Robots are increasingly being used in fast-food kitchens to automate mundane tasks such as flipping burgers, cooking fries, and assembling salads. This shift towards automation is driven by rising labor costs due to inflation and minimum wage mandates. Some fast-food chains, including Chipotle, White Castle, and Sweetgreen, are using robots to streamline their operations and increase efficiency. For example, Sweetgreen has opened its second automated kitchen in California, which can produce up to 500 salads per hour. Chipotle is testing robots to make chips and guacamole, while White Castle is using robots to fry french fries and other snacks. Another fully automated burger restaurant, CaliExpress, is set to open in Southern California this month, where facial and palm biometrics authentication software will be used for payment. Investors are also taking note of the potential of restaurant automation, with venture capitalists investing $364.5 million in kitchen robotics in 2022. This article provides an overview of the various kitchen robots being used in fast-food chains and their potential for revolutionizing the industry.
