Lu Lu, Temple University and Wangoo Lee, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

When restaurant customers order from self-service kiosks while a line forms behind them, they feel rushed, prompting them to buy less and stick to familiar items instead of browsing for something new, according to a recent study we published.

self-service kiosks

We found that businesses can reduce this pressure and increase satisfaction by revamping their system so that a single line of waiting customers leads to multiple kiosks. That way, customers feel less rushed because they aren’t the only ones who may be holding up the line.

We are experts in food and beverage marketing who research self-service technology. In recent years, many restaurants have adopted automated technology to streamline the menu ordering process and address staffing shortages. This ultimately gives customers more control over ordering, but an unintended consequence of this has seemed to be that it also makes them feel more responsibility for keeping the line that forms behind them moving, leading to rushed orders.

To understand what’s going on, we conducted three experiments in which we asked hundreds of participants to imagine waiting in line at a restaurant in a variety of scenarios. We found that most people do in fact feel pressured to order quickly when there’s a queue behind them. This resulted in hasty decisions and lower overall spending.

But we also found that retailers can mitigate this in one of two ways: by creating a single line serving several kiosks or by showing a pop-up message on the kiosk interface stating that the business takes full responsibility for any service delays during menu orders.

Our research reveals the social dynamics at play in do-it-yourself ordering and we believe offers valuable implications for designing a more effective and customer-friendly self-service process. It also alerts restaurant owners to the potential unintended consequences of switching to automated technology.

Lu Lu, Associate Professor of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Temple University and Wangoo Lee, Assistant Professor, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

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This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Available exclusively on Gatorade.com, Gatorade iD now offers next level AI design technology through a collaboration with Adobe Firefly so athletes can personalize their own one-of-one signature bottles

CHICAGO /PRNewswire/ — Today, Gatorade announced the launch of a generative AI-powered design experience on its Gatorade iD free membership platform. In partnership with Adobe Firefly, Adobe’s family of creative generative AI models that is safe for commercial use, the new customizer tool allows athletes to express their unique styles and interests through nearly endless personalization possibilities on Gatorade Squeeze Bottles. Some of the most iconic athletes in the world have collaborated with Gatorade on signature bottles, and last year Gatorade.com began offering enhanced customization capabilities on its website. Now, all athletes can personalize their own in a way never before offered by the sports fuel brand.

The new ability to create custom designs using AI for inspiration takes existing Gatorade.com bottle personalization options to the next level. Every athlete is one-of-one and by putting these tools of self-expression directly in their hands, they now have access to millions of different design options. By simply typing ideas such as their favorite sports, designs and hobbies into a search box on the website, and then choosing from a selection of colors, vibes and passions, it’s easy to make the Gatorade Squeeze Bottle their own.

Adobe Firefly Services, a set of APIs and capabilities to scale personalization, enables the generation of images that unlock creative self-expression while maintaining the iconic look-and-feel of the Gatorade Squeeze Bottles. Gatorade collaborated with digital product agency, Work & Co, part of Accenture Song, to ensure the new AI experience is seamlessly integrated into Gatorade.com and is user-friendly.

At the Adobe MAX 2024 Creativity Conference, Xavi Cortadellas, Gatorade’s Sr. director of marketing, athletic equipment, and Leon Imas, vice president of design at PepsiCo, will unveil the technology experience on Gatorade.com.

• “Gatorade continues to be at the forefront of athletic equipment personalization, and the launch of AI-generated bottle design puts next level creative self-expression directly in athletes’ hands,” said Cortadellas. “Now athletes everywhere can have fun with our AI tool in a way that’s approachable and uniquely on-brand. Available on Gatorade.com through the free Gatorade iD loyalty platform, there are nearly endless possibilities for personalization.”
• “Gatorade has been bringing personalization to new levels of expression and innovation in our products and experiences,” said Imas. “This is a rare moment when the idea creates next level expression and industry-leading innovation. We crafted a special experience for our athletes to feel like a Gatorade pro, creating styles, themes and structure references that Firefly pulls from to make all generated bottle designs uniquely Gatorade, and special to you. The end results are bottles generated by AI, powered by design, and imagined by you.”

The capability will only be available on the Gatorade website through Gatorade iD, where users can earn points and unlock benefits. Points can be used to generate bottles designs, and preset options are also available for inspiration. Every member will have the option to create two free designs before tapping into their loyalty points and designs will be saved to the user’s profile so they can return to them at any time.

“Every brand is trying to figure out how to effectively personalize customer experiences at scale, a proven strategy that can boost audience engagement and drive lasting loyalty,” said Hannah Elsakr, vice president, Adobe. “Gatorade is pioneering a new approach and making one-to-one personalization a reality with generative AI, leveraging Adobe Firefly Services to deliver highly customized water bottles and unlock creative expression for millions of everyday athletes.”

Athletes today are increasingly seeking ways to personalize their experience on and off the field and Gatorade is one of the first brands to put the power of an AI-fueled experience in their hands so that they can customize their own bottles. As a brand born to solve athlete problems, Gatorade continues to lead the industry forward with innovation that matches these athletes’ needs. The brand is focused on supporting each athlete on their unique journey to greatness, and this is just the start of how AI will fuel athlete personalization.

Anyone can utilize the generative AI-powered personalization to create their one-of-a-kind Gatorade Squeeze Bottle for $34.99 via Gatorade iD, the brand’s free membership platform on www.gatorade.com.

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About The Gatorade Portfolio

The Gatorade Portfolio, a division of PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP), is a connected performance and wellness ecosystem built to fuel all athletes and exercisers. Bringing together Gatorade, Fast Twitch, Propel, Evolve and Muscle Milk, the Gatorade Portfolio is the most complete offering in the category today, with a broad range of personalized solutions at every stage of the athlete journey. This integrated system of brands is built on Gatorade’s nearly 60-year history of studying athletes and is fueling the future of athletic performance and wellness by delivering solutions across hydration, protein, energy and all-day nutrition to fuel consumers, no matter how or why they sweat. For more information and a full list of product offerings, please visit www.gatorade.com. 

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

SOURCE The Gatorade Company

At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.

Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.

Created to honor the Northern Highland region of Scotland, Double Double 38 pairs perfectly with exclusive chocolate range from Chef Gabriel Kreuther

HAMILTON, Bermuda /PRNewswire/ — DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch Whisky proudly announces the second release in its Collector’s Series: DEWAR’S Double Double 38-Year-Old Whisky. This strictly limited-edition whisky pays tribute to the stunning Northern Highlands, offering a rare, blended malt whisky that exemplifies DEWAR’S craftsmanship and sets a new standard for luxury whisky.

This latest innovation follows DEWAR’S global rebrand, introduced through the recent launch of the brand’s “Here’s to the Story” platform, a tribute to its nearly 180-year legacy of pioneering spirit and commitment to inspiring life’s most enriching discoveries.

Crafted by six-time Master Blender of the Year Stephanie Macleod, DEWAR’S Double Double 38-Year-Old showcases DEWAR’S unique four-stage aging process, while paying homage to the Northern Highlands of Scotland. This innovative method begins with a carefully selected blend of single malt whiskies from the Islay and Highland regions, each aged for at least 38 years. After blending, the whiskies are aged an additional month in their original casks.

What sets this whisky apart is the inclusion and blending of a reserved portion of 2023’s release – DEWAR’S Double Double 37-Year-Old – which was held back and given an extra year to mature. This pioneering technique of blending successive releases annually is a brand-led innovation, showcasing how DEWAR’S continues to raise the bar in luxury whisky. The final blend is then transferred into Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, previously used to age the prestigious ROYAL BRACKLA® Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, for several additional months of maturation. This final finishing process deepens the whisky’s complexity, resulting in an exquisitely aromatic and nuanced finish.

Stephanie Macleod, Master Blender for DEWAR’S, commented: “Creating Double Double 38-Year-Old allowed us to explore the full potential of our unique four-stage aging process, blending tradition with a forward-thinking approach to Scotch whisky. This blend is meticulously crafted using some of Scotland’s finest Highland and Islay malts, each aged for at least 38 years, and then finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, adding layers of richness and complexity.”

Joining the first release in the Collector’s Series introduced last fall, this luxurious whisky opens with notes of aromatic white flowers and citrus, followed by creamy vanilla, toasted cereals, a hint of succulent frangipane, and a subtle whisp of smoke. The Pedro Ximenez sherry casks impart additional flavors of dried figs and plums, with a taste reminiscent of dark chocolate shavings on indulgent hot cocoa.

Brian Cox, Vice President of DEWAR’S North America, added, “With our Dewar’s 38-Year-Old Blended Malt, we are exploring one of the many futures of blended Scotch—a category that is premiumizing and evolving with the times. Our unique four-stage aging process elevates the whisky’s complexity by expanding the depth but also breadth of flavor notes that are traditionally found in Scotch whisky. This release makes Dewar’s a standout innovator in the luxury whisky segment and it reflects the same dedication to craftsmanship and whisky exploration as our recently launched ‘Here’s to the Story’ brand platform, which celebrates the richness of our traditions while inviting whisky lovers to savor and enjoy new moments of discovery.”

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To enhance the experience, DEWAR’S has partnered with renowned Two Star Michelin Chef Gabriel Kreuther, leveraging his expertise to create custom chocolates that perfectly complement the whisky’s complex and distinctive flavor profile. These bespoke chocolates are crafted to reflect the whisky’s exceptional flavor and even include a small portion of the 38-year-old whisky, delivering a truly indulgent experience. Offered as a complimentary gift via QR code when purchasing DEWAR’S Double Double 38 Year Old from Dewars.com.

For those looking to explore the whisky in a unique way, DEWAR’S North American Brand Ambassador Gabriel Cardarella will guide enthusiasts through a multi-sensory tasting experience via a QR code on the bottle’s packaging, highlighting the unique process and regional influences of this exceptional blend.

Additionally, a 19-piece set of these artisan chocolates infused with DEWAR’S Double Double 38 Year Old will be available for purchase at kreutherchocolate.com for a limited time, in addition to his existing premium collection. Kreuther’s custom chocolates continue his partnership with DEWAR’S Scotch Whisky for its Collector’s Series, following his curation of a dinner inspired by the collection’s 37 Year Old liquid last year.

Priced at $2,199, DEWAR’S Double Double 38-Year-Old is a legendary tribute to Scotland’s finest whisky regions, crafted with a dedication to quality that ensures every sip is a nod to the brand’s pioneering spirit. It is available at 48.8% ABV in 375ml bottles at spirits retailers.

For more information on DEWAR’S whisky products, please visit www.dewars.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About DEWAR’S
Founded in 1846 by John Dewar, DEWAR’S® has grown from a small wine and spirits merchant shop in Scotland, to one of the largest Scotch whisky brands in the world. Best known for its iconic DEWAR’S WHITE LABEL, it has expanded its family to create a portfolio of premium and super premium whiskies including DEWAR’S 12-Year-Old, DEWAR’S 15-Year-Old, DEWAR’S 18-Year-Old, DEWAR’S Double Double Series. DEWAR’S Caribbean Smooth and the exclusive DEWAR’S 25. These whiskies are crafted using the DEWAR’S oak marrying ageing process, which involves returning the hand-crafted blend to vintage oak casks for further maturation. The result is a smoother taste with a long, lingering finish; a taste that wins medals and applause, making DEWAR’S the world’s most awarded blended Scotch. The DEWAR’S brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

About Bacardi Limited
Bacardi Limited, the world’s largest privately held international spirits company, produces, markets, and distributes spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, PATRÓN® tequila, GREY GOOSE® vodka, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON’S® Scotch whisky, D’USSÉ® Cognac, ANGEL’S ENVY® American straight whiskey, and ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur. Founded more than 162 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs approximately 9,000, operates production facilities in 11 countries and territories, and sells its brands in more than 160 markets. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit http://www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter. 

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ENJOY RESPONSIBLY ©2024 DEWAR’S BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY 43% ALC. BY VOL

SOURCE DEWAR’S

At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.

Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.