TOWSON, MD—Towson University students, faculty, and staff can now get their food delivered by robot. Grubhub and Starship Technologies have partnered to launch an autonomous food delivery service on the university campus starting March 24.
Five Starship robots will be available to deliver food from six campus eateries at the Union Food Market: Bento Sushi, Dunkin’, Jack*s Burrito, The Halal Shack, Roar Pizza Co., and The Den @ Paws. Users can order through the Grubhub app and choose to pick up their food at one of several designated locations across campus. The service is also compatible with the student meal plan.
Bethany Comegys, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality’s marketing manager and TU’s food provider, expressed excitement about introducing food delivery robots on campus to improve dining. “This new option makes getting great food even easier for our students, faculty, and staff.”
The robots are equipped with locked, insulated compartments to keep food and drinks fresh and secure. They utilize radar, sensors, and GPS to navigate campus sidewalks, detect obstacles, and safely cross streets. For safety and security, the robots are equipped with alarms, cameras, and tracking devices.
Vernon Hurte, senior vice president for student affairs and university life, announced the introduction of food delivery robots on campus to bring innovation directly to students. “This new fleet of robots roaming our campus embraces technology and will enhance the student experience by providing reliable and contactless meal delivery, giving them more time to focus on campus life.”
Towson University is among the first universities in Maryland to implement this food delivery robot service. The service operates at around 55 colleges and universities nationwide, including Notre Dame, Kentucky, Fairfield, Nevada Las Vegas, and Southern Methodist.
Chris Neider, vice president of business development at Starship Technologies, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “By partnering with innovative schools, we give students the chance to experience autonomous technology up close. Not only will they get to interact with this tech on a daily basis, but they’ll also enjoy the added convenience that these adorable robots bring to campus.”
Users can track the robot’s journey on an interactive map in the Grubhub app. The robot’s arrival triggers an alert and enables unlocking via the app.
More in the video below.
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
Photo via Towson University
Do you value local journalism? Support NottinghamMD.com today.
