Robot Baristas help coffee shops limit the spread of Covid-19 as lockdowns ease
Covid-19 has been a big boost for robots, and now they're taking over coffee shops.
Key takeaways
- See the Robo-Barista in action Thanks to the robot, the café only has to employ a single human, who takes care of making pastries, as well as servicing and refilling their robot co-worker.
- The robot can make 60 different types of coffee and deliver them to customers around the café.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2020) 'Robot Baristas help coffee shops limit the spread of Covid-19 as lockdowns ease', 311 Institute, 2 June. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/robot-barista-helps-south-korean-coffee-shops-limit-the-spread-of-covid-19-as-lockdown-eases/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
The current Coronavirus pandemic, Covid-19, has been a boon for the rapid testing and development of a whole new raft of exponential technologies, from AI’s that are helping find vaccines and drones being used to identify infected people, through to robots being used to look after patients in hospitals and self-driving cars being used to make vital food deliveries. Now though, as the world dares to think about coming out of lock down businesses are having to think about how they can open their doors, comply with social distancing rules, and help prevent the spread of the virus.
Businesses in South Korea are a case in point, and as the country opens back up again they’ve been getting creative to ensure their customers are safe, and as a case in point a café in Daejon has just hired a robot barista to take care of making and busing drinks around, Reuters reports.
Thanks to the robot, the café only has to employ a single human, who takes care of making pastries, as well as servicing and refilling their robot co-worker. The robot can make 60 different types of coffee and deliver them to customers around the café.
The company behind the robot, Vision Semicon, is hoping its fleet of mechanical workers could help while South Korean society adjusts to what officials are calling “distancing in daily life”, the next phase of the government’s efforts to relax social distancing rules.
“Our system needs no input from people from order to delivery, and tables were sparsely arranged to ensure smooth movements of the robots, which fits in well with the current ‘distancing campaign,” Lee Dong-bae, director of research at Vision Semicon, told Reuters.
The downside of all these trials and tests though means that automation systems like these, after the pandemic has subsided, could become the norm, and in South Korea’s case push their unemployment rates, which in April saw its largest increase since 1999, even higher.
Source: Reuters
What this means for your organisation
Crises speed up automation.
Social distancing gave cafés a new reason to replace contact with machines. Changes made for safety often stay after the crisis. Hospitality leaders should expect automation adopted now to remain.
One worker can run a venue.
A single person can bake and maintain the robot while it serves. Staffing models change when machines handle routine service. Operators should plan new roles around maintenance and customer experience.
Range matters to customers.
A robot that makes dozens of drinks covers most of a menu. Customers accept automation when choice and quality hold up. Test robot service on quality and variety, not just novelty.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which customer-facing tasks could we automate to reduce contact?
- How would our staffing change if robots handled routine service?
- Would our customers accept robot service at current quality?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Covid-19 has been a big boost for robots, and now they're taking over coffee shops.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
What future do you need to see?
Choose one to get started on robotics and the future of your organisation.
Sources and further reading
- South korean cafe hires robot barista to help with social distancing idUSKBN2310T9 reuters.com
- Vision Semicon visionsemicon.co.kr
- distancing in daily life world.kbs.co.kr
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 2 June 2020. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2020). Robot Baristas help coffee shops limit the spread of Covid-19 as lockdowns ease. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/robot-barista-helps-south-korean-coffee-shops-limit-the-spread-of-covid-19-as-lockdown-eases/
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