digital kiosks, to provide added convenience for guests who prefer this option.

“These kiosks are intended to complement, not replace, our Sandwich Artists. Guests will always have the option to place their orders with a Sandwich Artist at the counter.”