Droids running ghost kitchens inside WalMarts
WalMart is buying more droids and firing more workers.
ROBO RETAIL
Walmart confirms robots will run ‘ghost kitchens’ inside ‘test’ locations and you can already order your coffee
The robots can churn out a surprising number of coffees a day
Published: 11:09 ET, Oct 18 2024
Updated: 12:32 ET, Oct 18 2024
WALMART has confirmed it will use robots to make food and drinks in 20 of its restaurants.
The robots, run by tech company Richtech Robotics, will be used in so-called "ghost kitchens" in Arizona, Colorado, and Texas.
Walmart first launched its ghost kitchens in 2021 - virtual restaurants with minimal person-to-person contact - in partnership with the brand Ghost Kitchens.
These stores allow customers to order takeout meals from a variety of chains and food brands - all available for collection at one site.
And this is not the first time that the multinational retailer has used robots to aid efficiency in its ghost kitchens.
Richtech Robotics already operates a robotic bartender called ADAM in two Walmart locations in Dawsonville, Georgia, and Rockford, Illinois.
The automated beverage system is projected to serve between 100 and 200 cups of coffee and tea each day.
It is also set to appear in a new location in Peachtree, Georgia, opening this year.
However, the new agreement between Richtech Robotics and Ghost Kitchens America extends its operations to 20 additional Walmart locations.
Ghost Kitchens America CEO George Kottas said he hoped the decision would drive between $700,000 and $2 million in annual revenue at each location.
Meanwhile, Richtech Robotics president Matt Casella said, “We expect these platforms to become a fast-growing and stable revenue stream for us as we leverage them to manage thousands, and eventually tens of thousands, of restaurant operations in the future.”
GHOST KITCHENS
Ghost kitchens generally carry out customers' takeout orders from restaurants - at independent, stripped-back locations with no storefronts or dine-in option.
They gained popularity during the Covid pandemic, due to the low cost of setting them up.
read more at:
https://www.the-sun.com/money/12702415/walmart-robots-ghost-kitchens/