5 days behind the counterWhat 2 food festivals taught us
We build systems for the people behind the counter. For 5 days at 2 Oslo festivals, we became those people ourselves.
In 2024 and 2025, the ninito team ran our own festival food stands. We wanted to experience our system during a busy service and understand the work around it, from hearing a guest’s request to handing over their food.
Everyone in ninito would take a turn behind the counter. We would serve real guests, prepare real orders and share responsibility for getting the food out. Our question was simple.
2024 Burgers and Churros at Et Glass
Our first study took place at Et Glass in Oslo, where the entire festival used ninito. We ran our own concept, Burgers and Churros, for 3 days.
On day 1, we used a familiar setup. One or two people took orders while the rest of the team prepared the food. There was little room at the stand, and the festival noise made conversations difficult to follow. Hearing requests, checking details and getting orders right took concentration in an already crowded workspace.
We could feel how taking orders shaped the pace and atmosphere of the kitchen. We finished the first day with NOK 28,000 in sales and a clear reason to try a different way of working.
More room for the food And the people making it
On day 2, we removed the staffed ordering station and installed 4 ninito self-service kiosks. We placed QR codes around the area so guests could also order from our online store on their phones.
With guests placing their own orders, the team could give more attention to preparing and serving food. The working day became more enjoyable, and we could handle far more orders per hour. The kitchen had more room to focus on the job it was there to do.
Food was ready around 7 minutes sooner. Guests ordering at the kiosks spent 40% more than those ordering with staff. We repeatedly heard positive feedback about the speed of service, and guests told us we had the best food at the festival.
Burgers and Churros became the festival’s highest-selling food concept. Our strongest day reached NOK 150,000 in sales, and the 3 days brought in around NOK 264,000. We donated that money to help young people open food concepts of their own.
- Higher spend by kiosk guests than guests ordering with staff at Et Glass in 2024
- 40%
- Sooner food was ready after the change in our 2024 stand
- ≈ 7 min
- Sales across our 3 days at Et Glass in 2024
- ≈ NOK 264,000
These are observations from ninito’s own festival stands in 2024 and 2025. Conditions varied between days. The figures describe that experience and are not a controlled comparison or a promise of the same results elsewhere.
2025 Back behind the counter at Oslo Matfestival
The following year, we returned to festival service at Oslo Matfestival. For 2 days, we sold burgers from a stand with very limited space and 3 ninito self-service kiosks.
The entire ninito team took turns working behind the counter. Each person served guests, worked within the limits of the stand and experienced how the system supported service under pressure. The learning belonged to the whole company.
We became the festival’s highest-selling food concept again, with NOK 87,000 in sales across the 2 days.
- Sales across our 2 days at Oslo Matfestival in 2025
- NOK 87,000
What we brought back To the people we support
Five days behind the counter gave us a shared understanding of our customers’ working lives. We experienced the concentration it takes to prepare food, keep orders moving and look after guests in a small, busy space.
That experience carries into our support. Having stood there ourselves helps us understand the question and the pressure behind it. It helps us give clearer answers and respond faster with guidance that fits the situation.
It also deepened our appreciation for our customers. The effort, care and energy we brought to those festival days are things they bring to their businesses every day. It is demanding work. It is exciting work. It deserves systems and support built with an understanding of what the day feels like.
We are proud to be part of this industry. We want to help move it forward by making the work easier, the service smarter and the experience better for the people behind the counter and the guests they serve.
