Covid provides yet one more reason to add more automation to foodservice: reducing human contact with food.
There’s Flippy the robotic fry cook, who will start flipping burgers at White Castle this fall. There are a few entries in the drink space such as Botrista and Drinkbot, Chowbotics, the salad mixing robot and Servi the runner/busser. All of these innovations save on labor and are meant to augment, not replace the human element. Experts say robotics could be the future innovation the industry needs.