National Restaurant Show displays robot baristas

The National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago put restaurant automation in front of operators in unusually concrete ways this week, with robot baristas pouring espresso drinks and automated sushi-makers turning out rolls at McCormick Place. The four-day trade show ran from May 16 to May 19 and drew roughly 53,000 attendees and more than 2,000 exhibitors, according to show organizers and trade coverage. Chicago Tribune reported that some of the most visible demonstrations included a $100,000 robot barista, a $17,500 sushi-making machine and a $1,000 handheld AI ordering device. Foodservice Equipment Reports, which covered the show floor, said editors saw a product mix centered on automation, water efficiency, speed and easier maintenance. ### Which machines got the most attention on the show floor? Chicago Tribune said the show’s headline-grabbing equipment included Orbista, an AI-powered robot barista shown at the Kosim Robotics booth, and an automated sushi-maker priced at $17,500. The paper also reported a handheld AI device priced around $1,000 that can listen to a server’s conversation with a guest and enter the order without handwritten notes. (chicagotribune.com) McCormick Place was also filled with other robotics and AI exhibitors. The show’s equipment pages said vendors were presenting live demonstrations of back-of-house equipment and “groundbreaking solutions” using AI and robotics for restaurant decision-makers. ### What did equipment editors say the broader trend was? Foodservice Equipment Reports said its editors identified five product themes after walking the show floor. (chicagotribune.com) The publication said those themes included “automation, food-focused,” along with water efficiencies, throughput speed and streamlined maintenance. It said organizers expected about 2,000 exhibitors, including 400 equipment manufacturers, at the Chicago event. (nationalrestaurantshow.com) Restaurant Business, in a preview published before the event, said this year’s show was the 105th and estimated attendance at more than 53,000 foodservice professionals from 100 countries. That scale helps explain why manufacturers use the show to test how operators react to equipment pitched as labor-saving or faster to clean and maintain. (fermag.com) ### Was the show only about robots? Nation’s Restaurant News said menu and traffic tactics were also part of the conversation around the show. In one report tied to show coverage, the publication said limited-time offers had increased by triple digits since 2019. In another, it said consumers were drinking less and viewed alcohol prices as too high, even though promotions could still help drive visits. (restaurantbusinessonline.com) The National Restaurant Association Show’s own materials listed equipment, sustainable packaging, plant-based foods, beverages and technology among the featured categories for the May 16-19 event. That made the robotics displays part of a broader pitch to operators dealing with labor, menu mix and operating costs at the same time. ### How did Cava fit into the week’s restaurant news? (fermag.com) Cava on May 19 raised its full-year guidance after reporting first-quarter same-restaurant sales growth of 9.7%, according to Nation’s Restaurant News and the company’s earnings release. Cava said guest traffic grew 6.8%, revenue rose 32.2% to $434.4 million and adjusted EBITDA increased 37.6% to $61.7 million. (nationalrestaurantshow.com) Nation’s Restaurant News said the company’s stronger outlook arrived the same week operators and suppliers were gathered in Chicago. Cava’s updated forecast called for 75 to 77 net new restaurant openings in fiscal 2026 and same-restaurant sales growth of 4.5% to 6.5%, according to the company release. ### What comes next after the Chicago show? (nrn.com) The National Restaurant Association Show ended on Tuesday, May 19, at McCormick Place, and the products introduced there now move into operator evaluations, dealer pitches and follow-up demonstrations. Cava’s next formal milestone is its updated 2026 operating plan, while equipment makers highlighted in Chicago will continue selling against the themes Foodservice Equipment Reports identified: automation, efficiency, speed and maintenance. (nrn.com) (fermag.com)