In some ways, robots are already redefining the supply chain. In busy warehouses, they’re lifting heavy loads and translating orders into new languages in real time. They're ideal for making last-mile package deliveries. And now, robots have made the jump to food delivery — and consumers are hungry for all that offers.
Restaurants receive billions of orders each year through third-party food delivery apps, reports The Wall Street Journal, but many customers are still disappointed in the results: “Couriers juggle multiple deliveries, resulting in cold burritos. Drinks are spilled, fries are shorted. Delivery charges grow ever higher, as do suggested tips and menu prices.”
That’s one reason why the addition of autonomous robots in the food delivery space is so exciting: They cause less traffic congestion, increase the speed of service and improve efficiency, explains Supply Chain 247. And if you’re like me and crave that special late-night snack but don’t want to drive, White Castle’s Chicago location is testing out autonomous delivery with small, battery-powered sidewalk-traveling robots developed by Coco Robotics. Of course, building robots for outdoor use in Chicago requires the ability to navigate snow and slush, as well as cracked sidewalks. But it seems these robots are up to the challenge.
Notes The Journal: At first, delivery robots had human guides powering them as they progressed down the street toward their intended destinations, but they now operate “autonomously in most situations, as machine learning helps them master repeat routes. Lasers on the robots assess how far away people and objects are and help determine the best routes for the service area.”
Plus, they’re fitted with multiple cameras to avoid sidewalk collisions, and one camera keeps an eye on the food to ensure it stays upright. Customers can track the delivery robots in their app and get a notification when their order arrives. To retrieve their food, diners use the app to unlock a hatch on the robot, which then continues on its route.
But even if they’re moving autonomously, robots can’t do it alone: At White Castle, they’re supported by the tech platform Checkmate to sync orders from Uber Eats, the company supporting the robot program, with the in-store point-of-sale system ensuring staff can track and manage operations successfully.
Of course, helping employees build the skills necessary to control those robots is always a good investment. “It advances supply chain organizations by keeping workers mentally engaged, increasing their productivity and filling ongoing talent gaps,” writes ASCM Editor in Chief Elizabeth Rennie in a recent blog post. “This can reduce operational costs, boost efficiency, avoid costly mistakes and ultimately transform their operations.”
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