We’ve talked before about Sally, a salad making robot from Chowbotics (which was bought by DoorDash in February 2021). Sally seemed an ideal response to interest in healthy eating coupled with concerns about salad bars in the COVID-era, as consumers and businesses were more aware of germs and interested in contactless options.
But since we’re also in an era of shortages in labor – particularly in foodservice – and experiencing rising costs for labor, food, and facilities, there is additional energy behind the idea of how automation can help. Tech innovators have stepped in. The most recent example is the RoboBurger, first placed in New Jersey. This is not an April Fools’ joke – you can’t joke about National Sanitary Foundation (NSF) certification!
The RoboBurger requires human workers to stock the machine and to check it if on-board sensors report tech trouble, such as a power outage or other reason for improper heating or refrigeration. Otherwise, this 12 square foot mobile kitchen can make a fresh burger in about 6 minutes. The unit allows for 24/7 operation in places like college campuses, airports, malls, hospitals, and other such facilities where hot food demand could fall outside of conventional restaurant operating hours.
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