The Johan Cruijff ArenA is the first stadium in the Netherlands to introduce an autonomous checkout-free bar, revolutionising the matchday experience for fans to the ArenA. This high-tech bar kiosk uses advanced tracking and AI technology to capture visitor pickups or products and automatically take payment.

Using the system is easy, visitors are asked to simply tap their smartphone to pay on entry to the bar kiosk. This state-of-the-art equipment enables visitors to get served more quickly and efficiently. The checkout-free bar was used for the first time during Ajax-Burnley on July 26th.

Working with Levy Europe, public catering partner to the ArenA, this new technology was trialled during the concert season at the ArenA, where it was met with an enthusiastic response, with over 12,000 fans passing through the kiosk and purchasing more than 17,000 beverages. The first Bar14 in the ArenA is located on the Second Ring on the east side of the stadium. Bar14 will be continually reviewed to ensure the best visitor experience at all times.

How does the checkout-free bar work?
Using the system is easy, visitors simply scan the mobile wallet on their smartphone (android or iPhone) on entering Bar14 and enter through the gates. Once inside, visitors are able to pick up the soft or alcoholic drinks they wish to buy and leave without any interactions with staff. The bar utilises advanced smart tracking and AI technology to seamlessly and accurately record what each visitor selects, even if products are put back or if multiple people take products at the same time. When leaving the bar, visitors do not have to queue up to pay, as the selected products are added to a virtual basket and automatically debited from method of payment from the digital wallet used on entry. In order to protect visitors’ privacy, no facial recognition or biometric data is used. Hence customers and their purchases remain anonymous.

Innovative services

The checkout-free bar is one of the innovative services recently created by the ArenA and its public catering partner Levy Europe. Levy, which has been the ArenA’s partner for almost three years is a renowned market leader in the field of catering and design for stadiums. By offering services such as the checkout-free bar and self-order screens, the ArenA and Levy are focussing on providing the ultimate visitor experience to the venue’s two million annual visitors.