Domino’s Pizza are going to start delivering pizzas within a 1 mile radius around Domino’s stores in selected German and Dutch cities. As part of Domino’s Robotic Unit (DRU), autonomous pizza delivery using Starship Robots will replace some human deliveries normally carried out by motorbike or car.
Domino’s CEO, Don Meij, reckons that the business is growing so fast that within a decade at most they simply won’t be able to recruit enough delivery drivers to cope.
“We are a global company and we are eager to progress innovative technology in all of the countries in which we operate – we are very excited to be partnering with Starship as it brings regular deliveries by robot one step closer to commercial operations. Robotic delivery units will complement our existing delivery methods, including cars, scooters and e-bikes, ensuring our customers can get the hottest, freshest-made pizza delivered directly to them, wherever they are.”
– Don Meij, Domino’s Group CEO and Managing Director
The Domino’s announcement follows the launch of more Starship partnerships in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland and Estonia with Postmates, DoorDash, Just Eat (you may spot a delivery robot in Greenwich, London), Hermes Parcel Delivery, Swiss Post and Wolt.
Whilst to many, robot deliveries still feel very far fetched and futuristic, it probably won’t be very long until we see them on streets in many towns and cities around the world. They may be used for very local deliveries as in the case of Domino’s, or multiple units could be carried into a locality by a mothership courier van before they are unleashed to undertake deliveries and then return to the mothership to be transported to their next delivery location.