By Charlie Pogacar
Technological progress can be difficult to forecast. Look back at what future-minded people 100 years ago believed would be commonplace in the 21st century, and it’s all flying cars, teleportation devices and colonies on the moon. This applies to the restaurant industry, too. For at least five years, pizzeria operators have been hearing about burger-flipping robots and other related automation in the restaurant space. More recently, large, elaborate pizza making machines have been demoed at industry events, but how many people have actually seen one employed by a pizzeria?
The hotly anticipated “robot revolution” seems to be moving at a slower pace than was once expected, especially in the pizza industry. Will robots ever materialize in a widespread way across the industry? Why aren’t more pizzerias using robots now?
To explore this topic further, PMQ spoke with two industry professionals who believe passionately in the future of pizza automation technology: Tom Kunkel, an executive advisor to RoboChef with years of experience in restaurant automation, and Andrew Simmons, who has been on the frontlines of pizza automation at Mamma Ramona’s, his San Diego-based pizzeria chain that aspires to operate on a high-automation, low-labor model.
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Against the Headwinds
According to both Kunkel and Simmons, pizzeria automation hasn’t stalled so much as it has run into headwinds getting in the way of adoption. One problem, Kunkel believes, is that while technology keeps advancing, the industry is still trying to figure out “how to integrate it into the daily workflow.” He highlights the inconsistency in adoption rates among pizzerias and other restaurants, while noting that automation is more common in university dining halls, casinos and large chains that serve pizza. Those are the operations that rely most heavily on inexperienced labor, Kunkel notes, and also have more money to cover the overhead that some automated equipment might call for.
As a pizzeria operator and franchisor, Simmons has personal experience with early adoption, an experience he has written about extensively on LinkedIn. His posts serve as a journal of sorts to document the wins, losses and complications associated with being a pioneer in pizzeria technology. He also made an appearance on Peel: A PMQ Pizza Podcast to break down some recent developments in his journey.
“I thought I was ahead of the curve, but the resistance from my staff was unexpected.”
—Andrew Simmons, Mamma Ramona’s
After acquiring a pizzeria in 2020, just a month before the pandemic shut down operations, Simmons invested heavily in automation, purchasing dough presses and a pizza making robot from Picnic to streamline operations and reduce labor costs. “I thought I was ahead of the curve, but the resistance from my staff was unexpected,” Simmons says. “Never mind that the employees wouldn’t show up anyway to their shift at 5:00 on a Friday. They’d be, like, ‘Hey, there’s this cool party I’m going to. I’m just not gonna come [into work]. So you’re on your own.’ I’m, like, ‘And pizza? You know, without you, we can’t serve it?’”
The resistance went beyond Simmons’ own team and extended to the local community. Customers grew concerned that automation equated to job loss, leading to a backlash against his first pizzeria in Ramona, California, a small town northeast of San Diego. “People weren’t ready for it,” he says, reflecting on how he had to scale back his automation efforts. Simmons saw plenty of ire on social media channels and even alleges that a town official orchestrated frequent “random” health inspections—all in retaliation for a friend that Simmons had laid off from the pizzeria.
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Is Automation Affordable?
The community pushback Simmons experienced speaks to a larger issue in the industry: resistance to change. “There’s definitely stigma,” Kunkel says. “Operators worry that robots will disrupt the human element in making pizza, especially at independent shops where owners often feel the personal touch is a key part of their brand.”
Beyond that stigma, equipment cost has been another major hurdle in adoption. But that’s changing rapidly, Kunkel says, noting that much of the equipment is now within financial reach for a larger group of operators. Most automation vendors, he points out, offer financing for their machines. So it becomes a simple math equation: Is a monthly payment on a given piece of equipment more or less affordable than paying employees to do the same job?
Regardless, the total investment, including installation and maintenance, can still be daunting, especially for smaller operators. Simmons spent more than $300,000 on upgrading his first Mamma Ramona’s store—although not all of that money was spent on technology. He ultimately had to cut some automation tools when they didn’t deliver the expected ROI.
For example, Simmons says, “The Picnic system worked, but, in the end, it wasn’t enough to offset the resistance and other costs we faced.” Still, he remains optimistic about the future of automation, predicting that costs will continue to drop and more efficient models will hit the market by 2025.
“It’s About Survival”
While independent operators have been slower to adopt high-tech equipment for their kitchens, larger chains are beginning to test the waters. They’re just not talking about it publicly.
“You hear whispers,” Kunkel says, referencing unnamed chains reportedly testing out unnamed types of automation. But details on widespread implementation have been scarce, indicating that the industry giants are still in the trial phase. Or perhaps, stories from the likes of Simmons and other early adopters have made the chains a bit gun-shy about sharing too many details.
Simmons, however, believes it’s really the opposite: While smaller, independent pizzerias are more wary of automation due to concerns over costs and community backlash, chains have a greater ability to absorb those risks. Plus, the chains have a lot more to gain if a given piece of equipment shows a considerable return on investment. “When you have hundreds of locations, the ROI on robots makes a lot more sense,” he says.
“As labor costs rise and the technology improves, more operators will have no choice but to adopt automation, whether they want to or not.”
—Tom Kunkel, RoboChef
Additionally, minimum wage hikes around the U.S. appear likely to accelerate the use of robotics in pizzerias. With states like California setting higher minimum wages—as much as $20 per hour for fast-food workers—automation may become not just an attractive option but a necessity for pizzeria owners looking to manage their labor costs. “It’s not just about saving a few bucks—it’s about survival,” Kunkel says. “As labor costs rise and the technology improves, more operators will have no choice but to adopt automation.”
There’s one last piece of the puzzle that will push automation onto the front lines, Kunkel notes. “The expectation of consistency in the dining experience is only growing. On top of that, more and more people have grown accustomed to the idea that every meal is tailored to them. This is another place where automation offers a better way forward, and as more restaurants adopt the technology, the ones who don’t will struggle to keep up.”
Despite the slow adoption pace and public resistance, both Kunkel and Simmons see a future where automation will play a key role in the pizzeria business. “It’s inevitable,” Kunkel says, emphasizing the efficiency and consistency that automation brings to the table.
For Simmons, the key is to stay flexible. “I’ve learned a lot in the last few years,” he says. “The trick is figuring out how to integrate robots in a way that makes sense for your business, without losing the personal touch that customers expect.”
As the industry moves forward, it’s clear that the robot revolution isn’t dead—it’s just unfolding more slowly than many predicted.
Charlie Pogacar is PMQ’s senior editor.
