We're living in the future: Here's where you can get served drinks by a robot

Would you believe us if we said that you'd soon be able to grab a cuppa made by robot baristas at an MRT station? 

By 2022, 30 MRT stations in Singapore will house such robots, making our daily commute a tad bit more bearable, according to a media release by Stellar Lifestyle, formerly called SMRT Commercial, and homegrown F&B technology startup Crown Digital.

The deployment is part of a collaboration between both companies to enhance commuters' experiences, both companies say. 

The robots, which go by the name Ella, will take up a space of less than 5sqm and will have a cashless and contactless interface, making the ordering process seamless and hygienic. 

Additionally, these electronic baristas are able to efficiently whip up 200 cups of coffee an hour so you don't have to wait long for your caffeine fix. 

To cut short the waiting time even further, commuters can order their beverages ahead of time using Crown Digital's specially designed app. 

As of now, the MRT stations which will host the robots have yet to be announced. 

It's definitely exciting news, but if you can't wait till 2022, there are other places with robot baristas and bartenders that you can check out in the meantime. 

1. Crown Coffee @ CityHub Mall 

CityHub Mall in Lavender is another space that is home to an Ella and it was one of the first places in Singapore to have a fully-automated robot barista. 

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Here, you can expect to find over 20 coffee and tea options including americano, iced matcha latte and flat white. Prices start from $3.50. 

The entire set-up is contactless as well and customers can place their orders and make payments using the Crown Coffee mobile app.  

Address: 114 Lavender St, #01-22, 2 CT Hub, Singapore 338729

2. Crown Coffee @ Plaza Singapura 

Conveniently be located in the heart of town at Plaza Singapura is another Ella.

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As compared to CityHub Mall, the machine here only has five drink options — americano, cappuccino, latte, flat white and double espresso. Similar to its sister outlet, the drinks here also start from $3.50. 

Address: 68 Orchard Rd, Level one, Singapore 238839 

3. Ratio Cafe and Lounge 

What makes Ratio Cafe and Lounge at The Centrepoint a little more special is that they don't specialise in just coffee and tea — they mix up alcohol too! 

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Similar to Crown Coffee, the robots here take orders via an app, but you can also order using the touch screen menus in the cafe itself. 

Here, customers can also customise the drinks to their liking by toggling around the options within the app or touch screen menu.

The variety of drink options are pretty extensive too and they have fresh brews like coconut latte and iced espresso tonic as well as unique tipples like Tom Yum Martini and Nutty Orange. Prices start from $3. 

Address: 176 Orchard Rd, #05-06 The Centrepoint, Singapore 238843

4. Honeymill 

Instead of piping hot cuppas, Honeymill pushes out icy honey drinks in interesting flavours like Chestnut Honey and Coriander Honey with a robotic arm they fondly call Sody. 

Prices here start from $5.30 and all drinks are made 100 per cent pure honey. 

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In an interview with SilverKris, owner Sophia says that she invested $200,000 to create Sody and engaged a local engineering firm to do so. In total, it took nine months to develop the robot. 

Address: 290 Orchard Rd, #B1-32 Paragon Shopping Centre, Singapore 238859

melissateo@asiaone.com