Robots in restaurants

• Robots in the food industry

2024

Presented a robot chef for $105 thousand.

At the end of October 2024, Moley Robotics introduced the X-AiR robotic hand for cooking. The cost of the new premium robot is $105 thousand, and it is equipped with its own cooking panel, shelves and dishes. The company's own chef, James Taylor, adapts recipes to suit the robot's capabilities. The company says it will add two to three new recipes each month and can also automate recipes for unique family meals. Read more here.

A robot for cleaning avocados and making salads is presented. It is already used in restaurants. VIDEO

In mid-September 2024, Chipotle Mexican Grill, an international fast food chain, announced the start of using robotic avocado cleaning devices that aid in the preparation of dishes such as guacamole, salads and burritos. Read more here

A robot chef with his OS is presented, which can cook any dishes

In early August 2024, Chef Robotics introduced a universal robot on its OS, which is capable of preparing any dishes. This AI-based system is designed for large-scale food production. Manufacturers promise that the introduction of such robotic systems will increase efficiency and reduce waste at ready-made food factories. Read more here

Robot chef who breaks eggs, cuts onions, adds sauce and mixes ingredients created

In mid-January 2024, American researchers from Stanford University announced the development of a robot cook called Mobile ALOHA, which is able to cook three Cantonese dishes without human help. In addition, the machine can cope with other tasks related to cooking, such as washing pots and tearing off a paper towel. Read more here.

2023

Sales of robots for restaurants in the world for the year reached $5.64 billion

In 2023, global sales of kitchen robots reached $5.64 billion, an increase of about a quarter (25%) compared to the previous year, when the market size was estimated at $4.51 billion. Key drivers of the industry are demand from restaurants and other catering establishments, increased disposable income of citizens, especially in emerging economies, and the emergence of more affordable cooking robots. This is stated in a study by Market Research Future, the results of which were released in mid-August 2024.

Analysts note that people's lifestyles in many regions are becoming more rapid, leaving little time for cooking. In such a situation, culinary robots are an attractive solution, since they can take on many routine tasks, for example, grinding, mixing, whipping, etc. At the same time, robots for cooking are able to clearly follow the programmed recipe and not make mistakes, correctly observing the requirements and differentiating the cooking time. Multifunctional robots combine different cooking techniques, allowing users to perform multiple tasks with a single appliance.

The report also found that sales of kitchen robots are on the rise in light of the increasing popularity of healthy eating. Many models allow you to accurately select products so that daily consumption does not exceed the norm. Such equipment makes it possible to prepare food at the desired temperature - literally with an accuracy of a degree. Robot cooks contain pre-installed cooking recipes that allow you to take into account nutritional needs, for example, for those who want to lose weight. Thanks to artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, smart devices can adapt to user preferences over time. In addition, kitchen robots can be integrated with other smart devices, providing remote and voice control, as well as online access to recipes and useful information. Subscription-based services are gaining popularity, which provide exclusive materials and cooking tutorials.

In 2023, the lion's share of sales of kitchen robots fell on the household segment - $3.64 billion. At the same time, the commercial sector, whose contribution amounted to about $2 billion, has the highest growth rates, which is due to the active introduction of such equipment in restaurants, hotels and catering outlets.

The report's list of leading players includes companies Drop, Breville, Hestan Cue, Magimix, Instant Pot, Kenwood, Vorwerk, Ninja, Thermomix, KitchenAid, Braun, Hamilton Beach, Philips, Panasonic and Cuisinart. Geographically, North America held the largest market share in 2023 - primarily due to the widespread adoption of advanced technology and the presence of large manufacturers. In Europe, the industry is being driven by growing demand for smart home technology and automation in kitchens. In Asia and the Pacific, sales growth has been attributed to increased awareness of smart home appliances and increased disposable income of citizens.

Market Research Future estimates that global sales of kitchen robots for restaurants and households will reach $7.06 billion in 2024. Going forward, the CAGR (compound percentage CAGR) is expected to be 25.15%. As a result, by 2032 the volume of the industry will increase to $42.5 billion.^[1]

A Russian coffee machine is presented, which cooks 90 cups of coffee per hour without human help

In October 2023, Fibbee, which develops the service of automated coffee outlets of the same name in Russia, introduced a domestic station, which is said to cook more than 90 cups of coffee per hour without human help. This is twice as much as a barista in a traditional coffee shop can do, according to the creators of the development. Read more here.

2020

Robopyccery developer Zume closes with $400 million investment

On June 3, 2023, it became known that the developer of robotic pizzerias Zume was curtailing its activities. The project faced a number of difficulties, and therefore the management decided to completely close it. Read more here.

US fast food chain replaces cooks with robots

At the end of October 2020, after a successful pilot program, the White Castle fast food network began replacing cooks with robots to improve efficiency and stricter compliance with sanitary standards during a pandemic. These robots were developed by Miso Robotics and have already appeared in ten kitchens of the network. Read more here.

A restaurant with a robot chef opened in Moscow

In early August 2020, the Many Salmon restaurant chain opened an institution where a robotic chef prepares dishes. The robot was created by the Russian company Bowlton, which provided it to New Kitchen Family (owner of Many Salmon and some other restaurant chains) by subscription. Read more here.

Country Garden Holdings opens fully robotic restaurant

In mid-January 2020, Chinese developer Country Garden Holdings opened what the company claims is China's first fully robotic restaurant. He earned in the city of Guangzhou. Read more here.

2019

Robot making 300 pizzas an hour unveiled

In late December 2019, Picnic unveiled a robot that makes 300 pizzas an hour thanks to artificial intelligence, cloud technology and proprietary automation tools. Read more here.

The first robot dishwasher for restaurants presented

In mid-June 2019, Dishcraft Robotics introduced, according to the company, the first dishwasher robot for restaurants and cafes on the market. Read more here.

2018

Opening of China's first fully robotic restaurant

In November 2018, a large Internet retailer JD.com opened the first China in full robotic restaurant and announced plans to launch up to 1,000 such catering outlets by 2020. More. here

Las Vegas chefs and waiters strike against rival robots

On June 1, 2018, members of the Las Vegas chefs union went on strike to protest robots that could leave professional cooks and other catering workers out of work. The fact is that the union's agreement with 34 gambling and entertainment establishments in the city has expired, and this agreement protected people from dismissal due to replacement with automated equipment.

According to Futurism, Las Vegas chefs and waiters are concerned about the growing spread of culinary technology that is pushing people out of the kitchen. Automatic food points busy cooking produce whole performances: cooking and serving food at Boston's Spyce restaurant, and San Francisco's CafeX whips lattes and cappuccinos with just one automatic hand.

On June 1, 2018, members of the Las Vegas chefs' union staged protests against robots, due to which [professional culinary workers may be left without work

The Momentum Machine is designed for a volume suitable for Las Vegas - it produces 400 burgers per hour. According to analysts at the Pew Research Center, even more technology will be used in the culinary industry by 2025, and chefs will have to adapt to this trend.

However, by 2018, robots in the food industry that take away work from people are not very common. The opposite is true - various technologies are used, such as applications that take orders, which has led to an increase in the number of jobs. The use of technology has forced restaurants to hire more chefs, according to a report released in September 2017 by catering workers "union in California.

At the Starbucks coffee shop, the digital ordering platform has led to a build-up. sales volume, and the company increased the number of employees to cope with the influx of buyers. Thus, robots can do unskilled work, and people are engaged in serving visitors.

That combination may prove to be the most winnable, which is exactly what union members demand in Las Vegas. Chefs support innovations that make it easier to work, they said, but they are opposed to replacing them entirely with robots.

The human factor is very important in our case, "the union organization said in a statement.[2]

Restaurant with robot chefs cooking healthy meals opens

In May 2018, Spyce, a new health food restaurant equipped with a robotic kitchen, opened in downtown Boston. Her concept was developed by graduates Massachusetts Institute of Technology Kale Rogers, Michael Farid, Brady Knight and Luke Schlueter - now they call themselves the Spyce Boys.

The creators say that the idea of ​ ​ robots capable of preparing rather complex dishes came to them during their studies: busy students, in addition to studying actively engaged in sports, could not afford to cook healthy and tasty food every evening, and dinner in restaurants for $10 was simply not affordable for them. Then they decided to make a robot capable of coping with such a non-trivial task as cooking and serving dinner, and then use this technology to open a real fast and healthy food restaurant.

MIT alumni open Boston restaurant with robots instead of cooks and waiters

We were all obsessed with robotics engineers, so we quit smoking and, thinking briefly, gathered such a robot in the basement, where we gathered for study and exchange ideas, the former students explained on the website of the new restaurant.

Co-founder and CEO Michael Farid, along with culinary director Daniel Boulud, presented a video on Instagram to show how robots accept and fulfill an order. Bulud - a well-known chef who has won many awards - said that he was incredibly impressed by the video that Spyce Boys sent him and not only became an investor and one of the directors of the new restaurant, but also invited chef Sam Benson, who worked for him at the Boulud cafe.

The restaurant specialises in seven varieties of rice dishes, with the order for each one set up to suit a vegetarian, vegan or gluten-intolerant.^[3]

A barista robot in a Tokyo cafe

In early February 2018, a new cafe opened in Shibuya, a shopping and business district in Tokyo, where a one-armed robot named Sawyer works as a barista.

To drink coffee prepared by a robotic waiter, visitors to a cafe called Henn na Cafe (translated from Japanese "unusual cafe") need to choose and pay for a drink at a vending machine, and then hand over a check with a barista QR code.

Robot barista

The robot not only fulfills the order, but also talks with the client.

How about a cup of delicious coffee? asks the barista, equipped with a display with a pair of animated eyes and a manipulator hand like industrial robots. "I'm the best coffee maker here, people can't match me.

The robot takes several minutes to complete the order. At the same time, Sawyer can serve up to five customers. A cup of freshly brewed coffee costs 320 yen (about $3). Also, with the help of an automatic machine, a barista can prepare other hot drinks, including cappuccino, tea and hot chocolate, reports the Associated Press.^[4]

Robot barista

The travel agency H.I.S., which owns the innovative cafe, sees many advantages in using robots. According to Masataka Tamaki, director of corporate planning at H.I.S., a robotic cafe needs only one living employee, while regular coffee shops employ several people.

The robot not only copes with the functions of a barista faster and more efficiently, but also entertains visitors. In line for their orders, people watch Sawyer's manipulations with interest and photograph him.

It is worth noting that the travel agency H.I.S. also owns a chain of Henn na Hotel hotels in Japan, which also use robots, and the Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Nagasaki Prefecture. According to The Asahi Shimbun, the company is considering opening additional robotic cafes at its facilities.^[5]

Robots strippers

During the annual 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in early January, a pair of stripper robots made from parts of a mannequin, car wipers and old CCTV cameras instead of a head "performed." Robots even take tips by making looping movements at the pole, which are controlled from a computer, and are presented at the Sapphire Gentleman's Club, which is not part of the official CES program, but often attracts the attention of inquisitive participants.

The managing director of the club, Peter Feinstein, said that he invited robot dancers for a change to show something new and unique, as the club turns 18 in 2018, and these robots are very interesting for their technology.

Robot strippers at CES 2018

The pair of robot dancers, which were created back in 2012, are the creation of British artist Giles Walker, who describes himself as a scrap metal artist with a passion for creating animatronic robots. One of his other projects, The Last Supper, includes 13 robots interacting at a table.

The artist reveals that the robot dancers were designed as a protest art project about surveillance, power and voyeurism when he noticed the ubiquity of CCTV cameras to monitor people in the UK for safety.

By putting CCTV cameras on the body of the dancers, I look at the relationship of voyeurism and power. I've played with this idea of voyeurism, and who has power in relationships - whether it's a voyeurist or a person being followed, says Walker.

With the advent of his robots in the strip club, the project deviated somewhat from its original vision, he said. However, robots can be rented for corporate parties.^[6]

2017

A robot waitress at a pizzeria in Pakistan

One of the pizzerias in Pakistan is experiencing a real boom, after the owners of the institution decided to use a robot waitress in their cafe, the Associated Press reported in July 2017.^[7]

The creator of the 25-kilogram robot is local engineer Osama Jafri, whose father owns a pizzeria Pizza.com in the city of Multan, Pakistan's Punjab province.

A robot waitress at a Pakistani pizzeria

According to the developer, his "brainchild" can meet and greet customers at the entrance, and then bring ordered pizza to the table. The robot is made in the form of a short slender woman in a long dress and apron. In order not to embarrass conservative pizzeria regulars, robotic waitresses are tied a scarf around their necks.

In an interview with Osama, Jafri said that the first robot appeared in a pizzeria in February this year, and sales have doubled since then. Now three "robo-waitresses" are already working in the cafe, and the owner of the pizzeria is going to open another institution with robots.

I used to just sell pizza, and now the owners of other restaurants want to buy robots from me, "Aziz Jafri told reporters.

Analysts predict the rapid growth of the global robotics market in the near future. According to estimates by the research company Tractica, between 2016 and 2022, revenue from the sale of industrial and non-industrial robots should increase from $31 billion to $237.3 billion.

Experts note that if earlier mainly industrial robots were in demand, now models intended for consumers, corporate users and other areas not related to industry are in great demand. Also, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned vehicles are considered promising areas of the robotics market.^[8]

Robotics

Notes