It’s 6 p.m. on a Saturday—rush hour at your restaurant. Customers are lined up at your kiosks, your staff is fielding customers at the counter, and the kitchen is bustling with action. It’s go time, baby.
Then something strange happens. The lines at your kiosks keep growing and growing. And the guest standing by one of them looks confused, puzzled, utterly bewildered. Sweat beads on his forehead.
You practically leap over the counter, rushing to his aid.
“Can I help you, sir?”
“My order is not going through,” he says, frustrated.
Then you hear another fellow just a few feet away chime in.
“Yeah, mine’s not working either.”
The line sways, people shuffle on their feet uncomfortably, their eyes hungry, their brows furrowed. Your restaurant’s reputation and its profits are in jeopardy.
Ugly scenes like this happen all around the world. In fact, just this October, kiosks in Europe, North America, and South America stopped working when an AWS outage utterly shook unprepared restaurateurs for almost 15 hours.
Your restaurant doesn’t need to succumb to the same bitter fate. If your on-premise ordering devices are reliable, from larger standing kiosks down to tableside tablets, then you don’t have to worry about things breaking or customers left waiting. The best kiosks make you forget about them entirely. The hardware and the software work, guests love to use them, and they are good for revenue. Simple.
Reliability is what separates kiosks that enhance operations from those that frustrate both customers and staff. But how do you figure out what’s reliable? Here’s a look at the seven essentials that make up kiosk reliability.
#1 Local processing to protect against cloud outages
In a restaurant environment, downtime isn’t just inconvenient—it’s costly. A single outage can lead to lost orders, wasted food, and frustrated guests. Relying entirely on cloud connectivity introduces risk, especially during widespread service disruptions.
Choose kiosks with offline continuity and local data caching that continue running even when the internet—or the cloud—goes down. Core functions like ordering, payment, and kitchen routing should work offline and sync automatically once the network is restored. The most recent data is cached on each kiosk, so service continues even when cloud connectivity drops.
During last month’s global AWS outage, while other systems went dark, Tillster kiosks kept running without interruption. Built from the restaurant out, not the cloud down, Tillster’s on-premise mesh architecture processes transactions locally, reducing dependency on external networks.
Core ordering and payment systems stay operational even during cloud outages—ensuring uptime, continuity, and peace of mind when it matters most.
#2 Secure software and hardware
When it comes to reliability, security is just as important as performance. With constant cyber threats and an increased focus on data privacy, secure payments and device integrity are nonnegotiable.
Seek solutions that offer end-to-end encryption, tokenized transactions, and device-level security. Hardware should be tamper-resistant, and software updates must be applied consistently to prevent vulnerabilities.
Tillster kiosks are built with security at every level. Each device is enclosed and locked for physical protection, runs a secure OS with built-in threat monitoring, and allows only authorized remote access. Regular security checks and encrypted connections help keep data safe, while a locked-down interface ensures guests and staff can only access what they’re supposed to.
For payments, Tillster supports EMV terminals with point-to-point encryption (P2PE) to keep transactions protected. The kiosks themselves never store sensitive information like credit-card numbers or personal data. Cash orders can also start at the kiosk and be finished at the register, giving guests flexibility without sacrificing security.
#3 Seamless integration with your tech stack
Disconnected solutions lead to mismatched pricing, loyalty errors, and customer confusion—especially in omnichannel environments.
Ensure your kiosk integrates natively with POS, payment gateways, and loyalty solutions. Seamless connectivity allows for accurate and up-to-date menus, pricing, and promotions across touchpoints.
Tillster’s platform integrates across channels, keeping menus and pricing consistent. Menu updates, loyalty offers, and price changes can be controlled and kept synced, eliminating manual oversight and keeping the guest experience consistent system-wide.
#4 Intuitive user experiences
Even the most technically sound kiosk fails if guests can’t figure out how to use it. A confusing or slow interface causes hesitation, long lines, and reduced order volume.
Focus on speed, simplicity, and personalization. A reliable kiosk delivers clear navigation, smart recommendations, and effortless customization so guests can order confidently without assistance.
Tillster’s kiosk experiences are built with clarity and flow—fast loading times, intuitive menu layouts, and AI-powered upsell prompts. Customizations like split toppings or combo modifications are easy to handle. According to Tillster’s 2025 Phygital Index shows that today’s guests increasingly associate value with ease, accuracy, and satisfaction—qualities that frictionless ordering directly delivers.
#5 Monitoring and alerts
Even the most stable systems need oversight. Without visibility into performance, small issues can escalate into outages or inconsistencies before anyone notices.
Look for real-time dashboards and proactive monitoring tools that detect network issues, failed transactions, or data mismatches early—and alert staff instantly.
Tillster provides live visibility into every kiosk’s performance. Alerts notify teams of sync issues, connectivity drops, or configuration errors—allowing time for quick fixes before operational impact snowballs.
#6 Operational flexibility and long-term support
Restaurant operations evolve constantly. Whether you’re adding delivery, enabling curbside, or changing layouts, your kiosk system should adapt—without needing a full replacement.
Choose a platform that supports multiple order types, fulfillment modes, and hardware configurations, backed by responsive service, proactive maintenance, and long-term feature updates.
Hardware problems, software updates, or on-site troubleshooting shouldn’t leave your staff guessing. A reliable vendor will offer clear escalation paths, fast response times, and expert guidance to keep every location running smoothly.
Tillster’s kiosks are designed for flexibility—supporting dine-in and pickup experiences while connecting seamlessly with other ordering channels like mobile, web, delivery, and drive-thru. It integrates directly with existing restaurant systems to optimize prep times and fulfillment flow.
Behind every deployment, Tillster’s customer success and technical support teams provide ongoing assistance, remote diagnostics, and proactive monitoring to prevent downtime before it starts.
#7 Hands-on installation and staff training
Even the most advanced kiosk platform can only be as reliable as the people setting it up and using it. Smooth installation and confident teams are essential for long-term success.
When evaluating providers, look for partners who don’t just drop off hardware—but guide you through every step of implementation. Reliable kiosk solutions should come with dedicated onboarding, staff training, and accessible post-installation support. That means on-site assistance with setup, ongoing education as features evolve, and responsive help whenever something goes wrong.
Tillster’s deployment process is intentionally hands-on. From initial configuration to go-live, its specialists work directly with your teams to ensure every kiosk performs flawlessly. And if something ever goes wrong—hardware hiccup or software glitch—Tillster’s support team provides rapid, expert assistance to get operations back on track.
Reliability doesn’t end when the kiosk is installed. It continues with a trusted partner who knows your systems, understands your business, and responds fast when it matters most.
Want to learn more about Tillster’s on-premise ordering solutions?
