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[XiaNaphryz]

http://www.techinsider.io/momentum-machines-is-hiring-2016-6

A robot-powered burger joint is coming to San Francisco.

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.

Now it looks like the restaurant is actually happening. A job posting on Craigslist from early June gives us our first glimpse into how the company's future flagship, presumably opening soon, might work.

"This location will feature the world-premiere of our proprietary and remarkable new advances in technology that enable the automatic creation of impossibly delicious burgers at prices everyone can afford," the ad explains.

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.

But just because robots make the food doesn't mean there isn't human-worthy work to be done.

"[You will] learn to do everything that's part of running a restaurant in San Francisco," the ad explains. That includes taking customers' orders, scheduling shifts, and occasionally taking out the trash and tidying up.

The role will also challenge the applicant to "pick up some new skills that aren't part of typical restaurant work," such as software troubleshooting, market research, and product development.

The word "robot" is not mentioned in the job posting.

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.

A schematic of what the burger-bot looked like, released that year, showed a 24-square-foot Rube Goldberg-like machine, complete with a stamper that grinds and shapes custom blends of meat (like a one-third pork, two-thirds bison behemoth of a burger) and an oven.

...

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.

"Our device isn't meant to make employees more efficient," Momentum Machines cofounder Alexandros Vardakostas told Xconomy in 2012. "It's meant to completely obviate them."

But not everyone will be on board with the burger-bot, which takes automation to the next level. Momentum Machines' technology eliminates the need for line cooks (though front-of-house and custodial staff will likely still be essential).

It also raises the ongoing question: Will robots steal our jobs? The answer, according to Momentum Machines, is yes. But that's okay.

In 2012, Business Insider reported that the company thinks its can actually promote job growth by letting robots fill in for humans in the kitchen. Momentum Machines may, for example, have to hire new employees to grow their technology and to staff additional restaurant locations.

There is no scheduled opening date for the Momentum Machines restaurant, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Prototype schematic from 4 years ago:

 

[Dennis]

Finally, an SF employee who can afford the rent.

 

[Regiruler]

Not a griddle? Ehhhh...

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

That looks like shit

-Buns burnt
-Patty looks like frozen school shit

 

[Chris R]

Looks damn tasty.

 

[subrock]

If that burger was $2.50, I would eat it.

 

[norm9]

Awful looking burger. It's not even uniform looking like you would expect a robot to make. Even robots don't give a shit.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

Not a griddle? Ehhhh...

Awful looking burger. It's not even uniform looking like you would expect a robot to make. Even robots don't give a shit.

Again, that image is from the prototype. I'd hope they'd have improved on things over the last 4 years.

 

[Ziltoidia 9]

Oh, im sure they will pass the cost reduction on to the custumor....

 

[Guevara]

San Francisco has had other autonomous restaurants, where "automated" simply meant the human employees were kept in the back where you can't see them.

Eatsa, for example: "In terms of the front of house experience, it’s fully automated, with all meal ordering done via in-store iPads. Not a human in sight, though there is a team of about five or six back-of-house kitchen staff (or as I like to imagine, magical elves) who are hidden from view and prepare the food. There’s also one attendant on hand to help the tech challenged."

So needless to say I'm skeptical. Magical elves in deed.

 

[ezrarh]

Awesome perk for paying 4k a month on rent!

 

[Vicetrailia]

I suspect the do-it-all will be doing some light troubleshooting as well.

And there will be on-call maintenance techs.

I wonder what real-time feedback they're getting.

 

[Chezzymann]

 

[soco]

While that doesn't look great, I think it could work -- if it's cheaper than existing fast food chains. If they're charging more or just pocketing the profits, I think it'll be a hard sale.

I don't want an identical experience every time i eat a burger.

 

[Tagg9]

I like it. Robots won't spit in my food.

 

[Arnie7]

 

[Slo]

Cool. I'm sure there's bugs to work out, but it's a good start.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

Get welded.

 

[neobiz]

Is the restaurant named Bots?

 

[HStallion]

I hope they have robot waiters that are television screens with weird robot versions of famous people taking your orders like out of Back to the Future Part 2. I want a real life Cafe 80's where the Ayatollah and Reagan fight it out for my order!

 

[Slo]

Awesome.

 

[op_ivy]

that burger looks pretty damn good, especially compared to other "fast food" alternatives

 

[gutshot]

$90k a year really doesn't sound like much of a savings to me.

 

[Robin64]

Can't wait for the GAF thread "Should I tip robot staff?"

 

[Chris R]

If that burger was $2.50, I would eat it.

Exactly. This isn't going to replace a quality high end burger, but for the right price and if it's in your hands two minutes after you pay for the right price sign me right up.

 

[Octavianus]

Still wouldn't tip.

 

[adj_noun]

Can't wait for the GAF thread "Should I tip robot staff?"

Robot staff too heavy to tip; need forklift

 

[daveo42]

$90k a year really doesn't sound like much of a savings to me.

That's better than minimum wage for three people, at least by Ohio standards. Not sure what the min wage is in California. $15? Rough math puts that at $14.42/hr flat, but it's probably less after accounting for additional costs associated with having staff.

Can't wait for the social uprising to really begin when all of the unskilled labor in this country is gone and those at the bottom won't be able to afford food or shelter.

 

[norm9]

If the robots not being paid enough, take it up with their human overlords.

 

[Just_myles]

What if you change your mind and decide to have your order modified?

 

[bjork]

I would buy this from a self-driving roach coach.

 

[Sectorseven]

What if you change your mind and decide to have your order modified?

Where do you think you are, Burger King?

 

[CTLance]

I will only use something like that if a tamper proof and verifiable maintenance & cleaning log is exposed to potential customers. Heck, make the case out of plexiglass or something so I can check the status and even the preparation of the burger.

Because we all know that otherwise greedy fucks will let those bots run until they are at the breaking point due to all the accumulated gunk inside. Yum.

 

[norm9]

I will only use something like that if a tamper proof and verifiable maintenance & cleaning log is exposed to potential customers. Heck, make the case out of plexiglass or something so I can check the status and even the preparation of the burger.

Because we all know that otherwise greedy fucks will let those bots run until they are at the breaking point due to all the accumulated gunk inside. Yum.

That screw in your burger is extra vitamins.

 

[Grimm Fandango]

"Can I have some ketchup on my burger?"

DISPENSING CONDIMENT

 

[Lastgengamer]

Not sure if I'd want my burgers so close to those greasy, oily chains.

 

[CoryCubed]

The Restaurant Generalist after opening.

 

[OnkelC]

Is the restaurant named Bots?

Macindonalds
Five Bots

"Can I have some ketchup on my burger?"

DISPENSING CONDIMENT

I'd tip the Heinzbot.

 

[Tagyhag]

$90k a year really doesn't sound like much of a savings to me.

Savings are savings, but it's not just that.

You don't have to worry about shitty workers, people calling in sick, human error, bonuses or raises, etc.

 

[Forerunner]

That burger looks so nasty.

 

[perfectchaos007]

Yeah they are happy to work for free now but just wait until they strike for $15/hr pay

 

[Valkyr1983]

The article states the internet flipped out.

Why?

 

[wenis]

Food service workers can barely afford the rent here, now they can't even get the most menial jobs at a burger joint?

GTFO.

 

[MisterNugNug]

"Animal Style Please."

"I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that."

 

[entremet]

$90k a year really doesn't sound like much of a savings to me.

That's pretty massive in the razor thin margin business that are restaurants. That's 7500 per month.

 

[diablos991]

Nice! Hope these spread fast.
I'm already loving the automated kiosks at the McDonalds. I'm way less likely to get my order messed up when it's automated.

 

[Septimus Prime]

Can't wait for the GAF thread "Should I tip robot staff?"

15%. No exceptions.

Food service workers can barely afford the rent here, now they can't even get the most menial jobs at a burger joint?

GTFO.

Yes. GTFO is what they are already being told by these restaurants.

 

[Slo]

Food service workers can barely afford the rent here, now they can't even get the most menial jobs at a burger joint?

GTFO.

Keeping actual humans doing menial jobs is probably not the best way to solve the rent inflation problem.

 

[uncredited male]

This is one small step towards a universal paradigm shift for humanity which will ultimately lead to holodeck orgies.

 

[J2 Cool]

I like it. Robots won't spit in my food.

Oh theyll do much worse. MUCH WORSE! mUaHahaAHaa