Survey: Most Americans Want to Try Food Cooked by Robots
May 18, 2022
In a survey conducted on behalf of Nala Robotics, 58% of Americans said they have either eaten food cooked by a robot, or would be interested in doing so. In addition, respondents said robot benefits in restaurants include better hygiene, consistency, food, and cost.
“It’s encouraging that such wide swaths of Americans are interested in the benefits of culinary automation,” said Ajay Sunkara, co-founder and CEO of Nala Robotics, which develops autonomous cooking robots. “Consumers are realizing that robots improve quality and food safety, while restaurants can increase productivity, lower costs and operate a kitchen anytime, anywhere.
Respondents also identified examples of how robots could help combat challenges for the restaurant industry, which has been slower to recover from the pandemic than other segments. For example, 42% said robots can help fill staffing shortages, and 36% said they believed robots would improve productivity. About 70% said robots will have either a positive or neutral effect on the future of the restaurant industry.
Beyond the kitchen, survey respondents also ranked other tasks that they thought could be handled by robots:
- Dishwasher (59%)
- Cashier (40%)
- Server/watier (32%)
- Delivery/courier (29%)
- Host/hostess (27%)
“Artificial intelligence is inevitable and will continue to revolutionize the way restaurants operate, especially as awareness and consumer education grows,” said Sunkara. “Our survey reveals there are huge benefits and opportunities when it comes to robot automation in the culinary industry. We have seen our own fully automated chefs reduce labor costs by as much as 60%, helping address the ongoing staffing shortages affecting the food and hospitality sectors across the country.”
Nala’s innovation include a fully automated multi-cuisine chef, a customizable robot that uses machine learning to cook infinite recipes replicated with exact precision. The company is demonstrating its technology at three company-owned restaurants in Naperville, Ill. under the Nala Restaurants group name: One Mean Chicken (fried chicken); Surya Tiffins (South Indian); and Thai 76 (fast-food Thai canteen). The company also offers meal-plan subscriptions and pre-packaged “grab and go” food options at these locations.
For more information about the company, visit the Nala Robotics website here.
Related infographic:
Source: Nala Robotics
