"Robot-Made Coffee, Surprisingly Reassuring"… 'Walk-Through' Popularity

Robot Manufacturing Cafe Beat, 'Focused Spotlight' on Untact Expansion
Distribution Industry Concentrates on Expanding Safe 'Walk-Through' Services

Robot Cafe Beat Incheon Songdo Hyundai Premium Outlet Branch.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] On the 24th, I visited the robot cafe Beat at Hyundai Premium Outlet Songdo branch. It took just about 2 minutes from pre-ordering via the dedicated app to receiving coffee made by the robot contactlessly. Visitor Lee So-hee (32), whom I met at the store, said, "Even wearing a mask, I feel uneasy when receiving coffee made by a person directly, but I feel reassured because the coffee is made by a robot," adding with a smile, "The price is affordable, and the time from ordering to receiving is short, so it is convenient."

◆ "Just pick up your coffee now" = The offline retail industry, which has reduced consumer contact points due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), is focusing on expanding fast and safe 'walk-through' services beyond delivery and takeout. This is because, in line with the trend of preferring eating at home and contactless (untact) services over dining out, food tech technology minimizes in-store stay time and allows customers to simply pick up completed food, reducing anxiety about face-to-face contact.

The coffee specialty brand Dalkom opened its 80th Beat robot cafe store last month at Hyundai Premium Outlet Songdo in Incheon. This store allows customers to order and pay via a dedicated app or kiosk and receive coffee made by a robot quickly and safely without face-to-face contact, gaining great popularity among shoppers. Kim Chang-seong, assistant manager of Hyundai Premium Outlet’s planning team, explained, "There is considerable customer attraction due to curiosity and the spectacle of a 100% contactless robot cafe operation," adding, "The price is about half that of a regular cafe, and the coffee tastes good, so it is receiving positive responses."

Robot Cafe Beat Samsung Digital Plaza Cheongju Main Branch.

Dalkom’s Beat, which succeeded in commercializing the world’s first robot cafe, has been recognized as a representative food tech service in the cafe industry since its launch, gaining popularity mainly in B2B sectors such as corporate cafeterias and government offices. Recently, with the surge in untact consumption demand, the number of road stores targeting general consumers in outlets, complex malls, cinemas, universities, and resorts is increasing.

Park Seon-gyu, the store owner operating Beat at Daemyung Sol Beach Jindo resort, said, "Due to the resort’s nature, mainly family customers visit the robot cafe, and they take photos as if it were a photo zone because of the unique sight of a robot making drinks," adding, "Although the floating population in the resort has decreased due to COVID-19, robot cafe sales remain similar to before, and usage frequency seems to have increased."

This is interpreted as being consistent with recent untact consumption trends because the entire process from ordering, payment, to pickup is contactless, and when ordering via the app, customers can check the drink completion time in real-time, reducing unnecessary in-store stay time. In fact, since the full-scale spread of COVID-19 earlier this year, the number of Beat Coffee membership app users has exceeded 150,000, and orders from special commercial areas such as corporate cafeterias have increased by about 15%.

Seo Myung-kyo, manager of Jeongan Chestnut Rest Area on the Cheonan-Nonsan Expressway, said, "Beat can operate safely 24 hours contactlessly, making it suitable for highway rest area commercial zones," adding, "I think many rest areas will introduce robot cafes in the future."

From the left, clockwise: Dalkom Robot Cafe Beat Hyundai Premium Outlet Songdo Branch, BBQ Yongsan I'Park Mall Branch, Shinsegae Department Store 'Wine House', GS25 Eulji Smart Branch.

◆ Grab your chicken right away... just walk out of convenience stores = BBQ recently introduced the 'Grab & Go' system in its newly opened BBQ Yongsan I’Park Mall branch. It operates both as a regular store with a hall and as a 'Grab & Go' system where customers can immediately purchase chicken packed in disposable containers. Unlike traditional takeout, where customers have to wait until the product is cooked, the advantage is that you can take it right after payment.

Earlier, the BBQ Helio City branch was equipped with cutting-edge facilities that handle the entire process from ordering to serving unmanned. Customers can order their desired menu without face-to-face interaction with store staff through kiosks installed at the store entrance or tablet orders placed on tables. Through the Grab & Go system, customers can easily purchase hamburgers, sandwiches, yogurt, cup soup, and HMR (Home Meal Replacement) products.

The convenience store industry is also introducing services applying the walk-through method. GS25 and Emart24 operate contactless stores using Amazon’s 'Just Walk Out' technology. Customers install the payment app, enter the store, pick the items they need, and just walk out without a separate payment process, with payment automatically completed. There is no need to meet internal staff; just pick up the items and walk out.

Seven Eleven operates a 'Smart Pick' service where customers order online and pick up items at the store. This method involves ordering from Lotte Shopping’s online mall and collecting the items at an offline convenience store.

Shinsegae Department Store opened 'Shinsegae Wine House' on SSG.com in April and sells wine using the walk-through method. Customers verify their age (19+) and order online, then pick up the wine at their desired store (Main Branch, Gangnam, Gyeonggi, Centum City, Daegu) two hours later. Despite the inconvenience of having to pick up products directly at the store, online wine purchase demand continues to grow. In fact, from April 27 to May 22, when Shinsegae Department Store started online alcohol sales, wine sales increased by 45.9% compared to the same period last year.

An industry insider said, "It is important to note that global company Starbucks announced a long-term plan to remove tables inside North American stores and expand pickup stores focused on mobile orders and drive-thru," adding, "The domestic industry is also accelerating the expansion of walk-through services in line with this trend."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.