West Frisco traffic is busier, cuter, and more polite than I’ve ever seen before. Starting around 8:00 am each morning, a parade of little robots begin their journey from storefronts to homes.
I was more than a little surprised when I pulled out of my alley and caught a little orange flag out of the corner of my eye. As much as I waved the little robot on and wanted to show him a little old fashioned Texas courtesy, he proved to understand that I had the right of way.
Over in West Frisco, we have access to a fleet of little white robots who are delivering groceries and grub thanks to Starship, a company building a network of robots ready to serve you anytime, anywhere. The current options, all located near the intersection of Main St. and Teel Blvd., are from Kroger, Chicken Express, Gully Point, K-Pop Burger, Fuzzy’s Tacos, and Hurts Donuts.
All you have to do is download the Starship app, put in your order and your little robot zooms on his way to your house.
Well, zoom is a bit generous. He’s more of a leisure walker at four miles per hour and I often catch him pausing at the bridge near our house. He seems unsure of himself at corners, does seem to get stuck with robot friends silly traffic jams from time to time, and does accept help if he is stuck on a curb.
He will politely thank you for your assistance in the most adorable British accent then carry on with his mission. He also takes kindly to selfies.
Yes, him. My daughters have named “our” robot Asterloretiment. They’re four-year-olds and I cannot even begin to explain where this name came from.
What’s astonishing to me is the fact that my daughters see the robots as perfectly normal and a general part of our daily lives. While I feel like I’m living in the future, my daughters wholeheartedly assume that robots delivering groceries and food are perfectly normal.
When my watch dings and lets me know that Asterloretiment is on the way, we eagerly find him and follow him home in some sort of adorable parade as they skip, run, and dance alongside it. I’m embarrassed to say how many times we’ve ordered since the launch, but it’s just too fun not to!
It kills about 45 minutes of our day and at this time when we spend a great deal of time at home, our little robot delivery guys are the extra entertainment we need.
When our parade arrives home with the robot leading the way, he notifies me of his arrival and I can unlock the cargo bay from my phone. He’s ever so polite as he greets us, says thanks, and quickly goes about his way with another mission accomplished. It’s so easy that it absolutely tickles me and the joy he brings to my girls makes it worth every delivery.
More than entertainment, the potential here is incredible as I think of my immunocompromised or elderly neighbors who could potentially benefit from this additional option. I also think about when I was on bed rest for four weeks and would have killed for blueberries. This little guy would have been an amazing solution and would have saved my husband a number of grocery trips.
At this time, you can get $5 off of your first delivery and $5 off your next delivery if you post it on their Frisco-Starship Facebook page. Notably, delivery is free for healthcare workers!
I’m sorry to report that it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. He does not deliver alcohol.
While I wait for this service and for the expansion of the coverage area, I’m happy sitting in our neighborhood watching them roam about. Welcome to Frisco, Starship, you’ll love it here!
