Kurve secures new investment to meet growing popularity of self-service food ordering

Bristol-based startup, Kurve, has announced a £250k investment to expedite its mission in the hospitality industry.

Kurve develops software utilised in self-service kiosks that you’d find in restaurants and takeaways. Its electronic self-service POS (Point of Sale) solutions has secured this seed capital to kickstart an ambitious growth of 500% by 2027.

“84% of Gen Z chose to visit a restaurant with a self-serve kiosk over those without”

The company is aiming to profit from the surge in demand for self-service kiosks for ordering in quick service restaurants (QSRs) across the UK. 

Kurve was founded in July 2021 and already has 110 customers with over 210 sites. Its SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) based in-store kiosk, PoS, web and mobile self-service offerings have been designed to assist hospitality operators become more profitable by achieving higher transaction values, increased throughput, improved labour productivity, and enhanced customer loyalty.

The initial funding will see Kurve boost its marketing efforts, whilst also building out its Operations Team. Kurve’s product arises in a pertinent climate thanks to recent global cultural shifts, as Founder and CEO, Steve Boyes, explains, “Following the pandemic hospitality operators have faced growing pressures of staff shortages and escalating operational costs. 

Self-service has not only seen a rise in its appeal, especially amongst younger consumers, but it also significantly reduces costs, increases average transaction values, and boosts customer satisfaction.

“We see a massive untapped opportunity for Kurve’s in-store kiosk, PoS, web or mobile platform that is ideal for hospitality operators looking to make an easy and affordable switch to contactless ordering. We offer users a slick and easy user experience and our  cloud-based solutions can also integrate into existing PoS systems.” 

“All the signs are that this market is set for huge growth”

Arguably impacted the most by covid-19, research has revealed that 84% of Gen Z chose to visit a restaurant with a self-serve kiosk over those without. But it’s not just the internet generation that doesn’t want to interact with staff, Forbes also found that 65% of customers said they would be more willing to visit a restaurant if self-service kiosks were available. 

Self-service kiosks also act as an accessibility improvement. As more awareness of accessibility needs is raised, the hospitality sector will need to make the necessary adjustments. 

Kurve’s own customers evidently see the value in its product. Mark Lilley, the founder of Abokado, a leading healthy grab-and-go chain and one of Kurve’s customers, has participated in the funding round.

Commenting on his contribution, he tells us about his own experience of using Kurve’s self-service solutions and his decision to invest, “I have seen first-hand how powerful and industry-leading the Kurve platform is. 

“Introducing kiosks, mobile self-service and digital loyalty into Abokado has been transformational and Kurve’s product has marked benefits over the competition. All the signs are that this market is set for huge growth, across both hospitality and retail, and I’m delighted to have been able to invest. I look forward to seeing Steve and the team take Kurve from  strength to strength.”