Janice R. Andrews
The fast-food sector is experiencing a technological revolution. To improve efficiency, save costs, and satisfy customer demand for speedier service, key competitors including Sweetgreen, Chipotle, White Castle, and Shake Shack are implementing robots. Automation is revolutionizing food production as labor expenses rise and consumer demand for faster, more economical meals grows.
Sweetgreen’s Infinite Kitchen: A Quicker, More Streamlined Future
With its creative Infinite Kitchen idea, a robot-driven system that whips up salads in a flash, Sweetgreen (SG) is leading the way. In May 2023, the first Infinite Kitchen pilot opened in Illinois. Since then, the business has grown to three sites, and by the end of the year, it hopes to establish seven more.
CEO Jonathan Neman stated, “We’ve cut the time to prepare a Sweetgreen meal to just three and a half minutes.” “The food quality is even better, with perfectly portioned ingredients.”
At its New York Penn Plaza store, Sweetgreen’s robotic system—which makes use of automatic dispensers—can produce up to 500 salad bowls in an hour. The organization has been able to dramatically reduce turnover rates by 45% and lower the number of personnel required by two thirds thanks to this enhanced efficiency.
Rahul Krotthapalli, an analyst at JPMorgan, commended Sweetgreen for its automation efforts, pointing out that quicker service times, better order accuracy, and higher employee retention allow the business to invest back in staff, create new menu items, and save costs.
Chipotle’s Automation Journey: From Chick to Autocado
In an effort to improve efficiency, Chipotle (CMG) has started experimenting with robots. The restaurant unveiled Chippy, a robot that makes tortillas, in 2022, but the robot fell short of the company’s expectations. Chipotle turned its attention to Autocado, its newest invention that peels and cores avocados for guacamole, as a consequence. Autocado, which debuted in July 2023, is presently in its third version.
Chipotle has also created a digital makeline that automates the process of assembling salads and burrito bowls. As the bowl moves along a conveyor belt, each ingredient is mechanically supplied, guaranteeing consistent quality and quicker preparation times. These technologies will soon be tested in restaurants; they are now in the final phases of testing.
The Flippy 2 at White Castle and the Development of Automated Fryers
White Castle has also adopted robots with Flippy, its fry-station helper. Flippy, which was first introduced to automate the frying of potatoes, has subsequently been improved to Flippy 2, which is presently undergoing testing in 18 outlets of White Castle. Flippy 2, created in collaboration with Miso Robotics, lessens the need for human labor in one of the riskiest and most repetitive culinary chores.
CEO of Miso Robotics Rich Hull stressed the need for automation in the fast-food sector, saying that it is not financially viable to pay employees $20 per hour to run the fry station. According to Hull, robots will become a common sight in fast-food restaurants, freeing up employees to take on more important tasks and support more pay.
Robotic Shake Shack and Serve: Self-Driving Delivery in Los Angeles
Shake Shack (SHAK) and Serve Robotics have partnered to deploy self-driving delivery robots for their Uber Eats orders in Los Angeles. With a 99.94% delivery success record, these robots—developed by Serve Robotics—have been surpassing human couriers.
Ali Kashani, CEO of Serve Robotics, emphasized the advantages of autonomous delivery, stating that robotic couriers often deliver items more quickly and accurately than their human counterparts.
The Automation of Fast-Food in the Future
Automation is becoming a crucial tool for fast-food restaurants to stay competitive as labor costs keep rising. According to Krotthapalli, labor expenditures are the biggest fixed expense for fast-food enterprises, and more regulatory changes may result in even higher labor costs. Businesses that engage in automation can save expenses, increase operational effectiveness, and provide customers with more affordable rates.
at the upcoming years, we should anticipate seeing even more robots working at fast-food restaurants around the nation to transport orders, prepare meals, and carry out other necessary duties. These advances are giving customers faster service and tastier meals at reduced rates, in addition to helping businesses optimize their operations.
