A new video posted to TikTok showed what appeared to be a Postmates Serve sidewalk delivery robot headed to a customer in Los Angeles, California.
Melrose Avenue
The video was posted by TikTok user @supersnacksupreme.
The location in the video was in front of 7469 Melrose Ave.
Reaction on TikTok
"This is the future," one TikTok commenter said.
A different person remarked: "Imagine being homeless on the street and food just basically walkin' right past you."
"We've got robots to deliver food to people ... yet there still people living on the streets, starving," another posted.
Postmates Serve
The Postmates Serve sidewalk delivery robots appeared to debut in San Francisco in 2019.
The company published that one of its goals is to deliver food in a greener way. "Why deliver a 2-lb burrito in a 2-ton car?," it asked.
Serve is Postmates’ cheerful, trusty sidewalk delivery robot that delivers right to your place. Serve safely and intelligently travels the sidewalks alongside pedestrians straight from your local store to you.
When you meet Serve outside, you’ll need the order number on your phone to unlock it. Once Serve is loaded at the store, it securely brings your order to your delivery address. You’ll unlock Serve using its touchscreen.
Postmates called Serve "a respectful member of the community" that "safely walks alongside pedestrians, navigates around fire hydrants, and respects our sidewalks."
The all-electric robots include an interactive touchscreen, the ability to keep food warm, and sensors to "create a virtual picture of the world in real-time." This allows the robots to self-navigate various terrain and obstacles. While the robots do drive themselves, they are also monitored in real-time by humans.
The company has yet to make announcements regarding where the robots might pop up next.