As the global food and beverage industry moves toward smarter, contactless solutions, a subtle but important trend is changing daily transactions: the robotic cafe. What once felt like a novelty is now becoming part of everyday venues like malls, airports, and theme parks. CafeXbot, a fully autonomous kiosk, is leading this category with its mix of automation, entertainment, and high-quality food and drinks.
To understand what makes this robotic cafe stand out, VLT Robotics Co-founder and CMO Michael Mit shares the thinking behind CafeXbot and what it offers to both customers and investors.
- What inspired the creation of CafeXbot, and what gap did you see in the market?
When we started in 2015, we wanted to create something new and entertaining for malls and attractions. At that time, no one was doing anything similar. As we developed the idea, we realized its use went far beyond entertainment. In countries with high labor costs, one person can manage three or four robotic cafes located in different areas by visiting each one once a day. That efficiency can significantly improve investor returns while giving people in malls, parks, and university campuses a new way to enjoy food and drinks.
- In a growing field of automated solutions, what makes CafeXbot a standout robotic cafe?
It’s the only robotic cafe currently serving eight different types of food and drinks: coffee, tea, ice cream with toppings, frozen yogurt, milkshakes, hot chocolate, cakes, and cookies. We built it as a multi-item model with investors in mind. Selling just one or two products doesn’t generate strong returns. Big brands like Starbucks grew by offering more options. Car makers offer different models to meet different needs—so do we.
Another key point: CafeXbot is the only robotic cafe in the world that talks and recognizes speech to interact with customers. It also runs on trusted hardware and software. We’ve been developing our system for over ten years. It’s stable and regularly updated, and all new features are free for our partners, giving them peace of mind.
- How fast is CafeXbot, and can customers personalize their orders like in a traditional cafe?
A cookie or a piece of cake takes 20 seconds, ice cream is ready in 40 seconds, and coffee takes about a minute. Customers can customize their coffee by choosing the size, type of beans, type of milk, syrup, and whether they want it hot, cold, or iced. For ice cream, there are two flavors and three toppings to choose from.
- How do you maintain quality and consistency across different CafeXbot locations?
Each CafeXbot is set up with optimized presets for the ingredients it uses. Our international partners receive training and can adjust those settings to suit local taste preferences for coffee, ice cream, and other products.
- What’s the customer experience like at CafeXbot?
It’s fun and interactive. CafeXbot is built for parks, malls, and waterfronts. It plays music, dances, and interacts with customers using speech systems like Siri or Alexa. That makes it more than just a machine—it becomes part of the attraction.
- Can CafeXbot operate without daily human support?
CafeXbot can outperform traditional vending machines by a wide margin, but it still needs basic human support. Ingredients have to be topped up daily. Some items can be refilled, while others—like fresh milk—must be replaced at a certain frequency in accordance with food standards. This usually happens in the morning before the unit opens for service.
- From a business perspective, how profitable is it to run a robotic cafe, and what ROI can owners expect?
It can be highly profitable. Our best location has shown 140% ROI, and other sites usually fall between 50% and 100% per year. However, location and rent matter a lot. A university setting may have a lower average ticket size, but the venue may offer a free spot in exchange for bringing something unique to the campus.
- What kind of maintenance and support does a robotic cafe like CafeXbot need?
Operators are trained at our facility. Most of the upkeep is similar to what you’d expect with a premium coffee or ice cream machine. If it’s well taken care of, CafeXbot can run for many years and reliably exceed business goals.
- Where is CafeXbot currently operating, and what are your plans for growth?
CafeXbot is currently operational at several key locations across Dubai, including KidZania, Dubai Ice Rink, Riverland Dubai, and Miracle Garden. We will soon be reopening at Dubai Frame. Through our partners, we have also expanded our presence to Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, France, and Georgia. Additionally, agreements have been signed to supply CafeXbot to the United States and Romania. As part of our strategic growth plan, we are rapidly expanding our global footprint.
- How do you see the robotic cafe sector developing, and what role will CafeXbot play going forward?
The field is changing fast. CafeXbot will continue to serve its audience, while new models from VLT Robotics will cover other use cases. Offering a range of robotic cafes will help us reach more markets and stay ahead.
VLT Robotics plans to introduce new features such as mobile ordering, ready-to-eat meals, and expanded personalization. With growing interest in food tech, the robotic cafe is no longer a side concept—it’s becoming a central part of how modern venues serve customers. CafeXbot reflects this new standard.
Photo Courtesy of: VLT Robotics
