There is a restaurant in Boston where robots, not humans are running the kitchen.
Developed by four MIT graduates and a Michelin starred chef, Spyce isn’t just about being different, it’s a sign of potentially what’s to come.
Behind the counter (naturally layered with touchscreens), there are seven robot woks which tumble the food around and then serve it when it’s ready.
A meal costs just $7.50 and the menu is a selection of simple healthy grains and stir fry, so while it can’t exactly build you a roast dinner these robots can produce a healthy bowl of hot food in around three minutes.
Now before you worry that this is the beginning of the end for all fast food restaurants, don’t panic.
While you will be ordering via a touchscreen, food preparation is still carried out by humans and the final garnishing and packaging of the food is also carried out by two members of staff out front.
Once an order is placed by a customer, the necessary ingredients are automatically placed into the walk by a serving robot.
The woks themselves are actually pretty high-tech and use magnetic induction to heat the food. The heating element is located at the side of the wok and as it’s rotate it ensures that the whole drum is heated evenly as the food is moved around.
It’s true that Spyce has less employees than your standard restaurant, but according to Spyce’s website, that was never the main goal.
“We started Spyce because we couldn’t access healthy and delicious food, and we weren’t alone.” states its website.
“Whether you’re a broke college student, single mom looking for a quick option for kids or someone working three jobs to make ends meet, many people are priced out of quality. So, we came up with a solution: a robotic kitchen.”