Chicago restaurants experiment with robots and AI
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Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
As restaurants work to recover from COVID setbacks, inflation and labor shortages, some in the Chicago area are experimenting with new tech.
Why it matters: These innovations — from robots to artificial intelligence — have the potential to transform the dining experience in big and small ways for a long time. Unless they end up just being fads.
Here are five ways local restaurants are embracing new technologies:
Tracking trends with AI: Urbanbelly founder Bill Kim says he uses AI to crunch historical data that helps guide how much food he preps and how many diners he expects on a given day.
- "AI pulls up data in seconds about the weather a year ago, what kind of numbers we did on those days and what sold most," Kim tells Axios.
- He says this leaves him more time to focus on things like making delicious gochujang Korean fried chicken.
QR code ordering: I recently lunched at Hunan Cuisine in Chinatown, where diners use QR codes not just to view the menu but also to order food.
- It took a while to figure out the Chowbus system, and a server still had to double-check that I meant to order such spicy foods, but it generally worked and let the servers focus on food running.
QR code bill paying: The new Smoque Steak in Avondale recently ended a hybrid service model that let diners order parts of their meal with a QR code, as it was causing too much confusion.
- Its latest policy lets diners use the codes to pay their bills and leave at their own pace.
Robot servers: Katy's Dumplings in Oak Park allows customers to special request a robot to bring out their dumplings.
- Yes, but: So far, most diners are sticking with humans, servers tell Axios.
- I can understand why after watching the robot hesitantly scoot around the relatively small room to deliver food to tables during a recent visit. But I appreciate the novelty.
Automated salad bar: Last month the Sweetgreen salad chain debuted its first automated salad emporium at a new store in Naperville.
- Diners use tablets to order customized salads, then watch a giant machine plop the various ingredients into a bowl and even shake it up for them.