Nominations open for 2026 Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Awards

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

The organizers of the Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation (ARKI) Show are accepting nominations for the 2026 ARKI Awards, recognizing the companies, products, deployments and technologies driving innovation across the automated retail, kiosk, vending and self-service industries.

Ray Friedrich talks AI, automation, next era of self-service

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

Ray Friedrich reflects on the lessons learned from introducing some of the industry's earliest self-service technologies, discusses how AI is changing customer experiences and explains why successful automation is about enhancing — not replacing — the human element.

Modern vending: Factory-built, field-tested

by Dale Laszig — Founder, DSL Direct LLC

Behind great vending customer experiences lies a collaborative design process involving cabinet manufacturers, payment providers and software developers. In recent interviews, industry experts described how these partnerships are reshaping unattended retail from the inside out.

Ford reviews self-checkout kiosks after more workers fired over alleged snack thefts

At least four additional Ford employees have been fired recently over accusations that they took snacks without paying at self-checkout kiosks inside company…

ATMs & Kiosks

Convenience services operators often supplement their vending, coffee service, foodservice and micro market services with ATMs and kiosks. The kiosks play an integral role in micro markets, as noted in the micro market description above.