Touchless tech has gained a lot of ground during the pandemic, not only as a way to prevent cash and tickets from changing hands, but also as a way to speed up entry and other transactions and avoid crowding. Until now, this tech has mostly been deployed at live entertainments events such as concerts and sporting events.
The Javits Center in NYC has become the first convention center in the US to offer a cashless retail location with its recent opening of a new touchless café, Fresh and Fast. The café offers checkout-free access to pre-packaged items in addition to snacks and beverages.
Fresh and Fast leverages Amazon “Just Walk Out” technology to enable the cashless experience — customers can simply swipe their credit card to enter, grab whatever they want, and leave the store without having to do anything else. The system then automatically charges their credit card for the items they left with. It may take some getting used to, but it’s only a matter of time until this tech becomes the norm.
“Providing quality food and beverages in a safe and efficient manner is critical to the success of any event, and Fresh and Fast will certainly help us accomplish that and enhance the experience for our guests,” Alan Steel, President and CEO of the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation, said in a statement. “This new café meets the demands of today’s environment and raises the standard for other venues across the country as we reopen our convention center and host in-person events once again.”
Indeed, convention centers around the US have been adapting to the new normal throughout the past few months by investing in hybrid offerings such as virtual studios, and this new café demonstrates yet another way that large-scale event venues are taking planners’ needs and attendee expectations into account.
This definitely will not be the last location of its kind. The pandemic has made consumers more comfortable with touchless technology, and the efficiency it provides, and even when health concerns eventually subside, it will remain an important tool to provide optimal attendee and customer experiences at events.