Dunkin Enters Self-Checkout Category At Sports Stadiums

Coffee chain Dunkin Brands Group Inc. DNKN is experimenting with the new and fast-growing self-checkout concept. 

What Happened: Dunkin is testing a new checkout-free payment system at sports stadiums at a time when consumers demand faster speed of service with less human contact at restaurants, The Wall Street Journal reported. The concept makes use of cameras, scanners and softwares that lets consumers pick what they want in a store and then leave.

Dunkin is testing a payment system powered by Mastercard Inc. MA at undisclosed stores in California that will be rebranded as Dunkin' Dash, according to WSJ. Customers need to register a credit card in advance and they will receive a unique QR code.

Why It's Important: The new concept faces some near-term hurdles to overcome, including how to encourage consumers to go through a sign-up process just to enter a store, the report continued. Consumers will need to sign up for each store that uses Mastercard's technology.

Retailers are likely to promote campaigns based speed and safety with little to no wait times on entry and exit although this may not be enough. Retailers may be forced to offer customers discounts and other incentives.

What's Next: Retailers of all shapes and sizes will likely be closely monitoring current trials from Dunkin and others. The estimated cost of just installing a system is $100,000. The hardware and code setup costs as much as $3 million, brand experience consultant Tim Manning told WSJ.

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