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Friday, Mar 06, 2026

Experience the Future of Dining: My Visit to an AI-Powered Burger Joint

On April 1, 2023, in northeast Los Angeles, a new restaurant called CaliExpress by Flippy opened, claiming to be the world's first fully autonomous restaurant.
The establishment uses AI-powered robots to make and serve fast-food burgers and fries, with only a few humans needed to start the machines and assemble the meals.

The companies behind the technology suggest that implementing it could significantly reduce labor costs.

However, the experience of robot-served fast-food dining raises concerns about the future of human interaction and employment, particularly in the sex robot industry.

The article describes a visit to CaliExpress, a restaurant near Caltech university in Pasadena, where the menu includes an all-American lunch accompanied by existential dread.

Upon entering, the author was met with marketing for a "frying AI robot marvel," but few customers and mostly journalists.

The restaurant was adorned with early robot arm prototypes and a modern take on Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, featuring a human hand reaching for a robot claw holding french fries.

The atmosphere suggested a focus on technology and automation in the food industry.

You ordered a cheeseburger and fries from a self-serve kiosk at a burger joint for $15 plus tax.

The restaurant was experimenting with new technology and offered the option to pay with your face through PopID for a discount.

However, you declined and paid the regular way.

The collaboration between multiple companies was using the burger joint as a test kitchen for future fast-food technology.
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