This Robot-Powered Burger Joint Could Put Fast Food Workers Out of a Job
2nd July 2016
In 2012, secretive robotics startup Momentum Machines debuted a machine that could crank out 400 made-to-order hamburgers in an hour. It’s fully autonomous, meaning the robot can slice toppings, grill a patty, and assemble and bag the burger without any help from humans. The internet flipped out.
Years of relative silence ensued, but in January, Hoodline’s Brittany Hopkins learned that the San Francisco-based startup had applied for a building permit to convert a ground-floor retail space in the SoMa neighborhood into a restaurant.
Bad news for ‘undocumented’ workers.
According to the job posting, Momentum Machines is looking for a self-motivated, conscientious applicant to take on the role of “restaurant generalist” at the restaurant.
It describes the ideal candidate as “autonomous,” which seems about right since future robotic coworkers will also be quite autonomous.
Note: One candidate. One.
In 2012, Momentum Machines created a prototype machine that allowed every part of a burger to be customized, from cook time, condiments, and thickness of patties, depending on the day’s menu.
And it doesn’t even have to speak (or understand) Spanish.
The prototype could replace two to three full-time line cooks, saving a fast-food restaurant up to $90,000 a year in training, salaries, and overhead costs, tech blog Xconomy reported after catching a live demo.
Thank you, minimum-wage increase. These robots wouldn’t have been economically viable without you.