Hospitals and universities never truly close. From overnight nurses and third-shift technicians to students studying late and faculty working nontraditional schedules, these environments require retail services that operate beyond standard business hours.
Just Walk Out technology by Amazon is transforming hospital and campus retail operations at locations around the world. Using advanced AI and computer vision, Just Walk Out technology tracks items and charges shoppers automatically on exit. The technology helps institutions deliver 24/7 access to food, beverages, and essentials while improving operational efficiency and service speed.
You can sit there and eat, take that 20-minute break, and actually enjoy most of it. You’re not standing in line and then racing to get through your lunch.
Retail for environments that never sleep
Hospitals and healthcare facilities are under constant pressure to support their workforce while managing costs and delivering excellent patient care. Higher education institutions face a similar challenge in meeting student expectations while managing operational constraints.
Today’s foodservice infrastructure is not designed for the round-the-clock nature of these spaces. Cafeterias and stores often close at night, leaving staff and students in both sectors with limited options beyond vending machines. That leads to abandoned purchases when lines are long at peak times, missed meals, and dissatisfied customers.
Success story: 24/7 retail for healthcare workers
Many healthcare facilities struggle to offer convenient food and beverage access, especially for overnight workers seeking healthy options. At all times of day, staff have short, time-sensitive breaks, and long checkout lines can cut into the limited time they have to eat before returning to patient care.
St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida, implemented Just Walk Out technology at its cafeteria, helping the facility weather post-pandemic staffing shortages while dramatically improving service.
“We just couldn’t hire enough people to fill right after the pandemic, and we also knew that that was somewhat of a bottleneck for our shoppers’ experience,” said Craig Anderson, vice president of Innovation for BayCare, which operates St. Joseph’s.
With Just Walk Out technology shoppers can now enter the cafeteria with their credit card, mobile wallet, or employee badge. As they shop, the technology detects what is taken and creates a virtual shopping cart. When guests are ready to check out, they can leave without waiting in line, and their chosen payment method is charged for the items they took.
The results:
- 75% faster shopping trip times
- 60% increase in operating hours
- 12% of shopping sessions occur during extended hours
The average shopping time at the cafeteria went from around 12 minutes to three minutes. “You can sit there and eat, take that 20-minute break, and actually enjoy most of it,” Anderson said. “You’re not standing in line and then racing to get through your lunch.”
Anderson added that the technology enabled BayCare to add hundreds of items to the cafeteria’s inventory that people can shop for 24/7.
Success story: frictionless, 24/7 retail at universities
In an era when online ordering and delivery have become commonplace, many schools are struggling to provide the service students expect. A recent survey found that 37% of students feel campus dining services need significant improvement. In another survey, 70% of administrators said they were having a hard time hiring foodservice personnel, creating ongoing staffing challenges that directly affect service quality.
University of California San Diego introduced Just Walk Out technology at three locations on campus.
“The first week of launch at our busiest store, we were doing upwards of 400 shopping sessions in one hour at the peak of that store,” said Derek Holl, dining systems and development manager at UC San Diego.
After implementing autonomous retail at UC San Diego:
- Wait times were reduced by 15–20 minutes
- Daily transactions increased by 14%
“This is a huge improvement for our students,” said Rosario Salas, assistant general manager at one of the school’s markets. “At peak times, we serve hundreds of students in the market. This technology gives them the freedom to get in and out quickly, and we will have more time to help shoppers find items or place special orders for items not in stock. With the new market setup, we can also provide a larger selection of products.”
Staffing and accessibility were also drivers for the University of Dayton’s conversion to autonomous retail. “We had a convenience store before we converted to the Just Walk Out store, and it was a great convenience store, but we did hear students asking for later hours. And we had difficulty finding people to work those later hours,” said Joan Bauman, director of dining services for the school.
With Just Walk Out technology at the University of Dayton:
- Store hours expanded from 14 hours to 24 hours daily
- 34% of shopping sessions occur during extended hours
Bauman added that the technology was surprisingly easy to work with.
“Using the handheld devices to scan new items in, you can recreate your shelves and your product mix very easily,” she said. “We can teach our student workers how to do that, and they can stack shelves and make sure everything is correct and working properly.”
Flexible formats, proven at scale
With over 375 and counting Just Walk Out technology-enabled stores globally, including at airports, stadiums, colleges and universities, and hospitals, the technology has demonstrated scalability and performance across an array of settings. Amazon has developed deep expertise in campus and healthcare settings, including integration with meal plans and hospital management systems. Solutions can be deployed in new construction or retrofitted into existing spaces, with multiple store formats available, from cafeterias and convenience stores to gift shops and athletic venues.
Interested in bringing 24/7 retail to your location? Let’s connect.
