This idea aims to be a fully automated coffee shop.

There would be vending machines for food and coffee, but not quite like regular vending machines...

The coffee vending machines would have a computerized touch screen, to allow the user to select from a huge variety of beverages, at least as many as one would get in a conventional coffee shop. For coffee drinks, there would be the same large variety of coffee beans available as in a regular coffee shop, and perhaps also a choice of brewing methods -- drip, percolated, espresso, cold-brewed, etc.. For maximum freshness, beans would be stored under vacuum, and would be ground just before brewing. To make the coffee machine more visually appealing, it'd have a clear front, and clear components, so that the user can see the coffee being made.

Cakes, etc, would also be available -- but instead of conventional vending machines filled with "shelf stable" foods, real food would be rear loaded into the machines from a real kitchen, where it is freshly made. Any pastries not purchased within a few hours of being baked are discarded and replaced. Each door in the vending machine would not only display the price of the item, but also how long ago it was loaded into the machine.
-- goldbb, Mar 08 2010

automat en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat
circa 1904 automated restaurant [Arcanus, Mar 11 2010]

barista piss you off ?
-- FlyingToaster, Mar 08 2010


the only advantage I can see for this model is that it does away with a possible feeling of being supervised by the person behind the counter. Other than that you're simply replacing customer service people with people that tend the machines.
-- FlyingToaster, Mar 09 2010


Its not a real drinks vending machine unless you can accidentally order fizzy cold soup with extra creamer and sugar...
-- prufrax, Mar 09 2010


FT, taking the human element out of drink making vastly reduces the likelihood of errors, especially at the end of a long day. Plus, it reduces the number of man-hours needed for that task... the cafe's baker could easily add beans to the machine as needed without needing any coffee related skills.

prufax, if soup is on the menu, and if the ordering system is appropriately configured, then fizzy cold soup with extra creamer and sugar could be ordered. Alas, with even a half-decent ordering menu system, it would be difficult to order such an item purely by accident. You'd have to cover your eyes and poke the screen at random, I think :)

Hmm... I suppose a "random" beverage option might be offered :)
-- goldbb, Mar 09 2010


Personally, i've never had a machine-made cup of coffee that could rival a good barista.

[-] as I prefer a real, skilled barista to make my coffee.
-- webfishrune, Mar 11 2010


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat

baked
-- Arcanus, Mar 11 2010


heheh [Arcanus] I almost did that too, but he's going for a type of Automat like Starbucks is a type of restaurant.
Best cups of coffee I've had are machine (not standard vending machine of course), but I'm not a coffee gourmet.
-- FlyingToaster, Mar 12 2010



random, halfbakery