DESPERATE FOR WORKERS, RESTAURANTS TURN TO ROBOTS
MEET FLIPPY
M iso Robotics’ “Flippy” uses artificial intelligence, sensors, computer vision and robotic arms to fry fast food like french fries and chicken wings. Robots can make french fries, mix drinks and even clean toilets, and they never ask for a raise. However they can also break down.
“In the first two hours, the servers were amazed!” he said, adding that Servis have now been added to the company’s five other full-service restaurants. Mr. Gazitua is among a growing number of restaurant and hotel owners who are turning to robotics during this labor shortage. Robots don’t call in sick, don’t request raises and do jobs, like frying and cleaning, that workers don’t like. Indeed, many robotics companies, like Miso Robotics, Bear Robotics, Peanut Robotics, Knightscope, SoftBank Robotics and Makr Shakr, say they’ve seen huge spikes in inquiries for their robots since the pandemic hit. Miso is getting 150 inquiries a week for its Flippy robot, said Mike Bell, chief executive of Miso. The robot, which costs about $3,000 per month, including maintenance, identifies the food, senses the oil temperature, and monitors the cook time. The C.D.C. estimates 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from food- borne illnesses. Using robots like Flippy improves a kitchen’s cooking accuracy and consistency, reducing human error that could lead to food contamination issues, Mr. Bell said. White Castle started testing Flippy at its Merrillville, In., restaurant in late 2020. “This is the toughest labor market we’ve encountered since World War II,” said Jamie Richardson, vice president of marketing at White Castle, founded in 1921. The test went sowell that it plans to add Flippy to 10more locations. Michael J. Hicks, professor of economics and director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University in Muncie, In., echoed Mr. Richardson’s view of the job situation. n
When Florida gave restaurants the green light to reopen indoor dining earlier this year, restaurateurs like Carlos Gazitua were euphoric. They hoped it would resuscitate their businesses, many of which were on life-support after the shutdown. They quickly learned it was tough to coax workers back. “It was a crisis,’” said Mr. Gazitua, owner and chief executive of the Sergio’s Restaurant chain in Florida. “We couldn’t find anyone.” Even a major job fair, drawing dozens of restaurant and hotel owners offering more than 1,000 jobs in May, was disastrous. “We had 40 employers and only four people showed up!” he said. “It was bizarre — all the employers thought we were on ‘Candid Camera.’” So, Mr. Gazitua turned to robotics, bringing in the Servi robot in July at one of his restaurants. Servi uses cameras and laser sensors to carry plates of food from the kitchen to tables in the dining room, where the waiter then transfers the plates to the customer’s table. The robot costs $999 a month, including installation and support. Servi saved wait staff and bussers from having to run back and forth to the kitchen and gave overworked servers more time to schmooze with customers and serve more tables, which led to higher tips.
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