Tesla’s Restaurant Stumbles to the Finish Line
Bot Co raises $150M, Amazon tweaks Fresh strategy, Curbivore flash sale
Our annual conference — Curbivore — is half a month away! We’ve just unveiled our latest speakers, plus our full conference agenda, gathering the best and brightest from across the sector. We’re delighted to be joined by Adam Woodworth, the CEO of Wing; Richard Willder, Global Head of Autonomous Policy at Uber, Jarvis Murray, who regulates delivery bots at LADOT; plus founders and leaders from the likes of Vayu Robotics, Serve Robotics, Sweetgreen, Coco Robotics, and many more.
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Tesla Restaurant Stumbles to the Finish Line
EV giant Tesla has been working on its first restaurant (and EV fast charging depot combo) for about a year and a half; Ottomate first broke the news that it had started construction in September 2023, and the construction project was looking pretty well finished by last August. Now the New York Times reports that the project is having trouble in its very last stages, as Elon Musk’s evolution into far-right provocateur has left the company unable to find a marquee restaurant operator to helm the kitchen, while cratering car sales means the likely supply of chargers-cum-eaters is smaller than previously estimated. With the masses now protesting at Tesla dealerships and defacing Tesla equipment and vehicles… would dining at this property leave you a sitting duck?
The Bot Company Raises $150 Million
The Bot Company, helmed by Ex-Cruise co-founder Kyle Vogt, has closed on $150 million in new funding. The round was led by Greenoaks, and values the emerging humanoid-maker at $2 billion. The Bot Company has yet to release any images of its product, but its robot is said to focus on household chores.
Sodexo Revenue Rises 3.1%
Foodservice giant Sodexo is a familiar name in the restaurant robotics space; the French company and its peers are often some of the earliest adopters of delivery robots, new vending technologies and back of house automation solutions. Sodexo just reported its H1 2025 financial results, with revenue up 3.1% to €12.5 billion ($13.5B USD,) while the company’s operating profit margin inched up to 5.2%. Sodexo noted weaker-than-expected and slower ramp-ups in the healthcare and education sectors.
Amazon Fresh Openings & Closings
Amazon continues to tweak with its low-labor grocery operations, as the shopping giant closes two Fresh markets, and opens one new location. A store at 7807 Sudley Road in Manassas, Va., closed on March 16, while another at 140 Promenade Way in Thousand Oaks, CA. will shutter shortly. Amazon is opening another location in the D.C. suburbs, with a Silver Spring, Maryland storefront opening this Thursday. Amazon still hasn’t cracked the code on in-person shopping; it’s departing stores have absolutely terrible reviews. One irate Virginian noted “There is no reason to go back. I find no value in shopping here.”
In Other News
Zaxby’s adds AI-powered cameras to drive-thrus. Walmart introduces “Wally” — AI-driven sourcing tool. Self-checkout isn’t automation. Bridge Appliance’s OMM hits first customer. Waymo heads to D.C. IntuiCell unveils scary dog robot with autonomous learning.