A robotic coffee pod in Massachusetts is looking to change the way people order drinks by essentially removing the need to wait in line at a traditional drive-thru.
P!ng is an automated coffee drive-thru pod in Lowell that has drinks ready as people pull up to it. Orders are placed through the p!ng app and are ready to pick up at the pod.
By using monitors to track the users’ movement, the pod starts making orders once the driver is within 300 feet of the pod. Drivers must have their phone with the app in the car in order for the pod to recognize them.
Depending on what they are, beverages are typically made within 30 seconds or less, but the end goal is to get drinks done within 15 seconds, according to p!ng’s co-founders. Up to four drinks can be made with any order from one car and come out in the same window.
“We use software automation in so much of our daily lives at this point, but rarely interact with physical automation or robots. Drive-thrus, and especially coffee, are one area that haven’t benefited from a major technical upgrade yet,” Rob Whitten, co-founder of p!ng, said in the press release. “There’s plenty of drink innovation but the industry is ripe for technology to improve customer experiences.”
The app allows users to save their go-to order or browse the menu that features beverages such as coffees, teas, lattes, refreshers and energy drinks. Drinks come in one size and start at $2.95 for a basic hot coffee and $3.45 for an iced coffee.
Users can also customize their orders by putting in their dairy preferences, sweeteners, flavors or toppings. These options are typically available at an additional 25-50 cents.
The concept was started by Whitten and Jane Lo — two entrepreneurs living in North Billerica who met while working together at SharkNinja.
The duo decided to launch p!ng because of problems associated with drive-thrus, including long lines, wait times, cars idling, traffic congestion and mistakes with orders.
Therefore, the goal of p!ng is to remove those inconveniences by relying on artificial intelligence and technology to have virtually no wait time and ensure order accuracy.
The only time customers might spend waiting in line is if there is another car in front of them already picking up an order.
“We always felt like the drive-thru experience was lacking and ended up causing more headaches than joy, and we realized that with Rob’s experience in automation and robotics we had the skills and ability to create a better solution,” Lo said in a press release. “Coffee is meant to be a delightful part of your day, making it better, not adding frustration to your morning.”
The company was officially founded in 2023 and the first p!ng pod was launched at the end of August. Lo and Whitten have already had 61% repeat customers so far since launching the first p!ng pod on Thursday, Aug. 29.
While they have not run into many issues during p!ng’s trial period, the duo plans to hire staff to be available onsite if customers run into any problems. Staff will also be hired to restock the p!ng pod about every week.
The only p!ng is located at 10 Technology Drive in Lowell, but Lo and Whitten have plans to introduce more p!ng pods in residential areas throughout the rest of the state and the country in the coming years.
People can place orders at the Lowell pod between 7-11 a.m. and 2-5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday or from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lo and Whitten said hours may change once the trial period ends.
