So Long, Sally! DoorDash Shutters Chowbotics
DoorDash has made the decision to discontinue Chowbotics, the robotic salad vending machine business it acquired last year
According to a statement on the Chowbotics’ website, “DoorDash has made the decision to cease operations of the Chowbotics business."
“We have decided to cease operation of the Chowbotics business, effective August 3, 2022,” a DoorDash spokesperson told HT. “At DoorDash, we create an environment to build new products and set high standards to determine when to scale, continue, or cut back investments. We're always looking for new ways to serve our merchants, exceed consumers' increasingly higher expectations, and complement our logistics infrastructure.”
This doesn’t mean DoorDash is abandoning the robotics space. “We remain committed to the robotics space,” the DoorDash spokesperson told HT. “We're iterating on this particular product and use case as part of our regular innovation process.”
The fresh food robot came on the scene in 2018. Scott Henderson, founder and president of Salad Station, was an early adopter of Sally the Robot and had used the standalone unit as satellite locations in universities and hospitals. In an HT exclusive in November 2021, Henderson shared the challenges his brand was facing with Sally and said Sally’s long-term future with Salad Station was unclear.
Henderson was frank about their recent experience with the automated units. “The future of Sally is unknown,” he told HT last year. “When customers needed Sally the most ... the technology proved unreliable during the pandemic.”
Salad Station had 35 Sallys. Henderson admits there was “a hump to get over.” For example, if you want Sally to be used in a hospital setting, nurses should be able to rely on Sally to make a salad during their lunch. Unfortunately, when there are breakdowns, with the tablet or the refrigeration, the customers lost trust in Sally, he said.
DoorDash’s ditching of Chowbotics and its kiosk, known as Sally the Robot, comes as automation and robotics are being tested by a growing number of restaurant brands.
Robots on the Rise
Restaurants, retailers and universities are embracing automation and robotics as the labor challenges persist. Wings and Rings is the latest restaurant brand to put robots to the test. Other recent adopters include: McDonald's Slovenia is using the Bella robots to help deliver food. Wing Zone will make robots part of the chain's standard build for all future restaurant locations. QSR Jack in the Boxis using robots to work the fry and drink stations. Tech innovator Chipotle is testing a Robotic Kitchen Assistant. After a successful pilot program,White Castle will add the fry flipping robot to 100 locations.
