Abstract
This thesis explores the applications and implications of a novel technological innovation, service robotics, in food service. The research sheds light on how service robotics transform food service production and delivery and change the way people work in food service organisations. The research adopts a design-based approach, whereby the phenomenon under study is sequentially explored through the principles of service design. Overall, the research 1) establishes a lay of the land of the current state of service robotics in food service, 2) considers how the robotisation of food service might evolve in the future, and 3) develops prototypes to evaluate the suitability of integrating a specific service robot, Pepper™, into food service. Five roles service robotics currently assume in food service are found: support, substitute, differentiate, improve, upskill. Corresponding these, five roles of food service employees are found: enabler, coordinator, differentiator, educator, innovator. As the diffusion of service robot innovation continues, in the future service robotics will act as an extended muscle, extended memory, extended social presence, or a safe keeper, while employees themselves will assume the role of cheerleader or researcher. Pepper™, in particular, is found more suitable for supporting than substituting employees in food service, whereby Pepper™ is able to act as an extended social presence in stationary tasks such as welcoming customers or taking orders. Drawing all three sections together, this thesis puts forward conceptualisations of a robotised food service encounter, an automated service sequence, and a sensor-enabled servicescape. These are underpinned by characterising food service robotics as a radical technological innovation which depicts features of both product and service innovation. As more tasks are to be delegated to service robotics, the thesis concludes by considering the changing relationships of social and material actors in organisational life, and conceptualises the notion of sociomateriality of robotised food service.