Robots Threaten to Replace Baristas & Offer Consistent, Quality-Controlled Coffee
They are growing stronger, they are studying us, and now: they know how you like your coffee. Briggo recently launched a kiosk at the University of Texas named “The Coffee Haus” that can take your order via text, make it, and have it for you to pick up exactly how you like it. Every possible detail is yours to control, down to the amount of milk and what type of sweetener you want. They serve a variety of options, from ice drinks to hot chocolate. If customers create an online account, their favorite drinks can be saved to make it easier to order in the future. But the most interesting part by far is that the whole process involves no people, just machines.
When you arrive at the unmanned kiosk, you notice it takes up about fifty square feet total, and has a sleek wooden design. It is divided into two parts: Order, for those who didn’t in advance, and Pick Up, where you can grab your coffee and go.
“The coffee tastes good and it always tastes the same,” Yamit Lavi, a student at UT Austin, told NPR. “I would say the consistency of the taste makes it better than a standard coffee shop.”
As more of these coffee shops open, there are many complaints that naturally rise up. Some say that these kiosks will run coffee shops out of business, while others say that this takes away the human element of forming a relationship with your local barista. I think these concerns are to be encouraged. I mean hey, robots are cool but is it really better than talking and connecting with another human being for a few precious seconds?
H/T NPR + PicThx Briggo
