Self-driving robots now rolling through Center City delivering Uber Eats

Philadelphia foodies, your next meal could arrive at your doorstep courtesy of a robot.

Uber Eats shared that residents of Center City can now have their food orders delivered by Avride autonomous robots.

These delivery robots can roam within a 1-2-mile radius, cruise at up to 5 miles per hour and run for 12 hours straight. Rain, snow, or freezing cold, they keep rolling.

Curious how it works? When you order from a participating restaurant, you can opt for robot delivery. If one is available, your meal will be picked up by an Avride robot.

Watch your robot courier make its journey in real time through the Uber Eats app. When it arrives, a notification lets you know it is time to tap ‘unlock’ and retrieve your meal from the hatch.

No tips are required for robot deliveries, but you can still share your feedback and rate your experience directly in the app.

“With its dynamic food scene, we’re thrilled to introduce autonomous delivery robots in Philadelphia with Avride – creating an exciting new way for customers to order from their favorite local spots. We look forward to introducing this cutting-edge technology to more Uber Eats customers over time in close collaboration with the Philadelphia community, ” Head of Autonomous Delivery at Uber, Aaron Emrich, shared in a news release.

At first, Uber said the service would be available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Uber Eats customers would be able to receive robot deliveries throughout Center City, with plans to expand the operating territory in the future.

According to Uber, Avride’s delivery robots are currently available in Austin, Dallas and Jersey City and recently launched in Dallas.