‘They are so adorable;’ UNCW campus welcomes self-driving food delivery robots

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY-TV) — There’s a new delivery service on UNCW’s campus and it’s rolling in on six wheels.

Self-driving Starship Robots have arrived. For a delivery fee of around $3, students can order food without even leaving their dorm.

For students like freshman Aubrey Looney, they offer a convenient way to order food after long hours of studying.

“You’re super locked in and your understanding what you’re learning and then all of a sudden your hungry, now you have to completely step out and go get food,” Looney said. “Versus with the little robots you can just get it to you.”

According to UNCW, after just a couple weeks since launching, the zero emission robots have already fulfilled around 1,000 orders.

Gino Galutera associate vice chancellor of business services at UNCW said the robots are easy to use through the grub hub app, allowing students to order from anywhere on campus.

“You know with the advent of AI in technology we wanted to leverage that and meet students where they are, literally,” Galutera said.

UNCW is among more than 60 universities across the country to offer starship robots. For junior Luke Prevatte, the robots have been entertaining to watch.

“It’s been really funny, it’s something new to all of us, it’s nothing that we’ve ever seen before really, it’s been really interesting to see people react to them from afar.”

The robots also include various security features including a tracking device for students to watch their order in real-time, then utilize the grub hug app to meet and unlock the robot when it arrives.

“They are so adorable I think they are the cutest,” Looney said.