Pickup lockers offer numerous benefits, including making more effective use of labor, improving the management of third-party delivery orders and drivers, and more efficient customer service. Most notably, pickup lockers can make interactions with customers and kitchen crew as seamless as possible.

Operators can integrate lockers with advanced technology into restaurant point-of-sale systems. This can monitor the time between customer orders, production and pickup as well as keep tabs on the number of deliveries and third-party delivery service pickup times. The data and analytics provided can be beneficial over the long term by enhancing speed of service and overall pickup efficiencies. Operators utilizing software-powered equipment can take advantage of the locker capabilities that will evolve over time with updates.

When purchasing a pickup locker, operators should decide whether their applications require a basic box with doors or a more sophisticated system.

The configuration is another factor. For existing restaurants with no cut out or access to the back of house, a front-loading pickup locker will be necessary. However, for new builds or kitchens with extra space, a flow-through model provides added efficiency and easy access for staff, customers and delivery drivers.

Operators need to figure out the pickup volume to determine the size necessary to meet peak demand. Locker manufacturers can assist with sizing to best determine how many lockers make sense.

Location is a key factor as operators should situate pickup lockers in a convenient and accessible location for customers and/or delivery drivers. This can vary, depending on the restaurant footprint and amount of space allocated. Popular locations include dining rooms, hallways or breezeways. When possible, consider placing pickup lockers away from ordering counters or any areas where customers or staff would congregate. At the same time, give thought to logistics in terms of how far staff need to go to load the lockers, balancing that against convenience for customers and delivery drivers.

The ideal placement scenario depends on store design, but the closer to the kitchen the locker can be placed, the better. This increases efficiency for loading and can ensure food temperature remains consistent for heated lockers.

Another consideration is whether an ambient, heated or cooled locker type is preferable. If orders of different temperatures will be stored, an ambient type is best. However, if all meals are hot and cold drinks
are self-serve on-site, consider pickup lockers that offer hot holding.

Some pickup locker manufacturers will work directly with restaurant operators to incorporate data and analytics software, which helps reduce the time it takes food to make its way from the end of the makeline to the time the order is picked up. This also can gauge how much business is conducted during peak hours, in addition to the percentage of delivery versus takeout orders.