User Perception of Self-Ordering Systems: A Human-Centered Approach to Operational Efficiency in Digital Restaurant Services

Hospitality industry has been experiencing new forms of service innovation, fueled by advancements in digital technology. Self-ordering is one such service innovation that has increasingly become integrated into restaurant business models. In understanding users' perception of self-ordering technology, it is important to examine what influences customers’ perceived notions of efficiency. Through a quantitative analysis of 180 self-ordering users, this study identifies predictors of perceived operational efficiency of self-ordering technology from the perspective of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived speed. The research findings obtained from Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) reveal that perceived operational efficiency is affected significantly by perceived ease of use and perceived speed of technology. However, it is not affected by perceived usefulness. Perceived speed was identified as the predictor with the strongest effect on perceived operational efficiency. Within the scope of Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) principles, these findings indicate that users' interactions with the system in terms of response time and ease of use significantly contribute to overall notions of efficiency. Moreover, self-ordering technology can be deemed a human-centered and inclusive innovation as it provides increased accessibility, minimizes wait time, and allows for adaptable service among all users. This research, in essence, contributes new understanding of digitally enhanced service settings and the need for user-friendly digital tools that are efficient, straightforward, and accessible.