Robots take orders, flip burgers: World's first AI restaurant opens in California

CaliExpress in the world’s first fully autonomous, AI-powered restaurant
An undated image of CaliExpress, a new restaurant in Pasadena, California. — Miso Robotics
An undated image of CaliExpress, a new restaurant in Pasadena, California. — Miso Robotics

Move over Gordon Ramsay, there’s a new chef in town — and it’s a robot. Restaurant CaliExpress — the world’s first fully autonomous, AI-powered restaurant — has opened its doors in Pasadena, California.

The news has already caused a stir across the world as the opening has resulted in a dining experience that’s straight out of science fiction.

It should be noted that CaliExpress is the brainchild of Cali Group, Miso Robotics — creators of the world's first AI-powered fry station, Flippy — and PopID — a tech company that uses biometrics for ordering.

At the opening, the guests watched in awe as robotic chefs prepared their meals from start to finish. The restaurant uses cutting-edge technology to cook food with precision and consistency consequently its fry and grill stations are fully automated.

A robot arm cooking fries on a Flippy fry station. — Miso Robotics
A robot arm cooking fries on a Flippy fry station. — Miso Robotics

And if you're worried about missing out on the human touch, don't fret. The restaurant features a "pseudo-museum experience" where you can peek in on the robots as they work their magic.

Speaking on the occasion, PopID CEO John Miller said: "To our knowledge, this is the world's first operating restaurant where both ordering and every single cooking process are fully automated.

Miller — who is also a board member of Miso Robotics — further added that the “marriage of these various technologies to create the most autonomous restaurant in the world is the culmination of years of research, development, and investment in a family of revolutionary companies."

It should be noted that the restaurant isn't just about the robots. CaliExpress is also designed to be a fun and inviting place to eat. The space is decorated with experimental 3D-printed "artefacts" and photos, and there are even retired Flippy robots on display.

According to a statement released after the launch, Miso Robotics CEO Rich Hull said: "AI-powered, robotic order-taking and cooking enables the major chains that feed America to substantially improve quality, consistency and speed.”