Confused Kitchen is a takeout spot on Steeles Avenue East in Scarborough, and most people come in for the rolls. A ToadEx kiosk stands by the front wall, under the mural. On busy nights TJ, the owner, used to drive in and work the counter himself. Now he doesn't, and he figures that's about 8 hours a week back.
- 8 hours a week of the owner's time back, worth more than three times ToadEx's monthly subscription fee
- 1 in 4 in-store orders placed at the kiosk, 47% of them in the 6–9 pm rush
- No POS change: the kiosk runs beside the restaurant's existing POS
"I don't have to go in, because I know the kiosk is there. When it gets busy, I don't need my employee in the front. They can focus in the back, and customers who walk in use the kiosk."
TJ, owner, Confused Kitchen
The problem
Why did Confused Kitchen need a kiosk?
Rolls are the big seller, and they're cheap, so plenty of customers come in for just one or two. Every one of those orders still needs someone to take it and ring it through. On a busy night TJ had two options: hire another person for the front, or drive in and do it himself. Most nights he drove in.
"I don't want to use resources to have someone stand there to take an order for two rolls."
TJ
The fix
How does the kiosk work with an existing POS?
The kiosk is a floor-standing ToadEx unit with its own card terminal, so it never touches the POS at the counter. Customers tap through the menu, pick their spice level and sides, pay, and the order goes to the kitchen. As TJ puts it, the customer rings it in, so they know exactly what they ordered.
The results
How much time does a kiosk actually save?
TJ puts it at about 8 hours a week. That's the time he used to spend covering the front on busy nights. Over a year it adds up to 416 hours, a bit more than ten full work weeks. Priced at Ontario's minimum wage of $17.95, it comes to about $620 a month, which is more than three times ToadEx's monthly subscription fee.
Kiosk orders pile up between 6 and 9 pm, the same hours TJ used to cover.
Show as a table
| Hour | Kiosk orders |
|---|---|
| 12:00 pm | 32 |
| 1:00 pm | 46 |
| 2:00 pm | 44 |
| 3:00 pm | 75 |
| 4:00 pm | 84 |
| 5:00 pm | 96 |
| 6:00 pm | 165 |
| 7:00 pm | 164 |
| 8:00 pm | 174 |
| 9:00 pm | 153 |
| 10:00 pm | 44 |
For restaurant owners
Is a self-order kiosk right for your restaurant?
What worked at Confused Kitchen works at most busy counters. If two or more of these sound familiar, a kiosk will likely pay for itself.
You cover the till at the rush
That is the time a kiosk gives back first.
Your kitchen is the bottleneck
Move the person off the till and onto the line.
You get lots of small orders
A $5 order takes as long to ring in as a $50 one. Over a quarter of Confused Kitchen's kiosk orders are under $10.
Customers customize
Spice levels, sides and drinks are chosen on screen, so they reach the kitchen exactly as ordered.
Hiring is hard
One kiosk takes about 1 in 4 in-store orders here, with no extra staff.
You like your POS
Keep it. The kiosk runs beside it with its own payment terminal.
Questions owners ask
How much time does a self-order kiosk save a restaurant owner?
At Confused Kitchen in Scarborough, about 8 hours a week, or 416 hours a year, by the owner's estimate. The kiosk takes orders and payment at the front during the rush, so he no longer goes in to cover the counter. At Ontario's minimum wage that time is worth about $620 a month, more than three times ToadEx's monthly subscription fee.
Do I need to replace my POS to use a ToadEx kiosk?
No. Confused Kitchen kept its existing POS at the counter. The ToadEx kiosk runs alongside it with its own payment terminal and sends orders to the kitchen.
Will customers actually use a self-order kiosk?
Yes. At Confused Kitchen, about 1 in 4 in-store orders went through the kiosk in August 2026, and 99% of kiosk customers paid by tap.
How much does a restaurant kiosk cost?
ToadEx is one monthly subscription that includes the kiosk, payment terminal, software and 24/7 support, with no setup fees. See current plans on the pricing page.
How long does setup take?
Most ToadEx restaurants go live within two weeks. ToadEx loads your menu, options and payment terminal.
Source: ToadEx kiosk data (August–October 2026) and an interview with the owner. Shared with Confused Kitchen's permission.