Self-checkout kiosks using software from TapIn2 and IDmission will allow fans at the Kansas City Royals’ Kauffman Stadium to use facial authentication for age and payment verification this baseball season, according to a press release from caterer Aramark.
We haven’t yet talked to anybody specifically about the coming technology deployment, but according to Aramark the combination of facial authentication verification and a self-checkout kiosk will be in place at one “Walk Thru Bru” stand at Kauffman Stadium this season, as a “pilot” deployment of Aramark’s Digital ID program. Aramark first launched a facial-authentication system last year at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, where the technology was used to allow faster access to that stadium’s Zippin-powered checkout-free concession stands.
The TapIn2 self-checkout kiosks were also deployed at Empower Field last football season, but did not use the camera, which is located on the side of the tablet screen (see photo). (Thanks to Frank Olea of Olea, which manufactures the kiosks, for pointing out where the camera is on the device). We are guessing here but our expectation is that fans will walk through the single-file Walk Thru Bru format, grab drinks and snacks, scan or enter their selection information on the kiosk screen, and then use the facial authentication system to check out.
Like the Digital ID system used in Denver, which used the age and payment authentication system from IDmission, the one at Kauffman Stadium will likely require an advance sign-up program where fans enter ID information, a selfie and a credit card. Then at the stadium, all fans need to do is look at the camera, which will use their face to verify age and payment information. We will update this post after we get interviews done (and see how good our guesses were!).
The Walk Thru Bru is becoming a widespread standard for Aramark, which has said in the past that the format significantly outperforms the old mobile belly-up beer stands. Aramark has tried several different checkout technologies at the stands, including live cashiers and the Masghin optical-scanner self-checkout terminals. According to the same press release, Aramark is bringing the Walk Thru Bru format to a number of MLB stadiums for this season, including Kauffman Stadium, Fenway Park, Minute Maid Park, and PNC Park.
While the Digital ID program at Empower Field at Mile High used a tablet for facial authentication, IDmission CEO Ashim Banerjee has told us in the past that his company’s software could be paired with any kind of a checkout system, as long as there was some kind of camera available. TapIn2 provides the point of sale and menu software that powers the self-checkout kiosks. According to the same Aramark release, the TapIn2 kiosks without facial authentication systems will be deployed at Coors Field this baseball season.
Coors Field is also getting more checkout-free stands using Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, per news from Aramark and from Amazon. With one new store added, there will now be two Just Walk Out stores at Coors Field this year.
