The United States is a nation synonymous with burgers. From coast to coast, fast-food chains and independent diners churn out millions of these iconic sandwiches daily.
However, the industry is facing challenges, including high employee turnover and rising labor costs.
Could the solution be automation? A new wave of robotic systems is emerging, promising to revolutionize how burgers are made and served.
The robotic burger revolution
Several companies have recently developed innovative automated burger-making systems:
RoboBurger
Featured on the TV show Shark Tank, RoboBurger is a self-contained vending machine that grills and assembles burgers in about 4 minutes.
It uses a robotic system to cook the patty, toast the bun, dispense condiments, and deliver a hot burger. While the company secured funding on Shark Tank, it is still relatively new.
BurgerBots
This system, developed by ABB, uses a combination of industrial robots to assemble burgers with speed and precision.
The robots handle topping selection and final assembly, completing a burger in just 27 seconds. BurgerBots is currently operating in a restaurant in Los Gatos, California.
CaliExpress by Flippy
Located in Pasadena, California, this restaurant features a robotic platform that converts Wagyu beef into patties and a robotic arm that cooks french fries. The system uses AI to adapt cooking parameters and ensure consistency.
Robots could make better burgers
These systems aim to address several issues in the fast-food industry. They offer increased efficiency, consistency, and hygiene.
Robots don’t need breaks, sick days, or vacations, and they can prepare food with a standardized level of quality.
Automation can also reduce food waste and minimize human contact with ingredients, potentially leading to safer and more sanitary food preparation.
The future of fast-food automation
The fast-food industry has notoriously high employee turnover rates. Some sources suggest rates as high as 75 percent annually, and even higher for quick-service restaurants.
Many find the work repetitive and don’t see it as a long-term career. Automation offers a potential solution by reducing the need for human labor in specific tasks, allowing employees to focus on customer service and other areas.
McDonald’s and other fast-food chains already use technology like self-service kiosks and digital ordering screens. Automated burger-making systems could be a natural next step, further streamlining operations and potentially reducing costs.
While the initial investment in robotic systems can be significant, the long-term benefits could outweigh the costs.
As technology continues to advance, we may see more and more robots flipping burgers, freeing up human workers, and changing the fast-food landscape.
Whether customers will fully embrace a dining experience with less human interaction remains to be seen, but the trend towards automation in the fast-food industry appears to be gaining momentum.
