Robot-run restaurants are coming to Walmart

Restaurants managed at least partially by robots could be coming to a Walmart near you.

Ghost Kitchen Brands, which operates restaurants in Walmarts in the U.S. and Canada, has tapped robotics company RichTech as a franchisee for 20 locations in Arizona, Colorado and Texas.

RichTech sells a number of foodservice robots, such as an automated bartender and a robotic waiter. It also uses those robots to operate restaurants through a subsidiary, AlphaMax Management. The idea is to help commercialize its technology while also generating revenue.

RichTech currently has a presence in Ghost Kitchens restaurants in two Walmart locations, in Dawsonville, Georgia, and Rockford, Illinois. These outlets feature RichTech’s beverage robot, ADAM. The egg-shaped robot with arms can make coffee and boba as well as mixed drinks. RichTech and Ghost Kitchens have a deal to bring ADAM to 240 locations.

These two locations have seen steady sales and traffic, said Ghost Kitchens CEO George Kottas, and the company expects the next crop of RichTech-operated restaurants to generate annual sales of $700,000 to $2 million.

“Based on our previous collaborations, Ghost Kitchens is confident that Richtech Robotics’ robotic technology and operational management services will maximize the performance of these restaurants,” Kottas said in a statement.

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Ghost Kitchens, which goes by One Kitchen in some markets, is a next-gen food court, offering multiple restaurant concepts under one roof for pickup or delivery. Customers can mix and match across menus in one transaction, and can order via kiosk or online. 

Options include Saladworks, Wow Bao, Slush Puppie, Quiznos, Nathan’s Famous, Ben & Jerry’s and more. All of the food comes out of a single kitchen and requires just a few employees to produce.

The Canadian company made its U.S. debut in 2021 and currently has 34 locations across the U.S. and Canada, many of which are inside Walmarts. 

It was unclear how adding a robot or robots into the mix would affect Ghost Kitchen’s operations and labor model. RichTech had not responded to a request for comment as of publication time. 

The 20-unit agreement is a major addition to RichTech’s restaurant portfolio. The Las Vegas-based company hopes to operate “tens of thousands” of robotic restaurants in the future, said President Matt Casella in a statement.

It also reflects Walmart’s shifting foodservice strategy. Once home to large, national brands like McDonald’s and Subway, the retail giant is increasingly turning to regional upstarts like Wonder, Crave Hot Dogs and Mr. Gatti’s Pizza as places to get a quick bite inside its stores.

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Walmart is the largest retailer in the U.S., with nearly 5,000 locations. 

This story was originally featured on Restaurant Business, a sister publication of Supermarket News.