Airports of the future: Your first-hand look at robot mobile food ordering and gate delivery
As travelers return to airports, airports are expanding their offerings of amenities that help make the terminal experience safe and stress-free.
Topping the list of welcome and much-used new services are mobile food ordering programs that offer contactless ordering, payment, pick-up, or delivery.
With the roll-out of OrderSEA, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the latest airport to offer mobile food ordering with the option of airport-wide gate delivery. Runners from At Your Gate pick up the food and make the deliveries, sometimes with the aid of Gita, a two-wheeled cargo-carrying robot created by Piaggio Fast Forward, a Boston-area startup that is a subsidiary of Piaggio, the manufacturer of Vespa scooters.
As it is at most other airports offering this service, OrderSEA is powered by Servy's Grab Airport Marketplace technology in partnership with AtYourGate. Travelers can place orders via the airport's FLYSEA app, through OrderSEA.org, or through the AtYourGate or Grab apps. Right now, menus from sixteen airport restaurants are available, with more on the way. Travelers use their phones to peruse the menus, make and pay for their orders, and then choose pick-up or delivery to a gate or another post-security spot in the terminal.
In addition to saving time and being convenient, the service means that passengers can pay attention to social distancing by avoiding or spending less time standing in lines. Customers who choose delivery stay put while one of the AtYourGate team member picks up and delivers the meal – sometimes accompanied by the OrderSEA Gita robot. (Delivery fee: $2.99, with or without the robot).
The robot, whose brand name is Gita, is partly a promotional tool to help generate excitement and draw attention to the delivery service, says Greg Udchitz, vice-president of marketing at Servy, "But it also creates another layer of contactless experience in this period of COVID. For some deliveries the robot carries the food and follows the delivery person. Then the customer can open the bin and get their order out of the Gita."
You can't request the robot, "It's just a special treat," says Udchitz.
SEA did a soft rollout of the OrderSEA program over the summer and out of the 1,200 orders placed, 500 were for gate delivery.
Mobile ordering at other airports
At Your Gate has a robot on duty at seven airports: JFK, PHL, MSP, SAN, SLC, SEA, and LAX.
The generic name of the robot is Gita, but so far two airports have 'adopted' the robots and named them.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) had a social media contest to name its robot and chose "Jawnbot" as the winner over runners-up PhiL, Jeet, and Betsy. For the LAX robot, which helps with deliveries in the LAX Order Now mobile food ordering program, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) purchased the Gita robot and named it NomNom.
No word yet on if SEA is going to name its Gita robot.
In different configurations and under different partnership and branding, travelers will find mobile food ordering options in close to 20 airports.
Most recently, Servy's Grab Airport Marketplace and At Your Gate partnered with Fraport USA to roll out GateWaiter mobile meal delivery service at Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE).
At BWI, travelers may make an order by scanning a QR code or via BWIGateWaiter.com.
"Passengers can have sweet Maryland crab cakes or tangy tacos delivered to their gate with a simple scan of a QR code on their smartphone. It doesn't get much easier," said Gary Gilliard, vice president of Fraport Maryland, in a statement.
At CLE, ordering is available via QR codes or through CLEGateWaiter.com.
The full list of where At Your Gate is operating gate delivery programs includes SAN, EWR, JFK, LGA, MSP, PDX, SEA, BOS, DEN, PHL, MDW, DFW, TPA, LAX, SEA, CLE, SLC, and BWI. The Mineta San Jose International Airport the At Your Gate program is on hold due to the pandemic, but the company expects to add at mobile food delivery in at least eight more airports by the end of the year.
Just in time for holiday travel.
Photos courtesy of the author.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.