Tony Luke’s at Philadelphia Premium Outlets
Boosting Ticket Size & Cutting Labor Costs with Applova Self-Serve Kiosks
About the business
Tony Luke’s, a franchisee located inside the Philadelphia Premium Outlets in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is a popular fast-casual restaurant famous for its authentic cheesesteaks and roast pork sandwiches. Owned and operated by Manny, Tony Luke’s prides itself on serving great food fast — without compromising quality or customer experience.
The Challenge
Running a busy restaurant in a high-traffic shopping outlet comes with a familiar set of challenges:
- Long customer lines during rush hours
- Dependence on cashier upselling (which often varied by mood or training)
- Rising labor costs and unreliable staffing
Manny noticed that when human cashiers didn’t consistently offer upgrades or combos, revenue opportunities slipped away.
“In the restaurant business, unless you offer something to the customer, they’re not going to take it,” he explained. He needed a reliable system that could automate upselling, streamline operations, and reduce dependency on front-counter staff — all while staying easy for customers to use.
The Solution
In 2023, Tony Luke’s implemented Applova’s Self-Serve Kiosks,, integrating them seamlessly with their existing POS system.
The kiosks came equipped with built-in suggestive selling prompts, that guide customers to add fries, drinks, toppings, and combo upgrades — automatically increasing the average check size.
“Every single customer is upsold,” said Manny. “If a cashier forgets to ask, you lose that sale. The kiosk never forgets.”
Implementation took about three months of back-and-forth customization to fine-tune menu layouts and modifier logic to match Tony Luke’s unique offerings. Once configured, the setup ran smoothly — and has since become a core part of their ordering experience.
The Results
Applova’s Self-Serve Kiosks made a major operational and financial impact at Tony Luke’s:
15% Labor Cost Ratio
No missed opportunities. Every customer is prompted to upgrade combos or add premium toppings.
Automatic Upselling on Every Order
Generated in just over a year — a major boost to top-line revenue.
Consistent Customer Experience
No mood swings, no missed upsells — the kiosk delivers the same friendly experience every time.
High Customer Adoption
Travelers and local shoppers found the kiosks easy to use, with most becoming repeat kiosk users after just one try.
Low Ongoing Cost
With hardware costing around $2,000 (one-time) and software under $100/month, the kiosk easily pays for itself — often within weeks.
“You pay an employee $100 a day. You pay a kiosk $100 a month. Do the math — it’s a no-brainer,”
Why It Worked
Automated Upselling on every order
Simple, intuitive UI for first-time users
Low-cost, high-ROI investment
Reduced reliance on cashiers
Steady performance — never calls in sick
Manny adds with a laugh:
“The kiosk doesn’t call out because its leg hurts or stomach hurts. It’s always there.”
Results Snapshot
A quick look at the key metrics from Café D'arte.
| Metric | Impact |
|---|---|
| Labor Cost Ratio | Reduced to ~15% |
| Average Check Size | Increased via automated upsells |
| Hardware Cost | ~$2,000 (one-time) |
| Subscription | < $100/month |
| Implementation | Fully configured in 3 months |
| Customer Feedback | “Easy, user-friendly, and fast” |
For Tony Luke’s, Applova’s Self-Serve Kiosks proved to be more than just a tech upgrade — they became a strategic business move. By combining effortless upselling, labor savings, and customer convenience, Manny transformed his ordering process into a consistent profit driver.
“Watch your labor. Watch the small stuff. You save $100 a day — that’s $36,000 a year. The kiosk makes that happen.”