A diverse range of cuisines will be available through this pilot from Just Eat for customers, including Burgers, British, and Bubble Tea, all delivered autonomously in minutes.
Just Eat UK has launched a pilot in Sunderland with ground robotics company Starship Technologies. This latest test and learn will begin with 12 Just Eat partners offering ‘delivery by robot’ to more than 11,000 households in the city centre.
A diverse range of cuisines will be available for customers to choose from, including Burgers, British and Bubble Tea, all delivered autonomously in minutes.
Sunderland is an important city for Just Eat. The company’s Customer Service Team relocated to the region in 2021 and last year moved into the new Maker development at Riverside.
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Research from the Centre for Economics and Business shows that Just Eat contributes £20.8m to the local Sunderland economy from its operations in the city.
As well as delivering food, Starship’s robots, already popular in communities worldwide, are set to bring some fun to a damp February. They’ll be “singing” the well-known “Did Somebody Say” jingle upon arrival at a customer’s door.
Starship is the global leader in autonomous delivery, with over 2,700 robots operating across 270 locations around the world. Founded in 2014, the firm’s robots have been serving UK customers since 2018, and have completed over 9 million deliveries to date.
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Starship is the only autonomous delivery firm operating in the UK whose robots have level 4 autonomy, meaning they operate without the need for human intervention 99 per cent of the time.
This makes Starship robots uniquely cost-effective and safe, crossing 125,000 roads every day around the world.
Mert Öztekin, Chief Technology Officer at Just Eat, said: “Our ground robotics trials are all about innovating to improve the customer experience. We’ve teamed up with a diverse range of local independent restaurants to trial the Starship robots, and we’ll be listening to their feedback closely, as well as that of our customers.”
Ahti Heinla, Founder and Chief Executive of Starship Technologies, said: “We’re excited to announce a new partnership with Just Eat, and to kick it off by launching in Sunderland. Thousands of people across the UK already love Starship robots, which provide a cherished service to local communities.”
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“We’re confident Sunderland will too – particularly when a singing robot delivers their Friday night takeaway! We expect our partnership to expand rapidly to other towns and cities across the UK and beyond.”
Patrick Melia, Chief Executive, Sunderland City Council, said: “Sunderland is already one of the UK’s most tech-forward and smart cities – and it’s great to have a major local employer like Just Eat involved in this latest innovation.”
“We’re sure these robots will bring extra convenience for residents, especially people who are less mobile or unable to leave home. We look forward to seeing them supporting residents across Sunderland.”
Peter Richardson, General Manager at Koji, a local Japanese Restaurant participating in the pilot, said: “At Koji, we’re proud to serve those visiting the City Centre, as well as offering delivery to locals via Just Eat. We have no doubt some of our regulars will enjoy receiving their ramen via robot!”
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