One of the highlights of your author’s recent trip to the US was a visit to Kernel. An innocuous-looking venue from the outside, located on Park Avenue close to Madison Square in Manhattan, inside robots are literally helping to cook up a revolution. Think of Kernel as helping to redefine quick-service restaurants for a more automated and sustainable future. The food was pretty tasty too.
Kernel is the product of Steve Ells, the founder of Chipotle. His angle is simple. Beyond the novelty of employing robots, the number of workers in any dining venue can be reduced, apparently by up to two thirds (and anecdotally, those that remain are paid more than at many comparable outlets). The resplendent white robotic arm that dominates the Kernel kitchen can help to prepare up to 1000 items a day. Food is made by humans in an off-site kitchen and then shipped to the store. At Kernel, employees still have to assemble and build customers’ orders, but it is the robot who takes the food and places it into the oven. Add in conveyer belts and other automation features such as dispensers and you get the picture.
Project forward and expect technology to do even more. One possible future scenario could see the food prepared by robots offsite and then delivered by autonomous vehicle. AI algorithms could optimise routing and sequencing in the kitchen. Talking to several people at Kernel, there was no doubting the ambition of the business. Your author was told by an enthusiastic employee that their robot “helps organise things in a streamlined manner.” The founder is passionate about constant improvement (seating, for example, has been introduced at the venue after initial customer feedback) and there are plans afoot to open more Kernel outlets in New York and potentially beyond.
In terms of the customer experience, nothing could be easier. Users order via an app, are sent an alert when the food is ready and then given a code to access their meal from a locker. Imagine fast food from an automat. The future will certainly involve more service robots. It will also likely comprise more sustainable food. At the outset, Kernel offered only vegan options but has now expanded to include diary and eggs. Animal protein may follow, but the principle remains one of sustainable sourcing. Your author can confirm that his eggplant parmesan sandwich and broccoli rabe salad bowl were both genuinely tasty, punching above their weight, especially at the price point (less than $20, including a drink and taxes). The revolution starts here.
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Originally Posted August 27, 2024 – The lunchtime robot revolution
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