Apex Keeps University Students Fed with Smart Locker Technology

Apex Order Pickup Solutions, a leader in smart food locker technology, is keeping university students fed across colleges and universities nationwide. Five years ago, Apex pioneered contactless order pickups on college campuses, and since then, its technology has become essential in addressing modern foodservice challenges such as mobile order security, space limitations, and the growing demand for diverse food options.

The impact has been significant. Over 1.3 million orders were successfully picked up from campuses during the last school year — with a 97% pickup success rate — highlighting Apex’s ability to optimize mobile order management, meet student demand, and expand food access beyond traditional dining halls.

“We’re seeing some of our C&U customers redevelop dining programs to replace traditional storefronts with food lockers,” said Ashley McNamara, Vice President of Global Marketing at Apex in a recent press release. “Combined with mobile ordering and ghost kitchens, smart food lockers are fundamentally changing C&U foodservice, and both students and foodservice operators are reaping the benefits.”

Apex’s innovative technology is modernizing campus dining solutions nationwide:

• Secure and Reliable Retail Dining: Apex smart lockers allow campus dining to expand food offerings in a reliable way. Smart lockers streamline mobile order pickups, reducing staffing needs, minimize order mix-ups, and reduce theft to nearly zero by requiring a scanned code. This seamless experience encourages students to eat on campus, boosting the school’s foodservice revenue.
• Space-Saving Food Solution: Space limitations are a common challenge for many campuses. Apex smart lockers offer a practical solution by allowing campuses to install a floor-to-ceiling wall of smart lockers that doubles as a branded storefront and a self-serve pickup location. This reduces the need for additional kitchen space or staff.
• Multi-Location Food Deliveries: Apex technology also supports food delivery from any restaurant on campus. By having a single hub, such as a central food court, food can be delivered to other locations on campus using Apex’s technology. Not only does this save time for students, but it prevents schools from having to build another restaurant or staff another area for food.

McNamara noted that several schools have had success with the technology, with some even closing their dining halls on weekends and using Apex’s smart lockers to maintain food access.

As colleges and universities rethink traditional dining models, Apex smart lockers are becoming an integral part of their long-term strategy. Institutions are are seeing the benefits: reduced weekend dining hall hours, improved ordering systems, little to no investment in reconfiguring kitchen layouts, and less theft overall.

Apex smart lockers continue to lead the way in revolutionizing campus dining, offering smart, scalable solutions that benefit operators, students, and campuses alike.

About Apex Order Pickup Solutions

Apex Order Pickup Solutions delivers innovative self-serve order pickup technology that works for everyone. It’s a fast, contactless, and seamless experience for customers while businesses benefit from an improved operational performance. Although Apex is a new company, its foundation is built on decades of experience from Apex Supply Chain Technologies. The founder of Apex Supply Chain Technologies patented the first industrial vending technology more than 25 years ago. In 2015, Apex introduced its first click-and-collect smart lockers. As demand grew, Apex Order Pickup Solutions was established as a dedicated business unit to better serve the specific needs of its customers. Today, Apex focuses on enhancing the customer journey while providing valuable data insights that help businesses improve operations and adapt to future challenges.