Contact: Aaron Lambert

805-756-5856; [email protected]

SAN LUIS OBISPO – On-campus food delivery is back at Cal Poly thanks to a small armada of food-delivering robots.

Starting this academic year Cal Poly Campus Dining will deploy almost 40 wheeled robots that will quickly and conveniently deliver food, drinks and snacks to hungry students, faculty and staff.

“They are fast, convenient, useful and fun to see cruising around campus,” said Russell Monteath, director of Commercial Services for Cal Poly Partners.  “And that’s not mentioning how they’ll cut down on lines at the venues.”

Campus Dining is partnering with Grubhub and Starship Technologies to bring the service to Cal Poly. The six-wheeled carriers are under 30 inches long, 2 feet wide and tall (without flag), and can hold up to 22 pounds of cargo in compartments separating hot and cold food. The lid is locked during transport and only opens on arrival when prompted by the customer.

Each robot has 12 cameras, radar and GPS, reflectors and stereo cameras. The unit can see objects 200 feet away and make corrections to avoid things when necessary. It reduces speed when near an object not in front of it, and it makes a full stop when an object is in front.

Students, faculty and staff will be able to place orders on the Grubhub App and select delivery. The food delivery robot will meet customers at set delivery locations. A real-time interactive map will help to track their robot’s journey. Once the robot arrives, students receive an alert and can unlock their delivery robot through the app.

Students can pay for the food with their dining dollars, credit or debit cards. The delivery service will cost an additional $3.50 that cannot be paid with dining dollars.

Campus Dining will be able to deliver the same level of diverse menus and market items across campus.

“Nowhere is time more regimented than on a university,” said Chris Neider, vice president of Business Development at Starship Technologies. “You’re moving between classes, you can place an order right before you’re out, and the robot can meet you at the quad, in the next building, or at your dorm.”

Starship Technologies, the world’s leading provider of autonomous delivery services, currently reaches 1.3 million students, with dining options from 900 merchants for its on-demand autonomous delivery at U.S. campuses. Globally, Starship has completed nearly 7 million deliveries.

About Starship Technologies:

Starship Technologies is using autonomous delivery robots to revolutionize local delivery. Launched in 2014 by Skype co-founders Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis, Starship now has delivery robots completing tens of thousands of autonomous deliveries daily, delivering items such as groceries, food takeaways and packages. Starship’s business headquarters are in San Francisco. The company also has engineering offices in Estonia and Helsinki, Finland, and a U.K. presence, including London and Milton Keynes.

About Cal Poly Campus Dining:

Cal Poly Dining offers on-campus restaurants, markets and food trucks with flexible hours, rotating menus and various cuisines that satisfy any cravings and dietary needs. With 40 restaurants and over 1,100 menu offerings, Cal Poly Dining always has something new to savor. Campus Dining significantly affects Cal Poly’s student success and well-being. A combination of indoor and outdoor dining spaces and a calendar full of engaging food-focused events create community environments on campus throughout the year. Campus Dining is a commercial service of Cal Poly Partners.