Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc., a leading provider of admission control systems, has expanded its partnership with The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Palm Desert, California, bringing in Galaxy's food and beverage kiosk solution.
In January 2024, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens brought its food and beverage services in-house, recognising a chance to manage the operation internally and develop a dining experience that more closely reflects its long-term goals.
In January 2025, it adopted Galaxy’s food & beverage kiosk solution as part of a pilot programme. The initial goal was to introduce self-service kiosks in smaller food outlets before rolling them out at the attraction’s new dining venue, Big Horn Café.
When Big Horn Café officially opened in April 2025, the kiosk system was prepared for its full launch.
By leveraging Galaxy’s HTML kiosks alongside QSR Automations’ kitchen display software, the team tailored the guest experience with a branded, personalised landing page that showcased The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens’ identity.
“We were already using Galaxy,” says Frank Morales, IT manager at The Living Desert. “It made sense to continue building on a platform we already knew.”
Solving challenges
Before the implementation, staff relied on printed kitchen tickets, which posed challenges. Printer malfunctions or paper shortages caused order failures, transaction issues, chargebacks, guest frustration, and extra administrative work.
“Once QSR came out, it changed all of that on top of the food and beverage integration,” Morales said.
Switching from paper workflows to digital kitchen displays greatly enhanced reliability and decreased reliance on hardware that might cause service interruptions.
Guest adoption was a primary concern for The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. The operator wanted kiosks to be intuitive and create a seamless ordering experience. The team also aimed to make kitchen operations efficient so guests could get meals quickly.
The attraction’s approach was highly collaborative, with IT staff engaging managers and frontline employees to understand operational needs before configuring the software, rather than forcing technology into existing workflows.
“From 2024 to now, there’s been a lot of growth for us in understanding the needs of our managers. I ask the staff what they need and what their vision is, then I try to fit the software to support that.”
An integrated approach
The self-service kiosks include branded, personalised landing pages that showcase The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens’ identity
Since Galaxy already manages the attraction’s admissions and membership programs, the food and beverage team can utilise this membership data to craft targeted promotions and personalised guest experiences.
“Everything is processed within Galaxy,” Morales says. “Our membership manager can create events, apply discounts, and use those promotions to encourage members to visit.”
These exclusive membership offers serve as a powerful business tool, boosting member engagement and increasing sales of food and beverages.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens pre-imaged every kiosk, workstation, and VeriFone device before deployment at five food outlets, enabling overnight equipment swaps and minimal operational disruption.
Staff training was crucial for success, covering ticketing workflows, food and beverage operations, discounts, taxes, menu modifiers, and pricing. After administrators mastered the system, they trained others, emphasising the importance of operational processes alongside technology.
Reflecting on the launch, Morales mentioned they gained valuable insights and would adjust their implementation approach accordingly: “I would have reached out to our Customer Success Manager and asked to connect with organizations already using it, just to learn what to expect and what to watch out for."
Since then, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens has become active in the Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc. user community, sharing their experience at a Southern California User Group meeting.
Morales sees those customer-to-customer connections as one of the most valuable resources during implementation.
Key wins
“The biggest win was Grab & Go functionality,” Morales says. “It reduced labor time and helped us sell faster and more easily.” By simplifying ordering and reducing labour requirements, Grab & Go has become one of the organisation’s fastest-growing food service offerings.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens intends to further enhance its offerings by adding a dedicated Grab & Go section and expanding mobile food cart services across the park.
Gaining a better understanding of Galaxy’s food and beverage capabilities has also encouraged managers to develop more creative ideas: “Being able to fully understand Galaxy for food and beverage has enabled us to grow Grab & Go offerings on little carts,” Morales says.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens' early results are encouraging, with increased guest demand causing lines at its seven self-service kiosks during peak days.
Sales have grown since implementation, and managers are more comfortable with the platform, introducing more creative menu items and promotions. The key opportunity is to further cut the time from order to food delivery.
Looking ahead
“The whole vision is to eventually operate a full sit-down restaurant,” Morales says. “We’re planning to build an events center within the next five to ten years.”
That future includes table service, open tabs, bar service, and expanded hospitality offerings. While Galaxy currently excels in quick-service environments, staff sees potential for the platform to evolve with the attraction’s ambitions.
Future updates, like SMS order notifications, expanded QSR features, simplified menu management, faster inventory updates, audit logs for changes, and kiosk lockdown for easier device management, will enhance real-world functionality.
“Overall, we’re very satisfied,” says Morales of the project. “I would definitely recommend Galaxy for food and beverage. And I’d also recommend talking to other customers who are already using it before you implement. Learning from their experiences can make a huge difference.”
Today, Galaxy is a key part of the attraction’s food and beverage strategy, streamlining operations, boosting sales, enhancing member engagement, and supporting future growth.
Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc. also recently worked with the USS Midway Museum to integrate DonationMatch and Galaxy Connect to strengthen the organisation's charitable giving programme. Since the implementation in February 2026, the museum has given 2,481 tickets, equating to $101,721, through the platform.
