An Empirical Analysis of Self-Service Kiosk Adoption in the Restaurant Industry: Performance Differences by Customer Demand Level

This study investigates the impact of self-service kiosk adoption on key performance outcomes (sales, operating costs, and profitability) in the restaurant industry with a particular focus on how these effects vary depending on customer demand levels. Using data from the 2020 Restaurant Management Survey conducted in South Korea, we perform regression analyses to examine the effects of kiosk adoption and average daily visitor count on business performance. The analysis reveals a dual pattern: although restaurants with kiosks tend to have higher average sales than those without, increasing customer demand diminishes the positive effects of kiosk adoption on reducing operating costs and enhancing profitability. These findings indicate that the effectiveness of kiosk adoption is highly contingent on operational contexts such as demand intensity. This study highlights the limitations of viewing technology adoption as universally beneficial and emphasizes the need for context-sensitive operational strategies. By analyzing the interaction between technology, demand conditions, and performance, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of digital transformation in service operations and provides empirical evidence to guide more strategic implementation of self-service technologies.