Aniai's Alpha Grill automated burger-cooking robot has been deployed at South Korea's Incheon International Airport.

CJ Freshway installed the robot at the 4th floor (ground level) of Gourmet Bridge in Terminal 2.

The installation signifies an advancement in the realm of cooking automation within busy food service environments such as airports, where maintaining rapid service and consistent quality during peak times is crucial.

Airports present some of the most demanding challenges for food service operators, who must deliver swift and reliable service to accommodate the ebb and flow of passenger traffic.

The Alpha Grill is engineered to address these hurdles by fully automating the patty-cooking process, which includes pressing, grilling and transferring the cooked patties. Each stage can be completed in less than one minute.

Able to cook upwards of 200 patties per hour, the Alpha Grill ensures that restaurants can keep pace with customer demand without compromising on food quality.

Aniai CEO Gunpil Hwang stated: "As one of the world's busiest airports, Incheon International requires food service solutions that can keep pace with travellers’ needs. Alpha Grill allows food operators to scale their operations efficiently, reducing dependency on manual labour while ensuring consistency in high-volume kitchens."

Automation is poised to resolve issues faced by US airports, particularly as they grapple with workforce shortages and escalating operational expenses.

The Alpha Grill promotes expedited service, shorter wait times and uniform quality while maintaining stringent hygiene and safety standards.

The Alpha Grill complies with NSF/ANSI standards, and its food-contact components have been certified for safety.

Its modular construction facilitates straightforward cleaning and adherence to rigorous sanitation regulations, while UL certification ensures its safe operation in busy commercial kitchens.