Lunch is typically the one meal you have during your workday. Now, you could have your lunch brought to you by robots programmed for delivery.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fresh, healthy wraps and salads, juicy burgers, and greasy fries-all around the country, employees at hundreds of thousands of companies are taking their lunch breaks, unpacking whatever they brought from home, or heading out to get food from a restaurant.

Some restaurants deliver, as well, and in the time of COVID-19, more and more people are taking advantage of this service. The increasing popularity of online food ordering and delivery service has led to more digital marketing surrounding the restaurant industry. Profits for delivery apps have skyrocketed over the past few months, and new developments are being made continuously.

Typically, the customer uses a food delivery service or calls the restaurant from which they want to order, places their order, and picks up their food from a delivery person. But artificial intelligence is making big strides in the world of food delivery, and they have the potential to be big on college campuses, downtown areas, and office complexes. Now, instead of a delivery person bringing lunch, it could be a robot.

Let’s take a look at how digital marketing can impact the food delivery industry, as well as how developing technology can impact the service.

DoorDash and Uber Eats

Most people know Uber and Lyft for their service of transporting people in many different cities and suburbs all over the country. Users download an app on their phone, request a ride, and pay the driver when they’ve gotten to their destination. But Uber has recently expanded its services to include food delivery, in a new segment of their business called Uber Eats. Other companies like DoorDash and Grubhub have been involved in the market, as well, and their popularity has exploded since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the spring.

People are staying home a lot more than they used to, and prefer non-contact delivery over dining in a restaurant. If you own a restaurant or are otherwise in the food business, consider making a deal with one of these companies. Take-out was a more convenient way to enjoy restaurant food before the pandemic, but now it is often regarded as a safer way to do so, as well. Having a number of people who will deliver your food will make sure your business will reach more people, and therefore, you will likely draw more products. Offering a method of online ordering, as well as a digital menu, can drive people to your business.

The Robot That Can Deliver Meals

Imagine you are a college student, hard at work, studying for one of your classes, and you decide to order lunch. A half-hour or so later, you are notified through your phone that your order is being delivered, and you can come to get your meal and pay. You open the door to your dorm or your apartment, or make your way to the delivery spot, expecting to see a human employee-but instead, at your feet, there is a small robot, inside of which your food is snugly packed.

While this scenario may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, it has become a reality on college campuses like the University of Texas at Dallas, University of California, Berkeley, and others. Independent businesses like Starship are currently developing this technology, and the aforementioned company of DoorDash is also creating these delivery robots. While it would be difficult for robots to cover long distances, such as those from a restaurant to a home, this technology would be useful when it is covering short distances, servicing a large number of people who are all within close quarters.

These standards are met in places like shopping centers, college campuses, and office complexes. There are benefits and downsides to having these robots. Not many humans want their long-term career to be a delivery person, so robots would take care of the jobs that most people don’t want, but at the same time, these jobs provide income for college and high school students, as well as people who need a second job or simply don’t have the qualifications for a higher-paying occupation.

Robots can cover short distances quickly, while humans have the capacity to cover longer distances. Additionally, if there is a mistake with the order, robots cannot fix it as easily as a human could. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, online ordering and delivery of food through companies such as DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats has exploded in popularity.

Furthermore, artificial intelligence is now playing a role in food service. There are robots that can make a grocery list for you, work in factories, and even vacuum your living room floor, but in the near future, keep an eye out for the ones that can deliver your lunch!