Starbucks is introducing unmanned ordering machines (hereafter referred to as kiosks) in South Korea and Japan. Starbucks Korea noted on the 26th that it plans to install kiosks in a small number of stores sequentially starting this week. This is the first time Starbucks has utilized kiosks, having adhered to the principle of direct communication with customers.
According to Starbucks Korea, there are plans to pilot kiosks in around 10 stores in tourist areas and office districts, including Seoul and Jeju Island. The scale of future implementation is undecided.
The first area to introduce kiosks is Myeongdong in Seoul. Myeongdong is noted as a representative area where foreign tourists flock, and it has a high pedestrian traffic. Starbucks Korea plans to install kiosks in two stores in the Myeongdong area within this week.
Additionally, kiosks will be introduced in some stores on Jeju Island next month. A Starbucks Korea representative said, "The number of foreign tourists has increased, but there are communication challenges due to language barriers, which is why kiosks were developed," and added, "Kiosks will capture the demand from foreign consumers in tourist areas." They further noted, "Consumers who find face-to-face ordering burdensome will also prefer to use kiosks."
Meanwhile, it is reported that Starbucks Japan will also introduce kiosks in Japan around the same time. Japan, often referred to as the 'vending machine paradise', has been using kiosks for a long time. Other coffee brands, including Coffee Bean and Twosome Place, as well as various franchise restaurants, already take orders through kiosks.
On the other hand, Starbucks Korea has not introduced kiosks until now in line with the principle of prioritizing communication with customers from its U.S. headquarters. While it has maintained the method of having staff take orders and call customers' nicknames or waiting numbers, criticisms arose that it was difficult for staff to call customers during busy times, such as lunchtime. Therefore, since the second half of 2023, they have introduced vibrating bells in some stores. Currently, over 150 of the more than 2,000 stores in the country use vibrating bells.