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DIY POS ft. Panera

** WILL RELOCATE**
Have to put that in because this is the post that shows up on Bing/Google search when you search this blog title.

Panama City, Florida is becoming a new place.

While the mall won't return, instead opting for 2 department stores, a Planet Fitness, and a movie theater you have to enter through a back alley, other places nearby are being remodeled after extensive damage from Hurricane Michael.

The Books A Million is beautiful and the Target is sleek and modern. A lot of blue metal and wood. The Panera has also followed suit.

It's a shame it took a Category 5 storm to drag the city into the 21st Century, but better late than never. I'm happy for them, and will be even happier when I am living in another city.

Remodels can't fix a mismatch of opportunity.

Today is Panera's day. Gone is the charmingly late 90's decor, jumping 2 decades in 2 weeks with sleek, white rustic touches, a lot of glass, and a lot of natural light. I dig it.

Pictured; Not the natural light.


But! This isn't an interior design blog, it's a technical one. That's why I decided to try the self-order machines.



It's why I'm in tech. Because new, shiny things!

This is not a new remodel - When evacuating to Jacksonville, FL, their Panera restaurants already had this new, sleek style and self POS system.

They also had a delicious grain bowl. Like Freshii, but cheaper. 

There were 4 kiosks. It's very similar the app you find on your phone, and the checkout on the desktop site. Sure enough, the receipt went directly to my e-mail. It's using the mobile order app while on the premises - Though there was the option to dine in.

At the checkout, the card swiper and POS system seemed a little out of synch. I had to swipe my card twice, as the POS indicated for me to swipe when the card machine wasn't ready. 

The card reader was deciding what to do ("Please wait...") for so long, my order almost timed out.


That's my breakfast sandwich! 

Overall, it's a quick, interesting experience that should definitely cut down on the lunch rush line - There was still an employee at the register for the human touch.

 How secure is it? Are payments going directly to the local register logs? The keyboard that pops up is iOS - send a lot of input to the device, you could probably crash the app and have access to other sections.

Are they connected to the Panera Wi-Fi network available to customers? I'd put it on a seperate one that's not broadcasting its SSID.

EMPLOYERS: This is me keeping abreast of new technologies. Reminder: I will relocate!
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