TEP Talk: The Current State of Touchless Tech

Because of the recommended health and safety precautions and protocols, people have formed new behaviors and habits during the pandemic. To learn about how people have adapted new routines and technology to avoid high-touch surfaces, we caught up with Technology Enterprises Park (TEP) community members last Tuesday. Over coffee, we discussed their current experience at grocery stores and/or restaurants in order to get a better understanding of the current state of touchless technology. 

We at Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club not only wanted to find out if people were going to grocery store or restaurants, but also if they were more inclined to using touchless tech – such as QR codes, Apple Pay and Google Pay – or opting for pickup or delivery options instead. 

We found that most community members still make trips to the grocery store and pay with their card. Of those supermarket chains, the most popular stores mentioned were Publix, Wal-Mart, and Kroger, with a few members ordering delivery through Amazon Fresh. Speaking of the tech giant, Amazon has recently expanded their cashierless technology with their first brick-and-mortar grocery store, Amazon Fresh. Nevertheless, despite those still making in-person trips, a common answer throughout the morning was "my spouse usually does the grocery shopping." 

In terms of dining out, most of the participants continue to exclusively make food at home, and are still hesitant to go to a restaurant. If they do, they'll order ahead via the restaurant website for pick-up.

---

DID YOU KNOW?

Sam's Club customers can pay for their groceries via the app when they are in-store. No need to touch/swipe cards on the pin pad!

---

Have you had any experiences with touchless tech lately? Which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.