A million-dollar investment based on robot waiters: that's the idea of Steve Ells, former CEO of Chipotle, which seems to have positive implications for staff working conditions.
Cover photo: Robot, credits Getty Images / Steve Ells, credits Melanie Dunea
The news
If until a few years ago - perhaps decades - in the common imagination, robots belonged to the world of cartoons, science fiction movies or aerospace missions and major engineering feats, today they are "threatening" to become the main players in the restaurant industry, a business where human contact has always been an extremely important factor. Looking at the new trends, particularly those in the fast food industry, and the huge investments that forward-thinking entrepreneurs like Steve Ells have put in place, we will most likely have to get used to dealing with waiters and cooks who are all "iron and bolts."
In fact, Steve Ells, former CEO of Chipotle, a famous franchise specializing in burritos, has just invested $36 million - $10 million of which came out of his own pocket - to start Kernel, a vegan restaurant between Park Avenue So. and 24th St. in Manhattan, where, thanks to the help of a "cyber waiter," the number of live employees is greatly reduced, Fortune explains.
"El Capitan," as the "brigade leader" robot has been nicknamed, was designed by the German company Kuka. With its six-axis arm, El Capitan can lift up to 5 kg and really handle everything, even the three employees currently employed by Kernel. So if, for 6.50 euros, you order a veggie burger with roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa and chickpeas, a salad or a side of carrots, he will actually prepare it.
The three employees report satisfaction with this innovative work environment; in fact, thanks to the reduction of waste and time, their current salary is $25 an hour (about 23 euros), as well as sick leave, paid vacation time, and, soon, stock options. "This is the first job in a restaurant that doesn't leave me wiped out or frustrated at the end of the day, "Carlos De La Concha, a Kernel staff member, tells Fortune.
Throughout his career, Ells has always demonstrated his finger on the pulse, proving, often, to be a forerunner of new trends; in this case, his new investment was inspired by finding customers eager for better prices and, alas, sadly, less interaction. Stephen Goldstein, president of Kernel, also points out the positive implications of using robots in the restaurant industry: "Team members are enjoying the experience, and automation is improving, not worsening, the work environment. Reducing food waste due to human error has helped keep costs down."
Kernel is not, however, the first restaurant to adopt highly automated catering systems; a forerunner of this new trend is also Sweetgreen, the franchise with numerous locations throughout the United States, which in the two sites where it uses robots, is reporting excellent results. Even Muji at Hudson Yards in Manhattan makes use of Jarvis, the robot that makes cappuccinos and becomes human when it asks for a tip at checkout. Certainly the aid of technology is important in relieving human labor and creating conducive work environments, but no matter how much a robot brigade may be instructed to pose as one of humans, what is missing is a sense of sharing and conviviality: the true essence of the hospitality industry.
