First Casino Adoption Follows Successful Use in Other Markets.
MASON, OH (February 24, 2026) – Apex Order Pickup Solutions, the pioneer in smart food order pickup technology, today announced its expansion to the casino market with installations at two eateries at the Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel in Highland, CA. Resort customers placing mobile orders at either venue now receive a text as soon as their food is ready, enabling them to enjoy gaming and other resort activities while their food is prepared and retrieve their orders from secure digital lockers in less than 10 seconds with a unique access code.
Yaamava’ Resort & Casino initially deployed a 23-compartment Apex locker system at The Grove Express, one of its quick-service food outlets. That installation was so effective in streamlining the food service operation and enhancing the guest experience that the resort included a second 23-compartment locker system in the design of bEATS, a new fast-casual venue with live music that opened late last year.
The two locker solutions have handled more than 80,000 orders to date, averaging over 150 daily orders at peak times. Integration with the resort’s mobile ordering system via the ApexIQ™ technology platform ensures each order is correctly matched, tracked, and placed into the appropriate compartment.
The same Apex back-end platform also equips resort staff with valuable metrics about issues ranging from order completion and pickup times to average order dwell times and peak dayparts, furnishing insights that can be used to help optimize operations.
“Everything we do here is about elevating the guest experience, and Apex’s self-serve locker solutions align perfectly with that mission,” said Christopher Fava, Vice President, Food and Beverage at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel. “From alerting guests when their order is ready to eliminating pickup lines, our locker systems not only smooth the order pickup process but also enable guests to maximize their time playing the slots or enjoying other resort amenities of their choice.”
Apex smart locker technology has helped shorten lines for mobile food orders, reduce mix-ups on open takeout shelves, and increase efficiency for foodservice operations ranging from restaurants to college campuses, entertainment venues and office buildings since 2015. The Yaamava’ Resort & Casino systems are the first live deployments in the casino market, with others currently in the buildout stage.
“Casinos are an ideal market for our automated pickup solutions because they eliminate wait times around food pickup, keeping guests engaged in gaming and entertainment instead of standing in line,” said Ashley McNamara, Vice President, Global Marketing, at Apex. “The leadership team at Yaamava’ was among the first in the casino space to recognize the operational and guest-experience benefits, and their vision is paying off by helping deliver the high level of customer service that is critical to building satisfaction and revenue.”
About Apex
Apex Order Pickup Solutions is a leading provider of self-serve pickup locker solutions used in restaurants, hospitals, campus dining, retail, B2B ecommerce, and sports and entertainment venues. Apex’s technology has received multiple industry honors, including several Kitchen Innovations Awards from the National Restaurant Association. The company’s roots go back to Apex Supply Chain Technologies, whose founder patented the first industrial vending technology more than 25 years ago. For more information, visit https://apexorderpickup.com
About Yaamava’ Resort & Casino
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel is the only AAA Five-Diamond casino resort, featuring a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel with spacious suites, an elevated pool deck, a Forbes Five-Star spa, and a state-of-the-art theater. Recently named the 2025 USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Award for Best Casino Outside of Las Vegas, Best Casino Restaurant for its Pines Modern Steakhouse, and Best Casino Hotel as well as Best Native American Casino and Best Overall Casino Outside of Las Vegas by the Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards, Yaamava’ is located just 70 miles from downtown Los Angeles near Highland, CA. The casino has more than 7,400 slots, five high-limit gaming rooms, luxury retail shops, a wide variety of award-winning dining options, and more than a dozen bars and lounges, including a premier sports bar, The 909 Food Hall, and the new fast-casual dining and immersive entertainment venue, bEATS. The San Manuel Entertainment Authority owns and operates Yaamava’ Resort & Casino.
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