Leemi Robots in Avignon · Three robots, one human employee and absolutely no arguments about whose turn it is to clean the coffee machine. Welcome to the future of hospitality!
On 19 September 2026, a rather unusual café opened at 26 Rue de la République in Avignon, southern France. It’s called Leemi Robot, and instead of traditional baristas, customers are greeted by three futuristic machines preparing coffee, bubble tea and ice cream.
The concept, introduced by local restaurateur Xiaoyong Xu after discovering similar technology in China, brings a little science fiction into everyday café life. Customers select and pay for their drinks on a touchscreen, then watch robotic arms take care of the preparation and service.
And there’s even a special trick: certain coffees can be decorated with an image printed directly onto the milk foam using edible ink. Finally, somewhere you can literally drink your own selfie.
A Robot That Doesn’t Need a Coffee Break
The project reportedly represents an investment of nearly €100,000, with individual machines costing around €35,000. Drinks and ice cream are priced between €3 and €6.
From a business perspective, the idea is certainly interesting. Machines can repeat the same procedures consistently, operate for long periods and attract curious customers who might never have considered stopping for an ordinary coffee.
But the café isn’t entirely human-free. An employee remains on site to help customers, supervise the equipment and deal with problems. Which is reassuring, because when your cappuccino machine suddenly develops an existential crisis, somebody still needs to call technical support.
And here’s another interesting detail: technicians in China can remotely control the machines. So your morning latte might technically require international cooperation.
Meet RobotAnno — The Company Behind the Robots
The technology behind these robotic baristas comes from RobotAnno, a Chinese robotics company based in Shenzhen, founded in 2017. The company specialises in robotic arms and automated food and beverage service systems, bringing industrial robotics into cafés, shopping centres and other everyday commercial environments.
And coffee is only the beginning. RobotAnno has developed machines capable of preparing bubble tea, ice cream and even cocktails. Its systems combine robotic arms, automated preparation equipment and digital ordering technology to create compact, self-service beverage stations.
According to the manufacturer, its products are already present in more than 70 countries and regions. The company is also developing remote management technology, allowing operators to monitor automated beverage stations without constantly standing beside them.
For the hospitality industry, this raises an interesting question: could robotic cafés become a practical solution to staffing challenges, operating costs and the demand for consistent service?
Perhaps. But there’s still one thing we’d love to know: when the robot makes a terrible cappuccino, do you complain to the manager or download a software update? 😂
What’s Next? A Robot Crêpe Chef?
Apparently, the owners are already considering another addition: an automated crêpe-making machine. As chefs, we have mixed feelings about this development. On one hand, technological innovation is fascinating. On the other, we’re rapidly approaching a future where the only person left in the kitchen will be the technician responsible for restarting everything.
Still, we’d love to see one of these machines in action. And perhaps, one day, robots will manage an entire restaurant while we sit comfortably on the terrace enjoying a coffee. Provided somebody remembers to plug them in.
Online-Chef · Tales of Interest
Stay curious. Respect your barista. And always be polite to the robots — just in case!