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White Castle to install Flippy 2 robots in 100 new locations

10 points by ortusdux 5y ago

JoeAltmaier 5y ago
I look forward to a totally automated fast-food franchise in the near future. Like the procu-swine gristle-processing factories in Stainless Steel Rat, but with less cynicism. How hard is it to thaw hamburger, squeeze it onto a steam-scalded griddle, flip it or press it between two hot surfaces, transfer in onto a bun with pump-and-tube condiment delivery systems, bag it and drop into a chute? Even if it couldn't match the variety and customization of a McD's, it could deliver something at a great price? Since half of your happy meal cost is the price of the high school student standing there waiting for you to order. Anyway, like it or not, I expect we'll be getting it sooner than later.
- droidist2 5y ago
  I welcome the automation too, although I bet the food won't be any cheaper.
  - petra 5y ago
    Why, given that the food industry is very competitive and low margin ?
    - droidist2 5y ago
      Well my thinking was that the investment in automation will only be made by the very large chains initially, so there won't be room for smaller players to undercut them. Eventually I guess it will become widespread but this will take a while, and by then the economics of a lot of other things will have evolved. So I can't picture one day McDonald's saying "Hey, our prices are now halved" but it could take the form of the prices rising slower relative to everything else over years.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
chiph 5y ago
> Fourteen- and 15-year-olds may perform only that cooking which involves the use of (1) electric or gas grilles that do not entail cooking over an open flame, and (2) deep fat fryers that are equipped with and utilize devices that automatically lower and raise the baskets into and out of the oil or grease. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/58-child-labor-cooking-baking https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/58-child-labor-... So this will let them hire younger workers to prepare & season the fries that Flippy made, since they won't be placing the baskets into the hot oil. Win for employee safety, win for the restaurant.
vgeek 5y ago
Is this that much 0easier to implement on a grill for White Castle due to their burgers being cooked on a griddle in a grid formation vs others that press/cook burgers individually? I wonder how it handles exceptions like no slimy onions.
- masonic 5y ago
  Flippy 2 does. not. make. burgers. It's a fryer-operating robot.
stuaxo 5y ago
Fast food places have been using automation for a long time, even having a conveyor belt that runs over the grill like many places have had for a long time is automation.

10 points by ortusdux 5y ago

I look forward to a totally automated fast-food franchise in the near future. Like the procu-swine gristle-processing factories in Stainless Steel Rat, but with less cynicism. How hard is it to thaw hamburger, squeeze it onto a steam-scalded griddle, flip it or press it between two hot surfaces, transfer in onto a bun with pump-and-tube condiment delivery systems, bag it and drop into a chute? Even if it couldn't match the variety and customization of a McD's, it could deliver something at a great price? Since half of your happy meal cost is the price of the high school student standing there waiting for you to order. Anyway, like it or not, I expect we'll be getting it sooner than later.

droidist2 5y ago
I welcome the automation too, although I bet the food won't be any cheaper.
- petra 5y ago
  Why, given that the food industry is very competitive and low margin ?
  - droidist2 5y ago
    Well my thinking was that the investment in automation will only be made by the very large chains initially, so there won't be room for smaller players to undercut them. Eventually I guess it will become widespread but this will take a while, and by then the economics of a lot of other things will have evolved. So I can't picture one day McDonald's saying "Hey, our prices are now halved" but it could take the form of the prices rising slower relative to everything else over years.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

chiph 5y ago

> Fourteen- and 15-year-olds may perform only that cooking which involves the use of (1) electric or gas grilles that do not entail cooking over an open flame, and (2) deep fat fryers that are equipped with and utilize devices that automatically lower and raise the baskets into and out of the oil or grease. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/58-child-labor-cooking-baking https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/58-child-labor-... So this will let them hire younger workers to prepare & season the fries that Flippy made, since they won't be placing the baskets into the hot oil. Win for employee safety, win for the restaurant.

vgeek 5y ago

Is this that much 0easier to implement on a grill for White Castle due to their burgers being cooked on a griddle in a grid formation vs others that press/cook burgers individually? I wonder how it handles exceptions like no slimy onions.

masonic 5y ago
Flippy 2 does. not. make. burgers. It's a fryer-operating robot.

stuaxo 5y ago

Fast food places have been using automation for a long time, even having a conveyor belt that runs over the grill like many places have had for a long time is automation.