The future of coffee shops has arrived in Toronto. Robo cafes have popped up all over the city over the past two years, serving up premium cafe-quality drinks from an automated kiosk.

The robo cafes, called RC Coffee, perform all of the functions of a human barista but are completely contactless and open 24/7, so you can get your caffeine fix at any time of the day or night.

“RC Coffee provides the real authentic espresso experience that you’re accustomed to receiving from a premium café, in a convenient and modernized service like you’ve never encountered before,” the description says.

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In under two minutes, the robo cafe grinds up fresh beans and crafts your drink exactly how you want it, as if “a tiny barista is actually operating inside the machine.”

And if you want an even more contactless experience, you can order your drink through the RC Coffee app and have it ready and waiting for you when you arrive at the kiosk.

The first robo cafe opened in 2020 and several more have opened since. The current Toronto locations include:

  • 1255 Bay St. in Yorkville
  • 160 Baldwin St. in Kensington Market
  • 550 College St in Little Italy
  • 36 Church St in St Lawrence Market neighbourhood
  • 200 Elizabeth St in Toronto General Hospital Food Court

Contactless experiences are gaining steam in Toronto lately. A chain of fully-automated, cashier-less grocery stores is taking over the city, with many new locations set to open soon.

Although nothing beats service with a smile from a real human being, we must admit that the concept is pretty dang cool.