Why Self-service Becomes the Success Recipe of Meiyijia Convenience Stores?

From 1 to 40,000: The Scale of China’s Largest C-Store Chain

In 2023, China’s top convenience store operator overtook Easy Joy to become the leader of the country’s convenience industry by virtue of its over 32,000 stores. By mid-2025, that number climbed past 40,000 stores, according to the China Chain Store & Franchise Association (CCFA). The chain has been praised as China’s Convenience Store King.

Founded in 1997, it has been 29 years since the first store opened. Up to now, the network covers more than 240 cities in 22 provinces. It serves more than 200 million customers every month.

From 1 to 40,000, innovation plays an important role in this c-store chain’s success.

1. Self-built POS System

As early as 2000, the company embarked on the road of computerisation and built its own POS system. The smart cash registers connect the headquarters and stores, which greatly improves operational efficiency. Besides, the self-built POS system provides great convenience for franchise owners with simple operation and low operation difficulty.

2. Self-service Checkout

In addition to providing convenience for its franchises, the chain introduced self-service kiosk solutions to offer self-service checkout and self-ordering experiences to customers. The stores deploy Telpo’s compact desktop self-service kiosks—the Telpo K10—that support multiple payment methods. The easy-to-use instore kiosk becomes a great helper for store operators.

The K10 is a lightweight touch kiosk manufacturer grade device built for tight counters. It comes with a built-in scanner that handles both commodity scanning and QR-code payments. The built-in 58mm thermal printer supports fast paper output, and customers can easily check their order lists. For chains that need kiosk wholesale suppliers capable of rapid customization, the K10 platform allows OEM branding and software integration without changing the hardware footprint.

Why Are Self Service Kiosk Solutions So Important in Convenience Stores?

1. Customers’ high demand for convenience

What most customers look for in a convenience store is convenience. If customers have to spend much time on ordering and checkout, the purpose of going to a convenience store will be defeated. Quick service and short waiting times are of great importance for office workers who are often in a hurry. A self service kiosk for store counters directly answers this demand.

2. High labour costs

The convenience store staff are always busy. They have multiple tasks to deal with every day, such as handling transactions, preparing and serving food, restocking shelves, checking inventory levels, etc. As labour costs keep rising—a single cashier in China’s first-tier cities costs operators roughly $800–1,200 per month including benefits—it is expensive for operators to employ more staff. Compared to increasing labor costs, it is more cost-effective to invest in self service kiosk solutions in convenience stores.

3. High rental cost

Most convenience stores are located in business zones, where the rent is very high. Therefore, convenience stores usually take up a small space, which cannot provide ample space to accommodate many employees and customers waiting in line. The small store space puts forward a higher demand for higher serving and checkout efficiency offered by convenience stores. An in-store ordering kiosk with a compact footprint solves this constraint without requiring floor space.

What Benefits Do Self Service Kiosks Bring to Stores?

1. Convenience

Convenience is the core value of convenience stores, and self service kiosks highlight this value. Customers could freely choose to check out by self-service. They do not have to wait long and can check out for their goods in a short time. Customers could get what they want with a short stay at the store. The instore kiosk makes 24/7 operation of convenience stores feasible. Even at midnight, customers could make their purchases successfully on the desktop kiosks placed at the counter by self-service scanning the commodity codes and paying.

2. High service speed

The retail self-ordering kiosk shares a part of the work of convenience store staff so that staff could be dedicated to improving service quality, such as providing friendly assistance for customers and preparing food items. As staff could focus more on food preparation, the service speeds up and customers are able to enjoy a faster experience, which enhances their satisfaction. With a built-in scanner and 58mm thermal printer, the K10 handles both commodity scanning and QR-code payment in one flow, cutting single-transaction time significantly.

3. High order accuracy

The self-service is fully controlled by customers and they could check their orders directly. On the touchscreen of the self service kiosk for store use, they could correct the wrong orders by themselves, which saves more time. Besides, the effects of kiosks are highlighted especially in the food ordering process. After customers customize their orders, the orders can be directly transferred to the back kitchen, which eliminates the errors caused by communications.

4. Satisfactory customer experience

Self-service gives more autonomy to customers. On the kiosk display, the bargains and promotions are clearly displayed, and customers could freely make combinations according to their needs. What is more, it is easier for store operators to facilitate upselling in a way that customers do not resent. The self-service technology delivers a more convenient and comfortable experience to customers that elevates customer satisfaction and loyalty.

5. Differentiation

Modern technology not only provides convenience for customers and staff but also elevates the enterprise’s image by shaping the innovation image. The advanced, modern and intuitive self-service technology makes your convenience stores different from others and creates a more memorable experience for customers.

Conclusion

Embracing advanced technology and introducing self-service is one of the success recipes of China’s largest convenience store chain. Of course, selecting a reliable kiosk wholesale suppliers partner is essential, too. Telpo is a smart terminal and touch kiosk manufacturer with 24-year manufacturing and customization experience.

What is worth mentioning is that Telpo’s lightweight desktop kiosk, Telpo K10, has been widely applied in convenience stores, fast food restaurants, and many other scenarios. With a built-in scanner, the K10 supports both commodity scanning and QR code payments. The built-in 58mm thermal printer supports fast paper output and customers can easily check their order lists. For operators ready to move beyond countertop self-service toward fully unmanned stores, Telpo also provides the K8 series as a scalable upgrade.

Welcome to contact us for more details. We have confidence that Telpo will not let you down.

FAQ