The Epicure, smaller than a retail store but larger than a vending machine, aims to be the most affordable grab & go destination for high-quality delicious and nutritious food.
The Epicure would be a modern, enclosed, self-contained, cashless, modular, robotic vending machine that integrates cyber-physical systems. At spoke-hub culinary centers food is sourced, pre-prepared, and refrigerated or flash-frozen. Robots cooperate with people to pre-prepare the food, package, and coordinate logistics. Food is then distributed to the Epicure where autonomous service robots at the point-of-sale cover final product preparation and its delivery to the consumer. These machines would be located in high traffic areas frequented by busy people including universities, corporate parks, hotels, office buildings, and transportation centers. The Epicure ecosystem integrates preparing and packaging freeze-dried nutritious meals which are donated to the food insecure population.