Should Starbucks Be Worried About Robots?
Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) has invested heavily in technology to make it easier to get a cup of coffee. Its customers can place a complicated order and pay for it via the chain's app without ever talking to a human, but an actual person does make the drinks and prepare the food that was ordered.
In fact, despite its technology, Starbucks remains a labor-intensive business. The company has repeatedly pointed out that its tech efforts allow it to move people into more productive areas (like drink production) to allow it to serve customers more efficiently rather than cut headcount.
A new competitor, however, has built a fully automated coffee shop, and has now launched its first store at San Francisco International Airport. Its technology threatens to upend the Starbucks business model by dramatically cutting labor costs and possibly improving the customer experience.
Source Fool.com
