Jack In The Box Is Implementing Burger-Flipping Robots
People will no longer be flipping the burgers your order at Jack In The Box.
Amid a wave of restaurants looking for new innovative ways to streamline service and prevent employee burnout, Jack In The Box is planning to begin using a robot to aid in flipping its burgers. Jack In The Box’s decision echoes what chains like White Castle and Panera have already been doing for a while. To make it happen the fast-food giant is partnering with Miso Robotics.
Jack In The Box is planning to roll out two of Miso Robotics’ robots – Flippy2 and Sippy – at one of its San Diego locations, according to Engadget. Flippy2 will be allocated to flipping burgers. While Sippy will be employed to fill beverages. With Flippy2 and Sippy, Jack In The Box is aiming to find out how effective these robots can be in helping its staff and improving the chain’s overall customer service. Namely, Jack In The Box is trying to discover whether or not the robots can help to increase the time and attention that its employees give to its patrons.
At this point, Jack In The Box has not laid out any specifics regarding how long Flippy2 and Sippy will remain at its San Diego restaurant or if they will ultimately end up as permanent residents. However, it is safe to assume that, that determination will be revealed depending on how the two robots’ trial run goes. Still, it does seem like Jack In The Box has high hopes for Miso Robotics’ two robots. The company alluded to possibly integrating Flippy2 and Sippy at some of its other locations in the coming months.
Interestingly enough, Jack In The Box, at least compared to some other fast-food joints, is a little late to the robot integration party. The likes of White Castle, Panera, and Chipotle already have existing contracts with Miso Robotics. In fact, White Castle was one of the first pioneers in this emerging restaurant-related industry. The centurion burger chain started testing out Miso Robotic’s first Flippy some time back. Since then Flippy has been hard had work flipping burgers and fries from the iconic fast-food chain.
Moreover, Panera, unlike Jack In The Box’s and White Castle’s burger-centered priorities, partnered with Miso Robotics in order to help in bolstering its coffee service game. The fast-casual chain has been testing out the company’s CookRight Coffee system. Like Jack In The Box, Panera is hoping that the system will help to alleviate some of the extra burdens that its employees are currently incurring. This is true particularly in locations where they are short-staffed. However, with the system, Panera is also hoping that it will be able to grow its unlimited coffee subscription service far faster than it would have without it.
Many restaurants across the nation are still reeling from the disastrous effects that the pandemic has imposed upon them and the industry as a whole. However, because of Miso Robotics’ ingenuity, Jack In The Box and others like it have found ways to begin to combat and offset the ramifications. The restaurant industry, overall, is at a new precipice. And as integrating technologies like Flippy and Sippy become more prominent it will certainly be interesting to see what crossing the threshold of that precipice ultimately shapes up to look like.
