AI-Powered Self-Checkout Food & Beverage Kiosks Land in Charlotte Douglas International Airport

CHARLOTTE, N.C., February 24, 2021 (Newswire.com) - Speed and especially safety are essential as travelers are hustling through the airport again as they try to adjust to the new normal of travel. To meet these essential needs, HMSHost fast-tracked the launch of the SandStar Smart Kiosks as a contactless, on-the-go option for hungry passengers. The new intuitive coolers are located at the Red Star Bar in Concourse B at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. 

"HMSHost is constantly delivering new solutions to adapt and innovate throughout airport spaces around the world," said HMSHost President & CEO Steve Johnson. "Contactless convenience is at the forefront of our technology initiatives because it keys in on the health and safety of our customers. Passengers traveling through CLT can now grab fresh food to-go with self-checkout to give them confidence in a truly contactless experience."

Want delicious, freshly prepared sandwiches, wraps and salads in a hurry? Just swipe a credit card to open the cooler door, pick from an assortment of nutrient-packed portable choices and premium beverages, close the door, and head to the gate to board a flight. The smart kiosk uses dynamic vision recognition to capture the items taken from the kiosk and activates the Blue Light virus-cleaning cycle once the door is closed. The Blue Light kills 99% of any virus that could potentially be present between customers. Payment is made automatically to complete the shopping experience. The final shopping cart is displayed on the screen and sent to your mobile device for your convenience. 

"SandStar is delighted to partner with HMSHost to bring this leading-edge technology to airports around the world," said Mike Kiser, President of SandStar North America. "With our current pandemic, consumers are seeking contactless shopping solutions as a way to keep them protected, which is why we expected staggering growth of smarter self-checkout systems delivered through our intuitive retail kiosks."

Consumers are rapidly changing their shopping habits, and technology is paving the way for alternatives to traditional retail experiences. As HMSHost continues to evolve its food & beverage programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, SandStar is a smart and safe solution empowering consumers to self-select products and checkout without any human contact. 

HMSHost Leading the Industry

HMSHost is recognized by the industry as the leader in travel dining with awards such as Restaurateur with the Highest Regard for Customer Service and Best Brand Restaurateur for Shake Shack by Airport Experience News. USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Awards gave first place honors to both of HMSHost's Whisky River locations at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Raleigh-Durham International Airport. ACI-NA, the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, recognized HMSHost with the 2020 Associate Inclusion Champion Award, for leadership and achievement in the ongoing inclusion of business and workforce diversity, outreach, and advocacy. The company also creates original award-winning events and campaigns including Airport Restaurant Month, Channel Your Inner Chef live culinary contest, 1,000 Acts of Kindness, and Eat Well. Travel Further. 

About HMSHost

Global restaurateur HMSHost is a world leader in creating dining for travel venues. HMSHost operates locations all over North America and is part of Autogrill Group, the world's leading provider of food & beverage services for people on the move. Visit HMSHost.com for more information.

About SandStar 

SandStar is an artificial intelligence company that provides leading computer vision technology for the retail industry. The advanced retail solutions engage shoppers like never before with grab-and-go convenience, autonomous checkout and big data analytics, serving businesses worldwide. Founded in 2016, SandStar now has over 220 engineers. The company provides Smart Kiosks, Pure Computer Vision Smart Shops, and Smart Store Analytics. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., SandStar serves 20+ Fortune 500 companies and strives to build an AI retail ecosystem. SandStar is a qualified Intel® IoT Market Ready Solution (Intel® IMRS) partner and Microsoft Co-Sell partner, supported by a number of leading venture capital investors after four rounds of funding, including CP Group, one of the world's largest conglomerates. Check out more on www.sandstar.com

Hi-res images are available at the following link: https://bit.ly/3aNsbg2

SandStar Media Contact:

Andrea Wang

[email protected]

Source: SandStar