Foodservice

Steal This Idea: Embrace Robotics

Smart machines offering meals, beverages expand along with contactless foodservice
Basil Street's pizza vending machine
Photograph: Shutterstock

CHICAGO Contactless foodservice has opened the door for smart vending machines to grow what they offerpizza, ramen, smoothiesand where they’re placed.

Take Basil Street’s pizza machine (pictured), for example, which can transform a 10-inch piefour-cheese, pepperoni or a rotating monthly specialfrom frozen to feast in about three minutes.

Le Bread Xpress has grown from serving only baguettes five years ago to pastries, pizza and sandwiches. Yo-Kai Express launched its ramen machine in 2018 and has since started a mail-order arm and has tested a self-driving machine that will bring ramen to the customer.

Chowbotics offers options such as Hawaii 5-0, a mix of Bear Naked Granola Fit Triple Berry, coconut, Frosted Mini-Wheats, mango and pineapple, but customers also can customize bowls with up to 22 ingredients.

While eating, customers might need a beverage as well. Blendid’s smoothie machine has blenders, a refrigeration system, dispensers with various ingredients and juices, a robotic arm—and the ability for smoothie customization with a mobile app.

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