London Stadium, in partnership with Delaware North, has unveiled a groundbreaking checkout-free store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology. This innovative system, launched at a recent Iron Maiden concert, aims to drastically reduce wait times for fans, allowing them to quickly grab beverages and return to the action, significantly enhancing the event experience.
Revolutionizing the Fan Experience
Delaware North, the foodservice and hospitality provider at London Stadium, has introduced "Bar Tap," a new grab-and-go bar utilizing Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology. Located by Kiosk 3 on Level 0, this initiative is designed to streamline service and minimize queues, giving attendees more time to enjoy football matches and live events.
Marco Galer-Reick, Vice President of U.K. Strategy Enablement & HR at Delaware North, emphasized that this deployment is part of the company’s global strategy to leverage cutting-edge technology for an elevated fan experience. Ryan Edge, Catering Services Director for Delaware North at London Stadium, highlighted the importance of fans not missing any action, stating that the technology provides "fast, seamless transactions."
How Just Walk Out Technology Works
Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology offers an efficient shopping experience:
- Entry: Guests enter the store by scanning their mobile wallet or credit card at the entry gate.
- Virtual Shopping: The system uses artificial intelligence and machine learning, including computer vision, to detect items taken from or returned to shelves, creating a virtual shopping session.
- Checkout-Free Exit: Shoppers can simply leave the store without waiting in a traditional checkout line. Their chosen payment method is automatically charged for the items they took.
This technology has been trained on extensive datasets covering various store formats, lighting conditions, and shopping environments to ensure accuracy.
Operational Advantages and Future Outlook
Beyond enhancing the guest experience, Just Walk Out technology offers significant operational benefits for Delaware North and London Stadium:
- Faster throughput during peak periods
- Reduced shrink (loss of inventory)
- Potential for increased sales due to more efficient service
Gary Bell, Commercial Director at London Stadium, expressed commitment to improving the event day experience, noting that the technology allows fans to get back to the action faster. The new bar offers a wide selection of grab-and-go beverages, including beer, cider, ready-to-drink spirits, and soft drinks.
Delaware North first implemented Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology in 2021 at TD Garden in Boston and has since expanded its use to several major sports and entertainment venues worldwide, including:
- Melbourne Cricket Ground
- Climate Pledge Arena
- UBS Arena
- Bridgestone Arena
- Globe Life Field
This expansion to London Stadium marks another significant step in Delaware North’s commitment to delivering world-class guest experiences through technological innovation.
Key Takeaways
- London Stadium now features a checkout-free store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology.
- The system aims to reduce queues and speed up service for fans.
- It offers operational benefits like faster throughput and reduced shrink.
- Fans can enter with a mobile wallet or credit card, grab items, and simply walk out.
- Delaware North has successfully deployed this technology in multiple venues globally.
Sources
- Delaware North brings Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology to London Stadium, delivering first checkout-free
store for fans, Delaware North Newsroom. - Delaware North Deploys Amazon Just Walk Out Technology at London Stadium – FM Industry, FM Industry.
