Although it sounds like an episode of Black Mirror, it is not science fiction, artificial intelligence has arrived in restaurants. The use of articulated arms and humanoid robots is already a reality in the world of restaurants, and as happened with the Industrial Revolution, people are beginning to fear for their jobs and whether the avant-garde will cause the essence of kitchens to be lost.
More than 500 restaurants already use this technology throughout the globe, the US, South Korea, Singapore, Japan and now also Spain. The debate on the integration of artificial intelligence in the hospitality industry is the order of the day, and technological developments range from sensory experiences to digitalization.
Many establishments already have digitalized menus, interactive tables or mobile payments, but now, they have taken a step further, towards robotization and big data, creating futuristic robot restaurants and thus changing consumer habits.
One of these restaurants is located in San Francisco and is called Creator. This establishment aims for diners to sit down and enjoy their burgers in a modern and minimalist environment.
The pioneering restaurant has a robot as its star chef. The machine consists of 350 sensors, 30 computers and 50 algorithms, capable of making 130 hamburgers per hour. Far from looking like a Thermomix, it is a kiosk that does not require any type of human intervention, although a human team of 40 people operates in the restaurant, some as workers.
At the moment this establishment has a reduced menu, but such is the success that there are waiting lists and reservations are required.
Another great example is the Spyce restaurant located in Boston. This company was founded by four engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the help of Michelin star chef Daniel Boulud three years ago.
The goal is to promote culinary excellence through technology and offer diners dishes prepared by huge machines in full view of customers, without chefs. Upon entering the restaurant, a human host will guide you to touch-screen kiosks where you can choose from a wide variety of foods ranging from Thai to Mediterranean.
If we travel to Shanghai we will also have the opportunity to live one of these gastronomic experiences led by robots. There, the Toyako Robot Ramen restaurant opened its doors, where Koya and Kona, two robot chefs, are capable of preparing ramen in just 90 seconds.
The establishment has quite high prices, due to the cost of the robotic arms, one million yuan (approximately 128,000 euros). To get an idea, it is the same amount that it would cost the restaurant owner to hire two chefs for six years.
And what happens in Spain?
A few weeks ago in the Valencian neighborhood of Benimaclet, a Chinese restaurant called Crensa opened that has advanced technology and two robot waitresses. These droids respond to the name of Mulan and politely ask to come in to serve you food.
The owner of the establishment, Erick Yan, has told the Efe Agency that the robots’ commands are quite simple, but that he hopes to teach them more difficult jobs such as charging users. Customers have to press the “exit” button if they want Mulan to leave and return to her seat.
These androids are equipped with trays where they take orders to customers, and the six in the kitchen have intelligent processors that make work easier. However, the restaurant is also complemented by workers.
The capital will also echo these advances at the end of the year and early 2020. The first restaurant managed entirely by robots arrives in Spain with the help of the company Food by Robots, this establishment will be called Impossible Restaurant.
Customers who attend this restaurant will be able to see 3D food prints, artificial intelligence and robots both in the kitchen and in the dining room, as advertised on their website. In addition, you can interact with an avatar chef and taste “innovation” since the futuristic avant-garde will be present through printed food, laboratory-grown meat and fish, or cloned wine.
As the owner of the company announced to Cadena Ser, the average price will be around 15 euros at the bar and 50 euros in the room, but this cost is not fixed since it will vary in real time due to data intelligence.
It is a fact that all technological advances and artificial intelligence go much further in the culinary world, and restaurant owners will have to face the developments without running the risk of falling by the wayside.
It is evident that future restaurants will be increasingly personalized, and will be more intelligent and digital, since the future is going through the development of new technologies and robotics, although the challenge will focus on ensuring that these droid chefs and waiters are not hacked.
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