Jack in the Box Rolls Out Robots to Flip Burgers and Serve Drinks The fast-food giant's partnership with Miso Robotics is meant to reduce the burden on current staff.
By Amanda Breen
The restaurant industry was one of the hardest hit during the pandemic, and as the Great Resignation continues to squeeze the labor supply, especially in the fast-food sector, companies are having to find new ways to lessen the burden. Jack in Box, for one, has harnessed the power of tech, partnering with Miso Robotics to introduce robots to one of its San Diego restaurants.
Relying on a combination of artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision and data analytics, Miso Robotics' Sippy and Flippy 2 are designed to maximize efficiency in commercial kitchens. Sippy, which monitors beverage levels and temperatures, has already been adopted by fast-casual giant Panera, and Flippy 2, with the burger-flipping capacity suggested by its name, was also piloted by White Castle, with plans for continued expansion.
Related: Burger-Flipping Robot Has Its First Day on the Job in California
"This collaboration with Miso Robotics is a steppingstone for our back-of-house restaurant operations," said Tony Darden, chief operating officer at Jack in the Box. "We are confident that this technology will be a good fit to support our growing business needs with intentions of having a positive impact on our operations while promoting safety and comfort to our team members."
CEO of Miso Robotics Mike Bell also expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, saying it's a significant step in the direction towards "helping restaurants increase throughput, reduce costs and create a safer environment for their staff."
There's also talk of rolling out the new tech in more Jack in the Box locations in the coming months.
Related: Are AI-Powered Robots the Future of Healthy Fast Food Models?
Current Jack in the Box employees don't necessarily have to worry about job security, as the Sippy and Flippy 2 models are designed to provide relief during busy times, not fully replace their human colleagues — at least not yet.
Jack in the Box was down over 3% as of 10:15 a.m. today.
