Grubhub and Starship Technologies, in partnership with UNM Food, will launch a robot food delivery service on The University of New Mexico’s (UNM) campus starting Monday, Aug. 19.
Starship’s fleet of autonomous robots will deliver from eight campus eateries: Blake’s Lotaburger, Draft & Table, Dion’s, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Mandalay Express, Starbucks, Subway, and The Drop. UNM students, faculty, and staff can use the Grubhub app to order food and drinks from local retailers for delivery anywhere on UNM’s central campus within minutes. The service integrates with UNM meal plans.
Aaron Herrera, a student at UNM, expressed excitement for the automated service: “I think the Starship robots are really cute and fun to see around campus. It's always exciting to see more innovative technology on campus and I hope everyone enjoys sharing space with them.”
Grubhub and Starship already provide robot food delivery services to campuses across the country, including the University of Kentucky, Fairfield University, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Wayne State University, and Southern Methodist University. Since launching these services, all campuses have increased the number of robots, dining options, and hours of operation to meet high demand.
To use the service, users open the Grubhub app to choose their food or drink items and select a delivery location. They can track the robot's journey via an interactive map. Once the robot arrives, users receive an alert and can unlock it through the app. Deliveries typically take just minutes depending on order details and travel distance. Each robot can carry about three shopping bags' worth of goods.
Starship Technologies operates commercially worldwide with zero-emission robots that have made nearly 7 million autonomous deliveries. These robots use machine learning, artificial intelligence, and sensors for navigation. They map their environment using computer vision-based navigation to travel on sidewalks and navigate obstacles efficiently.
“Having delivery robots on our campus is more than just a convenience—it shows our commitment to staying at the forefront of technology and innovation,” said Alicia Solano, Assistant Vice President of Campus Business Services. “Through a rigorous RFP process we carefully selected partners who share our vision for enhancing the campus experience in a meaningful way. This collaboration with Grubhub and Starship Technologies not only streamlines daily life for our students but also aligns with our broader goals of sustainability and efficiency.”
About UNM Food
UNM Food is an inclusive food service program supporting academic success while building community within The University of New Mexico. Known for offering diverse high-quality food options across various retail outlets on campus.
About Starship Technologies
Starship Technologies revolutionizes deliveries with autonomous robots designed to deliver food locally in minutes. Founded by Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis (Skype Chief Architect and Co-founder), its robots have traveled millions of miles completing nearly seven million autonomous deliveries globally.
