About this post:
One customer's review of the kiosk ordering experience at Subway.
I went into a Subway for the first time in many, many months yesterday. The new touch-screen was a surprise to me, although Subway has apparently been installing them since 2006.
I am not with the program.
The ordering experience was both better and worse than the standard standing-in-line module. On the one hand I was not delayed because another customer is indecisive over bananna peppers. Nor did I have to worry about getting tongue-tied making my order, taking too long, or misunderstanding an accent.
How many times have these concerns caused me to go someplace else? Quite often, actually. I'm guessing Subway discovered that the sandwich-kibitzing requirement was turning people away, so they've neatly done away with it.
But on the other hand, the ordering kiosks put the human staff at a further remove from the customers. We give a machine the order, then the machine gives them an order. And yet they are still standing there assembling sandwiches on the other side of the kiosk. It's like an automat except the vending machines are silent people.
In a time when so many people are emphasizing human contact, Subway is becoming more mechanized and more inscrutable.
There are a couple of other problems, too. Whereas the old system was very orderly — queues always are — there are now potentially several lines in front of each kiosk and a number of people standing around, in the way, waiting for their sandwiches to be made. Every Subway I've been in is long and narrow, but the new ordering process requires a deep space for people to stand. I was also confused about when to pay — after ordering? After getting my food? I think I saw people doing both.
It seems to me they've made it easier to order, but made the experience of being in a Subway more unsettling. The "crowd at the door" problem can be solved by remodeling.
But what should Subway do about the emotional experience? Does the lack of human contact make Subway seem cheap? Or do they need to do anything?
Interesting, seems I’ve heard this conversation somewhere before.
But that’s a good point, and one I thought in my head as we were discussing but then quickly dismissed – is automation a good thing? Jimmy John’s has a comparable product, and they turn it out faster and with at least SOME interaction, with no automation involved.
I have nothing of value to add … again. Just reading.
Posted by Jeremy Hart on 07/01/09 at 8:52AM
Sadly, I think Subway has killed one of the elements that made the Subway experience what it is and what has been a large part of it’s appeal- the feeling of abundance and ultimate personalization.
Although they’ve tried, Subway has never been about the inherent quality of what they offer, they’ve been about the huge array of choices that you have to create exactly the sandwich you want. Although it may be frustrating to be in line behind me, what I’ve always loved about Subway was standing there making a sandwich on the fly and participating in it’s creation, based on what I felt like right at that moment. In fact, I wouldn’t want to eat a Subway sandwich UNLESS I put it together and was there to look at the choices and see it being put on the sandwich and be able to tell the “Sandwich Artist” to add another squirt of mayo or take off some of the lettuce. The best sandwiches are made standing in front of the refridgerator and I’m sad that Subway didn’t grasp this element of their appeal.
Posted by Pam Martin on 07/01/09 at 9:05AM
The only place I’ve ever had to order this way is Subways that are inside a gas station food area. The regular restaurants I go to have the human ordering.
My main reason for wanting to deal directly with a human is that sometimes you don’t want a lot of dressing or hot peppers or something. When you are talking directly to the person making your sandwhich, you can say, “Just a bit” and “That’s enough, thanks.”
Posted by Missie on 07/01/09 at 9:06AM
@Jeremy: Actually, reading is always “adding value.” Thanks! And thanks for letting me bounce this off of you yesterday when we had more serious stuff to talk about.
@Pam & @Missie: There’s certainly something to be said for the boutique, hand-crafted customer-service experience, but it does come at a cost. That cost being both your throughput and customers who may find the process of deep involvement off-putting. Maybe Subway needs a “talk to a human” line and an “I am anti-social” line.
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Posted by John Williams on 07/01/09 at 9:41AM