Robots to the Rescue, help is coming for Fast Food Restaurants.

 

  We hear every day about labor shortages in all the traditional industries including in the Food Service industry. Those labor shortages can affect all the different types of Restaurants and Bars that we like to frequent.

    Some of the hardest hit were the Quick Service Restaurant (Q.S.R.) sector of the industry. A.k.a “Fast Food Restaurants”. They have traditionally been entry point for many Food Service Industry workers. Usually as a teen in high school getting their first job.

 If other industries have jobs that offer more money just to get additional labor. Then not only does this increase the average hourly rate but there are fewer available workers to fill those positions as well.

 Secretly, I am sure you are getting tired of going to a restaurant with limited seating or slower than usually service due to lack of staff. Workers got used to being at home & honestly some making more to do during the lockdowns. Finally, things open back up and workers are looking for higher wages. Sometimes, wanting several dollars an hour more to do the same job as before the pandemic. Taking an already small profit margin and making it even smaller for Restaurant owners. This forces restaurant owners to either raise prices or cut portion size to offset that additional labor rate.

 And let’s face it, flipping burgers or cooking French fires isn’t all that glamourous. It can be hot, repetitive, and boring.

  Enter a specialized robotic work force for specific cooking tasks. Silently for over ten years several robotic companies have been working on perfecting robots to take the place of the human burger flipper and the human fry cook.

 Now, they have a crew that is ready to report for their shift. This crew is never late, never checking social media, cook very consistent and already show up trained. They don’t say much. I guess they can get technically “sick” if they have a parts malfunction or some bad software uploaded. Overall, they would be a great worker, at the flip of a switch.

One of the leaders of this new wave of culinary help is Miso Robotics of Pasadena, California.

 Their Crew of workers include “Flippy Lite”, “Flippy 2”, “Sippy” and currently under development for Chipotle’s Mexican Grill-“Chippy”

 Flippy Lite is a stationary Robotic arm that can flip burgers, fries, or hot wings.

Flippy 2 is an improved version of the Original Flippy 1. It is a Robot on a Rail (ROAR) system that allows the robotic arm to cover a larger area and more stations.

Sippy is Miso’s Robotic answer to the Barista and with a lot less attitude.

  And now in testing for Chipotle is Chippy, a variation of Flippy that can make tortilla chips in several different variations.

Special QR codes on the handles of the fry baskets allow the robots to know which basket is which. And helps the Cookright software cook the items properly to the correct temperature

  Miso is working with companies like Panera Bread, Chipotle, Jack in the Box, Burger King, McDonalds, Wing Zone in pilot programs and recently were approved to go into 100 White Castle locations. After the trial program went so well.

  Now the robots are going Global. Miso is currently working with American Restaurants, a company that brings franchisee owned locations of iconic American brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee’s Crispy Cream and TGI Fridays to the Middle East and North Africa. They already have a test going on for the Wimpy hamburger chain in the Dubai mall.

 Announced on June 7^th of 2022 they are also in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Using AWS’ Robomaker software, Miso will be able to use the cloud software’s functions for configuration simulations and also better distribution of software updates over multiple site locations.  

  The Price of the Flagship Flippy 2 is currently around $30K plus a $1,500/month software fee for CookRight software package and customized programing and software updates. CookRight is the software that helps Flippy, and the other robots make sure that they are cooking different foods or beverages to proper temperatures, following correct recipes, and following proper safety procedures.

  Miso is trying to get the initial cost down to the $20K range. The company is working on getting another round of private investment to allow them to keep growing.

 It would seem that things are about to get interesting.

If you would like more information on Miso and the Robots here is their website. https://misorobotics.com/

Jason DuBose is Owner and Head Content Creator for RestaurantBarFood.com