Imagine ending the day with a nice warm slice of apple pie that tastes just like a family recipe. You are so satisfied that you wonder who could have baked this delicious pastry, so you peek into the kitchen and your eyes widen as they fall upon robotic arms whirling around filling empty crusts and pulling fresh pies out of the oven, gulp. It feels like the distant future where Skynet is planning an imminent invasion, yet it’s the present and the takeover is of a different kind. Last month we examined the A.I. you may encounter when out shopping or eating and this month we will be talking about the machines that make your food and deliver your shopping cart.

The idea of machines replacing people for repetitive tasks has always been Sc-Fi fantasy, until you stop to look around and see how much automation there already is. Much like A.I. ordering, the goal behind robotics is to increase efficiency. During the pandemic there was a shift towards delivery for food and home products and transport robots that run on wheels and drones have become more common in recent years. For food delivery, Domino’s developed an automated car that was designed to keep pizzas hot and we can expect other restaurants to jump on this technology in the future. Demand for fast delivery has never been higher and robots make the most sense to overcome some of the challenges in the “last mile” leg of the supply chain.

The most interesting and shocking use of robotics is in the kitchen of your favorite restaurants. A few years ago, Flippy, the pizza making automaton, was seeing some interesting results. That technology has now blossomed and there are versions of the machine that make everything from burgers to french fries. It should come as no surprise that the largest restaurant chain in the world, McDonald’s, has gotten in on the action. The company operates a state-of-the-art two-level restaurant that is completely automated except for a skeleton crew on site for customer service. That location serves mainly as a proof of concept, yet there are others who are leaning fully into robotic operations. Sweetgreen has created an automated location that uses a conveyor belt and giant tubes of ingredients to perfectly mix salad bowls. The location has been successful so far with the company claiming that efficiency has improved, and costs have been cut in half. Sweetgreen doesn’t plan to just stop at one location, they already have a second location planned for later this year and they project that all of their stores will be automated by 2025.

In addition, artificial intelligence and robotics took a front center spotlight at this year’s National Restaurant Show. Everything from automated quality control scanners, to A.I. order taking, the very popular french fry machine arm, and even robot servers. The expo was a showcase of the latest tech and a view of things to come and it’s clear that there’s no end to the innovations this industry can come up with.

Even with the widespread use of robotics, humans seem to have a place in these futuristic stores. From occasional maintenance to customer service, there will always be some sort of human interaction available. The real question is, how will customers feel about machines taking their orders, assembling the product, and delivering it to them? It could be just too strange for some consumers and this trepidation will likely slow widespread adoption. It is also worth considering the impact this has had on the labor market. We know that restaurants and retailers have struggled to find employees, yet these machines will undoubtedly reduce open positions. The idea of machines taking jobs will not sit well with some customers and potential investors, even with the touted increased efficiency and throughput. We are a far cry from the worlds fantasized in Blade Runner and I Robot, yet the use of robots in everyday life is no fantasy. We are inching closer to an automated world and are left to wonder what is next.