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Robots in restaurant kitchens take strategic positions in the European restaurant industry, and become a new option to fight Covid-19.
The new technology, however, has not escaped controversy. Do robots take over the jobs of chefs and kitchen assistants?
If we wrote this article ten years ago, it would surely enter the field of science fiction. Today, robots in restaurant kitchens are a reality. An achievable and tangible reality, since the costs of automation range from 11.000 to 40.000 euros.
Burger restaurants in the United States have been the first to reach full automation, supervised by humans, where customers place their orders on a screen, pay electronically and consume food cooked and delivered by a robot.
The technology is there and it only needs to be implemented, in a sector that has received one of the strongest blows during the pandemic. It is urgent to reduce costs and increase profits.
Automation is offered as the lifeline in a timely manner. And the results prove him right:
After an eight-month trial, Bear Robotics reported a 28% increase in sales at Kan Nam Tofu House in California. There, Bear Robotics implemented a complete automation solution.
In Europe, McDonald’s already performs very satisfactory tests in the United Kingdom, obtaining an increase in profits of 30%.
Benefits of using robots in restaurant kitchens
Reduction of labor costs
It seems that low costs are the “hook” that traps entrepreneurs in the sector to consider incorporating robots in restaurant kitchens.
It is, of course, a variable that cannot be ignored when evaluating automation in restaurants.
Customization
It is also an attraction that tips the balance in favor of robots. Customers will now have the ability to configure their dishes, choosing or incorporating ingredients, even on the go. But best of all, the information and purchase history of each customer will be stored to create a profile.
Thus, the possibilities to improve the customer service experience have no limits, especially if we think about the integration, which is hardly natural, between robotic technology and 3D printing, about which we already had the opportunity to speak in this same space.
Asepsis
Element of indisputable importance in current conditions, it becomes another point in favor of robots in restaurant kitchens, which are more efficient in terms of guaranteeing hygienic measures.
The productivity
And if it is about benefits, we cannot fail to mention the increase in productivity, precision, the elimination of errors made by humans, as factors that will lead an entrepreneur in the sector, finally, to make the decision to automate their kitchens.
People’s jobs when implementing robots in kitchens
Will robots in restaurant kitchens take human jobs?
It is a fact that robots in restaurant kitchens are ready, for now, for large fast food chains. This means that these employers will decrease their staff? In the beginning, yes.
The forecast is that automation will increase sales initially, at rates ranging from 20 to 30%. This, in a first stage, because later, the growth indicator can go up to 60%.
That is when jobs will be required, at other points in the food chain, to supply the growing demand from customers. But we can’t forget that human contribution will continue to be required in the area of disinfection and cleaning in premises, and in the supervision, monitoring and control.
This, in the field of fast food restaurants. But what will happen in fine dining restaurants? Well, we are still a bit far from a robot getting a Michelin star.
But, if we are about to take a leap in the evolution of signature food, or gourmet food, thanks to the unlimited possibilities offered by robots in restaurant kitchens.
The technical possibilities, the free time needed to create and the speed with which it can be experimented, tested, remade and verified, are undoubtedly factors that will take signature cuisine to a new and unsuspected level.
Thus, at the end of the cycle, it is very likely that jobs will not be lost, but more will be generated. It is a matter of strategic redistribution along the chain, but not of the replacement of machines by humans.
The makers of robots in restaurant kitchens
The developers of the new technology come from various parts of the world, but they are ready to provide solutions anywhere in the world. It will be enough to know these industry leaders, to understand it like this:
Nala Robotics
This manufacturer from Illinois, United States, builds a complete solution for the complete automation of restaurants, which will allow to create food all over the world, from Malaysian to Mexican cuisine.
The options are more than one hundred, and the ultimate goal of Nala Robotics is to create its own restaurants, in the form of franchises.
Ory Laboratory Inc
Of course, the Japanese will not be out of business. Tokyo-based Ory Laboratory Inc manufactures “avatar robots,” which are four feet tall, and equipped with a camera, microphone and speaker, allowing its operators to communicate with them and with diners, eventually.
But the most important thing about them is that they have the ability to develop fine motor activities, for the preparation and arrangement at the tables of all kinds of food and beverages.
Miso Robotics
This Pasadena California-based manufacturer has created a robot, nicknamed Flippy, that can cook French fries, grill hamburgers, create custom sandwiches, and perform all kitchen functions, replacing employees, safely and hygienically.
Miso Robotics ensures that, without human contact with food, the possibility of disease transmission drops to zero.
The future of the catering industry is in automation. Artificial Intelligence technology and robots provide solutions to everyday problems, when the industry needs them most.
Otherwise, many entrepreneurs will not be able to overcome the crisis and, therefore, the loss of jobs would be total.