Robot deliveries: A new way to keep your orders moving
Robot delivery is a new addition to the Uber Eats network, working alongside couriers in select cities to get food in your customers’ hands, just the way you prepared it. Uber Eats just made its biggest bet yet on robot food delivery by rolling out sidewalk delivery robots across the UK in a major partnership with Starship Technologies. This represents a fundamental shift in how the company thinks about delivery logistics, as the service expands across Europe and hits the US by 2027.
What is Robot Delivery?
Robot delivery uses fully electric, autonomous robots to transport food from restaurants to customers. They safely travel along sidewalks, using advanced sensors to detect and avoid any obstacles. These robots routinely complete deliveries in under 30 minutes within a two-mile radius, handling everything from pizza to groceries with minimal human intervention. Uber Eats has completed hundreds of thousands of robot deliveries across 10+ cities, partnering with companies like Avride, Cartken, Coco, and Serve.
How the Workflow Works
No special training or new tech knowledge required to get started. When a customer places an order that’s matched with a delivery robot, you’ll be notified on your Uber Eats Orders tablet. The following steps outline the simple handoff process:
- Preparation: Nothing changes here—prep and pack it just like every other order.
- Arrival: Your Uber Eats Orders tablet will flash yellow and emit an alert sound when the robot has arrived.
- Wait Time: It’ll wait at your designated pickup spot for up to 10 minutes.
- Unlocking: Upon arrival, the robot will either unlock automatically or you’ll receive a PIN code to unlock it via your Uber Eats Orders tablet.
- Loading: Place the order inside its insulated compartment. If the order includes beverages, make sure to place them in the drink holders.
- Departure: Closing the lid locks the compartment automatically, and the robot departs immediately.
Following optimized routes, the robot brings the order directly to your customer—no stops, no detours. Customers receive a notification when their order arrives and can unlock the robot using their Uber Eats app.
Key Benefits for Restaurant Partners
- Fresher food for your customers: Insulated compartments help preserve the quality of your food when it’s on its way.
- Fewer stops during peak hours: Orders take a direct route straight to the customer, which means the food reaches your customer without extra stops or detours.
- Fewer crowds at the counter: The robot waits outside for pickup, keeping your restaurant clear and making handoffs simple.
- Simplified logistics: The only difference is the handoff point—outside to a robot instead of to a courier.
Technical Specifications and Security
Delivery robots move at walking speed (3–5 mph) and have sensors to spot people, cars, and obstacles. Each robot compartment is securely locked from pickup to delivery, and only the intended customer can unlock it with their phone. Each compartment is quite spacious—typically big enough to hold 6 pizzas and several bottles of soda, for example.
Autonomous Delivery Partnerships
| Partner Company | Fleet and Reach | Operational Status |
|---|---|---|
| Starship Technologies | Nearly 3,000 six-wheeled robots across 270+ locations worldwide. | Launching in Leeds and Sheffield (UK) this December. |
| Avride, Cartken, Coco, and Serve | Hundreds of thousands of robot deliveries across 10+ cities. | Active partnerships currently running in the US. |
Expansion and Future Outlook
The collaboration launches this December in Leeds and Sheffield before expanding across Europe and hitting the US by 2027. British cities offer dense urban environments with well-maintained sidewalks—ideal conditions for autonomous robots. Uber Eats is doubling down on automation to protect its margins while ensuring that robots handle short-distance, low-complexity orders.
