Pride Park Derby has taken a significant step forward in enhancing its matchday experience through the deployment of self-service kiosks across the stadium concourse and accessible viewing areas. Working in close partnership with Delaware North, the club has introduced a mixed estate of wall-mounted and countertop self-service solutions from ADVANTECH-AURES UK designed to reduce queues, increase transaction speed and revenue, and also improve accessibility for all supporters.
This installation represents a milestone not only for Pride Park Derby, but for the wider sports and leisure sector, with the introduction of the first-of-their-kind self-service kiosks within disabled viewing areas.
The Challenge
Like many high-footfall stadiums, Pride Park Derby faced increasing pressure on concourse catering operations during peak matchday periods. Prior to the installation, the club and its catering partner Delaware North encountered several common challenges:
- Long queues forming during half-time and pre-kick-off periods
- Lost sales opportunities due to congestion and limited transaction throughput
- Pressure on staff during peak service windows
- Limited ordering independence for fans in disabled viewing areas, who often faced additional barriers when accessing food and beverage services
These challenges not only impacted revenue but also detracted from the overall fan experience.
The Solution
To address these issues, a comprehensive self-service kiosk rollout was designed and delivered in collaboration with Delaware North and Oolio UK – Swiftpos. The final installation included:
- 12 wall-mounted KOMET kiosks positioned throughout the main concourse
- 2 countertop-mounted KRYSTAL kiosks installed directly onto a draft beer bar to enable rapid self-service beer ordering
- 1 wall-mounted KOMET kiosk in the disabled home end viewing area
- 1 wall-mounted KOMET kiosk in the disabled away end viewing area
The inclusion of KOMET kiosks within the disabled viewing areas is a first-of-its-kind deployment, ensuring fans with accessibility requirements can independently place orders without leaving the viewing area.
The kiosks were configured to offer an intuitive, fast ordering experience, seamlessly integrating into Delaware North’s operational workflows while maintaining consistency with the club’s branding and service standards.
The Results
The impact of the self-service rollout was immediate and measurable:
- Significant reduction in queues across the concourse during peak trading periods
- Increase in spend per head, contributing to an overall uplift in sales of 10%
- Click & Collect ordering via kiosks, massively reducing queues at concourse bars and improving crowd flow
- Improved operational efficiency, allowing staff to focus on order fulfilment rather than order taking
- Enhanced accessibility and inclusivity, enabling more fans to order independently and comfortably
Fan feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with supporters highlighting how the technology has transformed their experience.
“It has significantly enhanced my match-going experience. I spend less time queuing and more time enjoying the game.”
– Matchday supporter
Accessibility benefits have been particularly impactful.
“As a deaf supporter, using the self-serve kiosk meant I no longer had to battle at noisy, busy bars just to get heard and served. It completely changed the experience for me.”
– Matchday supporter
“I struggle with severe anxiety, and the self-serve kiosks were a lifeline. Not having to queue or interact at a busy bar made matchdays enjoyable again.”
– Matchday supporter
From an operational perspective, the benefits were equally clear.
“The introduction of the ADVANTECH-AURES UK self-service kiosks has made a huge difference to how we manage peak demand. Sales are up, queues are down, and the overall flow of fans around the stadium is far smoother.”
– Stadium operations representative
Inclusive At-Seat Service in Disabled Viewing Areas
The installation of self-service kiosks in both the home and away disabled viewing platforms within the seating bowl at Pride Park has enabled a truly inclusive at-seat food and beverage service.
Fans are now able to place orders directly from the viewing platforms, with items delivered straight to their seats. This ensures supporters do not miss a single second of the match while enjoying the same speed, choice, and convenience as those using the main concourses.
This first-of-its-kind deployment sets a new standard for accessibility and inclusivity within stadium hospitality.
Away Fan Experience: Derby County v Leeds United
The flexibility of the self-service solution was demonstrated during the recent Derby County v Leeds United cup fixture. For this match, a section of the home concourse was reallocated to serve away supporters.
Leeds United fans were able to utilise four wall-mounted self-serve kiosks to order drinks via Click & Collect. The Delaware North team fully rebranded both the kiosks and the order collection screens with the Leeds United crest, ensuring visiting fans felt welcomed and respected.
The result was outstanding:
- Additional drinks revenues exceeded all expectations
- Queues were kept to a minimum during peak periods
- Not a single operational or behavioural issue was reported
A testament to both the technology and the professionalism of the supporters.
A Strong Partnership with Delaware North
This project was delivered in close collaboration with Delaware North, whose expertise in hospitality operations ensured the kiosks were deployed in the right locations and configured to maximise impact. Together, the teams focused on solving real-world operational challenges while keeping the fan experience at the centre of the solution.
The success of the Pride Park Derby rollout demonstrates how the right combination of technology, operational insight, and partnership can deliver tangible results for clubs, operators, and supporters alike.
Powered by Oolio UK – Swiftpos
All self-service kiosks across Pride Park operate on Oolio UK – Swiftpos, providing a robust, stadium-proven technology stack that ensures speed, reliability, and seamless integration with back-of-house operations.
This combination enables real-time menu management, accurate order routing, and rapid payment processing, even during peak matchday demand. The stability of the Oolio UK – Swiftpos platform has been critical in supporting Click & Collect workflows, at-seat service in disabled viewing areas, and the flexibility to quickly rebrand and redeploy kiosks for different supporter groups.
The kiosks were configured to offer an intuitive, fast ordering experience, seamlessly integrating into Delaware North’s operational workflows while maintaining consistency with the club’s branding and service standards.
Conclusion
By introducing self-service kiosks across the concourse and into disabled viewing areas, Pride Park Derby has set a new benchmark for inclusive, efficient stadium catering. The project has not only increased revenue and reduced queues but has also meaningfully improved accessibility and fan satisfaction.
With strong results already delivered, the Pride Park Derby installation stands as a compelling example of how self-service technology can transform the modern matchday experience.