Artificial intelligence has come to Pacific Beach. And it has manifested itself in the form of a robot waiter named “Speedy” at Broken Yolk at 1851 Garnet Ave., the first eatery in the now 40-restaurant chain. Speedy is currently aiding restaurant staff in greeting guests, transporting dishes, and helping serve tables.

“Right now, in all our 40 locations, [Pacific Beach] is the only one that has technology like this,” noted Conner Gossel, Broken Yolk’s director of marketing.

Discussing the machine’s functionality, Gossel noted Speedy can navigate Broken Yolk’s interior landscape via a pre-mapped grid with all the table numbers programmed into it. “We’re able to have him run to the host stand,” said Gossel noting, “We can input for him what the actual layout is and where all the table numbers are now. He’s pretty intuitive. If you want to send him to table 18, you hit 18 and hit go, and he just goes over that way.”

The marketing director added Speedy requires human input, on both the front and tail end, in order to “direct him on what to do and the rest is just him going out there. Functionality wise he’s meant to be an aid to the servers. It (AI) right now is growing exponentially at this point. And Speedy, by no means, is the pinnacle of that. But he’s a helping hand around here.”

Gossel said Speedy has been in operation in PB for a few months. Texas-based Bear Robotics, which manufactured speedy, initially reached out to Broken Yolk asking if the restaurant chain would be willing to demo the robot at one of its locations.

“The guest experience was enough so that, after that demo was done, we decided, ‘Hey, let’s just sign on the dotted line and keep him around for a while,’” noted Gossel. “So Speedy is on loan. But at the end of his current contract, we do have the option to purchase him. But right now it’s just a monthly payment to keep him around.”

Is Speedy a sign of things to come? “I see him more as a tool, more as an aid,” noted Gossel adding, “I don’t think it’s the wave of the future. Around here, the human touch, that’s never going to go away. But he can simplify the process for bussing and running dishes.”

For now, Speedy remains mostly a curiosity. But that could change. “The introduction of tech into a full-service base hasn’t been a ton in the (restaurant) industry right now,” concluded Gossel. “When our guests see him rolling around amid the tables, it’s intriguing because everyone’s heard the conversation about tech coming into the industry. Seeing it in practice in real life: It’s compelling. But even for us, it’s just experimental.”

HISTORY OF BROKEN YOLK

The Original Broken Yolk Café began in 1979 in Pacific Beach and has since become a Southern California favorite for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. Known especially for its eggs, signature egg benedicts, and variety of menu options, Broken Yolk is a full-service restaurant, that has grown to 40 locations nationwide with 10 more in development.

Founder/owner John Gelastopolous credits the restaurant’s guest-centric focus and homey feel for much of its success. A Greek immigrant who came to the U.S. at age 17, Gelastopolous worked his way up from being a dishwasher. He started Broken Yolk in 1979 in the Midway District, before moving his original restaurant to its present location at 1851 Garnet Ave.

Broken Yolk’s omelets are all made with four eggs and the eatery is always innovating. “You’ve got to keep up with the times because things change,” Gelastopolous said. “That’s the key to longevity: You’ve got to be ahead of the curve.”

Asked what distinguishes Broken Yolk from other breakfast places, the restaurateur replied: “Most cater to special niches. We cater to everybody, from teens to 80s. That helps us with our longevity. And everybody eats eggs for breakfast.”