Johannesburg, 25 Jul 2017
Earlier this month, fast food chain KFC launched K Pro, their new restaurant concept, in Hangzhou, China. Unlike KFC's traditional restaurants, you won't find any buckets of finger lickin' good fried chicken in K Pro. Instead, diners can choose from a variety of fresh juices, salads, and panini with toppings like grilled chicken, shrimp, or smoked salmon.
Pay with your mobile phone
As payment trends shift, cash is rapidly becoming obsolete and a new way to pay has arisen: mobile payment. Companies like Alibaba's Alipay allow businesses to keep their costs down by reducing the need for expensive card readers and back-end systems that store records. Already the norm in most of urban China, mobile payment is expected to grow globally over the next few years. To accommodate for this 'virtual wallet', KFC's K Pro restaurant is equipped with Newland's FR20 desktop scanner.
Newland's products are widely recognised by the Chinese food- and beverage industry as high-performing scanning solutions for mobile payment, due to their exceptional performance scanning from a screen as well as paper. The FR20 is an affordable and snappy desktop scanner with a wide reading angle. It was selected for its ability to effortlessly scan extra-wide barcodes and barcodes off large screens.
Quick and easy self-service with the EM20
Newland's EM20 OEM Scan Engines are integrated into the K Pro self-service terminals at the entrance to the restaurant. Customers simply walk up to the terminal, select what they would like to eat and drink, and take a plate. The built-in scanner can verify their vouchers or allow them to pay for their order with their mobile phone. The waiter will then serve the meal to their table, making for a hassle-free experience.
Newland's EM20 is one of their most popular OEM Scan Engines due to its outstanding speed and performance, making it easy to use for inexperienced diners. With its small size and large scan window, it can be embedded in a wide variety of kiosk applications.
Internal order verification
To avoid mix-ups and other mistakes when preparing and serving meals, the K Pro staff uses Newland's FR4060 Akame to scan barcodes that allow them to verify the order of each customer. The FR4060 Akame is a fast and straightforward scanning solution that is particularly suitable for counter applications. The device starts up instantly and has an infrared sensor that lights up when an object is approaching, allowing for intuitive scanning.
KFC is China's largest restaurant chain and it's a clear sign of the times that they are turning towards healthier foods. The restaurant landscape is changing and diners are looking for a more contemporary and green experience. The cooperation between KFC and Newland focuses on creating that experience, using the latest in restaurant technology to ensure a future-forward approach. The results are clear. Since its launch, K Pro has drawn an enthusiastic crowd of visitors that shows a concept the modern diner certainly has a taste for.
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