Zero Human Interaction Dumplings in New York

With COVID-19 on the rise many restaurants are adopting innovative ways to attract customers without them having to worry about the safety, hygiene and the protocols of social distancing. A new Zero Human Interaction (ZHI) eatery is opening in New York City soon. Owned by Stratis Morfogen, the Brooklyn Dumpling Shop will consist of automated food lockers which can be opened by scanning a special barcode. 

The restaurant was already planned to operate in the East Village area before the pandemic broke out but the system seems to be appealing for the customers in the present situation. Automats were popular at one point in New York and customers could get full meals dispensed from vending machines in exchange for nickels. With the emergence of fast food, the automats lagged behind. 

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop&rsquos locker system has been developed by Apex Supply Chain Systems and costs about $100,000. There is a huge machine dubbed &lsquoThe Dumpling Lab&rsquo which can dispense 30,000 dumplings in an hour. Only two customers can enter at a time inside the shop through a device that scans their body temperatures. Once deemed safe to enter, the customer will be greeted by an 11-feet tall wall consisting of lockers which will house the orders. The customer can either order from their phones or take the help of contactless kiosks located inside the shop. These kiosks do not have to be touched since they have heat sensors installed in them to detect credit cards and fingers hovering above them. The customer can see the cooks through a glass window but they don&rsquot have to come in direct contact with them as the food is placed inside the locker. A text alert will be sent to the customer&rsquos phone once the order is ready to be picked from the temperature-controlled lockers where the hot dumplings remain warm and cold beverages remain chilled. 

The lockers are sanitised after each order and pre-heated before placing the food. 

Dumplings on offer include varieties like Pepperoni Pizza, 2 Blend Burger and &ldquoThe Impossible Burger&rdquo Plant Based.

As the world attunes to the new normal, expect more automats mushrooming everywhere.