Shake Shack expands robotic sidewalk delivery to new metro area
A quick serve hamburger chain is rolling out a partnership with Uber Eats and Serve Robotics beyond Los Angeles.
Shake Shack is now deploying autonomous sidewalk robots from Serve Robotics to deliver Uber Eats orders from select locations in the Miami metro area. The restaurant has been leveraging Serve Robotics sidewalk robots to deliver Uber Eats orders in the Los Angeles area since August 2024.
The expansion of this partnership marks another step forward in the expansion of sidewalk robots on Uber Eats, which has been offering Serve's autonomous deliveries in Los Angeles since 2022. (Serve was spun off from Uber as an independent company in 2021. It has an agreement to deploy up to 2,000 delivery robots on the Uber Eats platform across multiple U.S. markets.)
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"We’re excited to expand our collaboration with Serve Robotics and Uber Eats to Miami," said Steph So, chief growth officer at Shake Shack. "This partnership aligns perfectly with our vision of enlightened hospitality, using innovation to elevate the guest experience both inside and beyond our Shacks."
Serve’s robots are optimized for efficient route and enable food to arrive reliably, hot/cold and fresh, according to the company. Equipped with advanced GPS technology and artificial intelligence, the robots are designed to safely and swiftly navigate urban environments, avoiding obstacles and offering a smooth delivery experience.
"Uber Eats is thrilled to expand our partnership with Serve Robotics, bringing autonomous delivery to the vibrant streets of Miami," said Megan Jensen, head of autonomous delivery operations at Uber. "We’re always exploring different ways to enhance the delivery experience, and this latest innovation makes getting your favorite meals even more effortless and fun."
Since the original Shack opened in 2004 in NYC's Madison Square Park, the company has expanded to over 550 locations system-wide, including over 350 in 34 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and over 195 international locations across London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Mexico City, Istanbul, Dubai, Tokyo and Seoul.
Uber Eats leverages Uber’s technology and logistics capabilities to partner with 825,000 retailers in more than 11,000 cities globally, with an average delivery time the company says is under 30 minutes.