KFC introduces self-service kiosks in Klang Valley

Signage stands on display outside a Yum! Brands Inc. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant in Joliet, Illinois, U.S., on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019. Yum! Brands Inc. is scheduled to release earnings figures on February 7. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg

Fastfood chain KFC appears to be rolling out self-ordering kiosks (SOKs) which accept payment via eWallets in addition to credit and debit cards.

Tech portal Amanz reports that the SOKs are available at various locations in the Klang Valley and supports eWallets such as Kash Wallet, Maybank QR Pay, Alipay, WeChat Pay, Boost and TNG Wallet.

The machines have a touchscreen to take orders and payment is made via a card reader or QR code system.

The machines are meant to reduce queues at the counter – customers have the option of picking up their orders from the counter or have the food delivered to their table.

KFC has been experimenting with the kiosks starting in Britain in 2008 and in India in 2012.

Kiosk Marketplace quoted KFC’s parent company, Yum! Brands, saying it planned to have 5,000 restaurants with SOKs in the United States by 2020.

Rival fastfood chain McDonald’s introduced SOKs in its Bukit Bintang branch back in 2017 and has since rolled it out to many branches.