Robot cook will fry your chicken at this convenience store

The robot doesn’t get sick, can work around the clock, and will save on labor costs.

Re-Up, a startup chain of autonomous gas stations and convenience stores, has announced that it will install “robotic chefs” across its locations in Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi, among others.

The firm has partnered with Illinois-based Nala Robotics, a kitchen robots company, to deploy a fleet of The Wingman in its stores, which specializes in frying chicken and french fries.

Re-Up said customers will be able to enjoy “freshly prepared, fully customizable” menu items “on demand, quickly, easily and without human intervention” thanks to AI-powered robot cooks.

Narendra Manney, co-founder and president of Re-Up, said integrating robotic kitchens was “a pivotal strategy” for the company’s modernization efforts and will enable it to enhance operational efficiency and service “around the clock.”

Re-Up currently operates nine stores and plans to open another 30 by the end of the year, with a particular focus on Florida. Its expansion strategy includes over 200 stores in the coming years.

Nala Robotics CEO Ajay Sunkara said that customers will benefit from having their food prepared by the robotic cook.

“The Wingman doesn’t get sick, can work around the clock, and can cook any dish efficiently all the time, improving on quality and saving on labor costs,” Sunkara said.

Other robot cooks developed by Nala Robotics include a pizza-making Pizzaiola, a Sandwich Bot, a Korean salad Bowl Bot, and the “multi-cuisine” Nala Chef.