Equipment Considerations

Touchless dispensing solutions are the beverage wave of the future.

CHAPTER 3

Equipment Considerations

THE NEED FOR CONTACTLESS SOLUTIONS EXTENDS TO TOUCH-FREE FORMATS FOR BEVERAGE DISPENSING

The pandemic has changed a lot of things forever, including self-service beverage dispensing. As Technomic points out, contactless transactions that reduce or eliminate face-to-face transactions have emerged as popular solutions in the post-pandemic world.

These concerns extend to self-service beverage stations, many which have been disabled to prevent customers from common surfaces, and even shared creamer bottles and straw and sugar dispensers.¹ Touch-free interfaces are also welcome in environments where many employees dispense beverages.

New technologies allow patrons to create their own customized beverages in seconds, without touching the equipment, using a smartphone to direct and, in some instances, pay for the process.

Additional features on some equipment might include instructions in multiple languages, ADA compliance, and the ability to dispense plain water in addition to beverages like juice, iced tea, lemonade, and enhanced water. Some mechanisms are proximity-dispensed (hover over the button, without having to touch it), while others use a QR code and a smartphone to order and dispense.

Moving forward, touchless fountain machines are most preferred by consumers. While this would be an expensive upgrade for many operators, Technomic data suggests that consumers are likely to feel most comfortable with an option where someone else’s hand or cup hasn’t come into contact with the machine.¹

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_{^{Source: 1. Technomic Beverage Consumer Trend Report (2020).}}