Let’s be real. It’s hard to find people who want to work these days. Restaurants and retailers are struggling just to fill entry level jobs. But if you’re in LA, there’s a new kind of delivery driver in town—except this one doesn’t need a license or a lunch break and he won’t take a couple fries for himself.

I’m talking about Shake Shack, who is leveling up its delivery game by teaming up with Serve Robotics to bring a Double Shackburger and strawberry shake to your door via adorable, sidewalk-cruising robots. Yeah, you heard that right. Your next burger might roll up to your door in a futuristic shopping cart on wheels, and no, this isn’t a scene out of a WALL-E.

(Source: NRN)

And while you’re enjoying that perfectly grilled burger, Serve Robotics is cashing in on more than just satisfied customers. Since the announcement of this partnership, Serve Robotics’ stock has shot up faster than my blood pressure waiting for the next episode of Hard Knocks—up more than 450% over the last month! After Serve went public earlier this year, the company's stock has seen explosive gains, particularly with a 25.1% jump as of Wednesday morning. At one point, the stock was up as much as 39.2% during the day’s trading session.

So you’re probably thinking, “Why robots? And why now?” I mean other people have tried it. Great questions. The short answer? Rising minimum wage costs. Serve’s CEO, Ali Kashani, says these robots cut down on congestion, lower emissions, and—best of all—eliminate the need to tip. Yep, you read that right. No more awkward fumbling for your wallet when the bot shows up.

These bots have been delivering in LA since 2022, and they’re about to multiply faster than your love for Shake Shack’s crinkle-cut fries. With plans to deploy 2,000 robots by 2025, Serve Robotics is looking to take over the streets—literally. And in a city known for its traffic nightmares, these sidewalk robots might just be the heroes we didn’t know we needed. They’re already nailing deliveries over 99% of the time, even in the chaos of LA.

With Nvidia and 7-Eleven as backers, and Uber Eats as a strategic partner, Serve Robotics is poised to redefine the delivery business. If their robots keep rolling at this pace, they’re projecting to generate between $60 million and $80 million annually from their fleet. 

So what’s next? More robots, more Shake Shack, and probably more people trying to sneak fries out of a robot’s delivery compartment. Serve is eyeing expansions into other cities like Dallas and San Diego, but for now, LA is their testing ground. 

(Source: KTVZ)

Stocks.News holds positions in Shake Shack, Nvidia, Uber, and Serve.