Café X brings robotic service to the coffee shop, but ‘not intended to replace baristas’

07-Feb-2017 - Last updated on 07-Feb-2017 at 13:44 GMT

With the Cafe X mobile app customers can pre-order their coffee, which will be prepared upon arrival after entering a four-digit code.

Cafe X Technologies has opened a robotic coffee shop in San Francisco where the coffee service is performed by a fully automated robotic service system with the goal of boosting productivity and creating a “seamless experience” for the customer.

Founded in May 2014, Cafe X has gone on to secure $5m in seed stage funding from various investors and opened its first location in Hong Kong.

Cutting down wait time without sacrificing quality

Founder and CEO of Café X, Henry Hu, saw an opportunity to create a fully automated system using a robotic arm developed by Mitsubishi that can make customized premium coffee beverages in a fraction of the time, according to the company.

According to Hu, the robots are capable of making 100 to 120 cups of coffee per hour, depending on the complexity of the drink.

“I’ve long been a big coffee consumer and there’s never a guaranteed seamless experience,” Hu said.

“In today’s world, you have two options for getting a cup of coffee: you’re either in and out with something subpar or you’re waiting in a 15-minute line for a great cappuccino. I started Cafe X to eliminate that inherent compromise and give people access to a tasty cup of coffee consistently and conveniently.”

Not intended to replace baristas

Customers can order customized espresso-based beverages on the spot at the ordering kiosk or by downloading the Cafe X app onto their mobile device to order in advance. Once the beverage is ready, customers use the touch screens on the robotic café to type in a four-digit order number which is either sent via text message or displayed on the Cafe X mobile app for iOS and Android. The Mitsubishi robot arm will then identify the customer’s drink from the waiting stations and deliver it to the customer within seconds.

Hu said that the system is not intended to replace human baristas or the coffee shop experience.

“What we’re offering is the best possible experience for people who are looking for consistent specialty coffee to-go,” he said.

Cafe X factors in growing premium coffee trend

The rise of “third-wave coffee shops” has driven the growth of premium coffee consumption which includes fair trade, single origin, and limited edition coffee. According to Euromonitor, the number of specialty coffee shops worldwide has nearly doubled from 54,000 outlets in 2005 to 107,000 locations in 2015.

Falling in line with this trend, Cafe X has formed partnerships with premium coffee roasters including AKA Coffee, Verve Coffee Roasters, and Peet’s Coffee, and works with the roasters to source specific premium ingredients and create customized drinks that are programmed into the automated coffee system found in the robotic café.

Menu prices at the café start at $2.25 for an eight-ounce cup and will vary depending on the customer’s coffee bean selection which includes single origin options.