CAMPUS DINING | After mapping campus routes and delivering hundreds of food orders through student testers and early adopters, the zero-emission Kiwibot robots are now accessible for the entire LMU community.
LMU is one of three universities launching Kiwibots this semester, along with Gonzaga and New Mexico State University. The fleet of ten robots operating on the Westchester campus are providing delivery services for Iggy’s Café and Qdoba, with more locations planned for service in spring. In addition, free delivery is being offered through Nov. 14.
“We’re always looking for fun, innovative and eco-friendly food service programs to add to the LMU dining experience, and this partnership with Sodexo and Kiwibot is a perfect example of that,” said Andrew O’Reilly, senior director for Auxiliary and Business Services. “In addition, the Kiwibot experience is a fun and useful convenience for everyone to take advantage of. It will never be used to eliminate jobs or reduce labor needs within our dining facilities. Rather, the more successful the program, the more people we can hire to support the robots.”
“Our partnership with Kiwibot offers another safe, convenient option for users to get what they want, when they want it,” said Anca Reyes, C.D.M., C.F.P.P., resident district manager for LMU Dining by Sodexo. “We look forward to expanding it to many more locations in the coming months.”
Kiwibot was founded in 2017, and became renowned after launching a pilot at the UC Berkeley campus. After over 150,000 deliveries were completed at Berkeley, with product development and testing, Kiwibot expanded to the cities of San Jose, Santa Monica, Denver, Dallas, Taipei, Taiwan, and Medellin, Colombia.
How Does Kiwibot Work?
Kiwibot delivery orders are placed through the Bite U app by Sodexo. Kiwibot robots deliver fresh food via locked compartments that only the recipient can open via the app. Each robot is thoroughly sanitized between deliveries, and average deliveries will arrive in 20 to 35 minutes, depending on distance and peak meal-delivery times. Each delivery will cost $2, plus 10 percent of the order size. Now through Nov. 14, all delivery fees will be waived for orders placed through the Bite U app.
For instructions on how to use the Bite U app and link your OneCard meal plan or credit card, please visit here.
