Memphis Zoo – Cat House Café
Tripling Revenue and Reducing Wait Times with Applova’s Self-Serve Kiosks
About the business
Located in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, the Memphis Zoo is home to more than 3,500 animals and welcomes millions of visitors each year. Within the zoo grounds, the Cat House Café serves as a popular dining spot for guests looking to grab a bite between exhibits.
Steven Griffett, IT Director at the Memphis Zoo, oversees technology and operations across departments — ensuring smooth, guest-friendly experiences both on-site and behind the scenes.
The Challenge
Before implementing Applova, the Cat House Café faced mounting challenges:
- Long lines and slow order processing times
- Declining guest satisfaction and retention
- High employee workload and lower morale
- Missed revenue opportunities due to inefficiencies
Guests were spending too much time in line — sometimes up to 45 minutes — leading to frustration and fewer opportunities to explore the zoo. Operationally, long cook times, misheard orders, and staffing constraints were dragging down both customer and employee satisfaction.
“We were not reaching our potential income-wise when it came to culinary,” Steven noted. “Guest happiness, employee engagement, and loyalty were all going downhill.”
The Solution
The Memphis Zoo team took a data-driven approach — analyzing pain points and customer feedback before deciding on a self-serve ordering solution..
In early 2024, they implemented Applova’s Self-Serve Kiosks. inside the Cat House Café. The rollout was thoughtful and inclusive:
- Staff were stationed at kiosks to assist first-time users
- Traditional registers were kept open for guests paying with cash
- The menu was streamlined to make kiosk ordering fast and intuitive
The result was an immediate improvement in both guest flow and order accuracy. Younger, tech-savvy visitors quickly adapted, while staff support helped others ease into the new system.
“We embraced the technology with an open mind,” Steven said. “It’s complemented our operations and expanded what we can do.”
The Results
The transformation was dramatic — and measurable:
3× Revenue Growth (Spring Break Week)
Compared to the previous year, revenue tripled during the café’s reopening week after adding self-serve kiosks.
Order Times Cut to Under 5 Minutes
Guests now order quickly, get their meals fast, and spend more time enjoying the zoo — not waiting in line.
Fewer Order Mistakes
Streamlined menus and on-screen confirmations drastically reduced misheard or incorrect orders.
Happier Guests and Employees
Front-of-house stress dropped while kitchen productivity rose. Zoo employees, including the 300+ staff on-site, can now enjoy their breaks without wasting half of it waiting in line.
Steven said.
“They get their food in less than five minutes,”
“Now they’re making memories at the exhibits — not standing in line.”
Why It Worked
POS and Kiosk Integration from day one
Reduced Human Error in order entry
Improved Guest & Staff Experience
Reallocated Labor from front-of-house to kitchen productivity
Tripled Revenue in key operational weeks
Steven shared.
“Self-serve kiosks provided better customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction,”
“The overall vibe is way better than it was before.”
Results Snapshot
A quick look at the key metrics from Memphis Zoo Cat House Café.
| Metric | Impact |
|---|---|
| Revenue (Spring Break Week) | 3× increase |
| Average Order Time | < 5 minutes |
| Order Accuracy | Significantly improved |
| Staff Efficiency | FOH labor reallocated to kitchen |
| Guest & Employee Satisfaction | Substantially higher |
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By implementing Applova’s Self-Serve Kiosks, the Memphis Zoo transformed the dining experience at the Cat House Café from congested and stressful to smooth and enjoyable. With faster service, improved accuracy, and happier guests, the zoo’s culinary operations now run as efficiently as its exhibits — delivering more smiles per minute.