Could Self-Checkout Kiosks Be The Next Big Thing?

The 2019 season for the New York Mets was hardly one to write home about. While the team was certainly not awful they were never truly in contention for a title. Only Peter Alonso setting a rookie record for homeruns and taking home National League Rookie of the Year honors provided good memories. OK, it wasn’t that bad, Jacob DeGrom had a pretty good year too and they did finish the season with 86 wins. For those in Flushing Meadow this was just about all that will be remembered about this season but at the end of the season something happened that could be a game changer in payment processing.

No One Want To Stand In Concession Lines

If you have been to a sporting event chances are you have had to stand in the concession line at some point. It can be a hassle. You’re not quite hungry when you get there but an inning (or quarter) or two into the game it strikes and you want to get something. Or maybe you just want a cool beverage on a hot night. Sure you can get one from a roving vendor but for the best selection you have to get up and go to a concession stand. You might only miss a little bit of the action, you might miss much more. It is a crapshoot.

CLEAR

That is a gamble that sports fans may not need to make much longer. At the end of the 2019 season the Mets trialed at self-payment kiosk in Citi Field. Fans were able to walk through a grab-and-go stand and select the food and beverages that they wanted and then pay using their thumbprint. This uses CLEAR technology, some of which we have profiled in the past.

Customers choose their items, scan the items scan their fingerprint and CLEAR then places the charge on the card on file. The stand also serves alcoholic beverages and the system has the added benefit of being able to verify that the person is of legal age (as they would have had to submit ID to set up the CLEAR account). This process can be completed in a matter of seconds. It would be possible for a fan to leave their seat during an inning break, go through the stand and be back before the start of the next frame.

Quick Concessions And Secure Payments

This will provide fans with a fast way to get concession items so they do not miss any action at all which will increase fan satisfaction. It also provides a more secure and reliable way to operate a concession stand and a more reliable way to handle age verification. The stand can be used by CLEAR members and fans who are not members can sign up on the spot. A human employee at the stand is also present to help.

As a merchant you do not have the same level of clientele that the Mets do but this kind of technology always has to start somewhere. It is quite possible that within the next five to ten years all payments will be made this way or in a similar manner. Biometrics is the next great leap in payment technology.