We’re happy to announce our recent deployment of Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology at two of our higher education sites.

Guests at Lafayette College’s Simon’s Market, located in Easton, Pa., and Bowman Express at Loyola University Maryland, located in Baltimore, can now enter their Just Walk Out location, select the products they would like to purchase, and simply leave without waiting in line to check out. The purchases are charged to the guest’s preferred payment method – either their meal plan, mobile app, or credit card – using a series of sensors, cameras, and deep learning that track the items a guest takes off the shelves.  

Just Walk Out technology is made possible by artificial-intelligence-like computer vision and deep learning techniques, including generative AI, to accurately determine who took what in any retail environment. Amazon’s synthetic datasets mimic millions of realistic shopping scenarios—including variations in store format, lighting conditions, and even crowds of shoppers—to ensure accuracy in any environment.

“At Parkhurst, no two accounts are the same, and we are constantly evolving the solutions we offer partners to meet their unique needs,” said Mark Broadhurst, chief operating officer of Parkhurst Dining. “We are proud to help clients bring innovative solutions to campus, like Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, to help create an innovative and differentiated dining experience for students, staff, and faculty.”  

Both Parkhurst locations with Just Walk Out technology pave the way for new technology integrations . Not only is Simon’s Market at Lafayette College the first of its kind in the Lehigh Valley, it’s also among the first Just Walk Out technology stores to fully integrate with Transact, the college’s card access system. Students can pay for purchases with meal equivalencies in addition to their flexible spending dollars, an important evolution for students seeking to maximize meal plan benefits.  

Bowman Express at Loyola University is the first to integrate Just Walk Out technology with Grubhub, providing students with another convenient way to enter the store and pay for purchases. In addition, Bowman Express is also the first location on a higher-education campus in Maryland equipped with Just Walk Out technology.

“We know convenience is a major factor for today’s students as they evaluate their on-campus dining options,” said Larry Orr, vice president of higher education for Parkhurst Dining. “We want to provide every option possible to purchase the food they need, when they need it. Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, and the way it is integrated by our partners at Transact and Grubhub, makes it easier than ever to meet the needs of Lafayette and Loyola students.”  

As part of Parkhurst’s Local Scene program, Simon’s Market and Bowman Express offer products from numerous local vendors, connecting college campuses to their surrounding communities through partnerships with nearby small businesses. Simon’s Market also features produce from LaFarm, Lafayette’s on-campus farm, in the freshly prepared On The Go! items available for purchase.  

“We’re proud of the opportunity to collaborate with Parkhurst to bring Just Walk Out technology to Loyola University Maryland and Lafayette College,” said Jon Jenkins, vice president of Just Walk Out technology. “With our technology, students have a dynamic and convenient shopping experience that meets them where they are—day or night—so they can focus on their studies.”

Simon’s Market and Bowman Express are now open on their respective campuses.