article by Comunicaffe Interantional
BEIJING – A barista-free coffee shop, open day and night and capable of preparing 202 drinks an hour: this is not science fiction but reality; not the future but the present. This model has been trialled by Qixian Coffee, a brand linked to JD.com, at a new outlet in Beijing. The experiment places automation at the heart of a service traditionally based on human labour: the debate on this issue is ongoing and is particularly keenly felt amongst industry professionals.
Barista? Yes, but not human
The café opened on 16 August 2026 in the Chaoyang district, within the Galaxy SOHO complex. According to the information in the factsheet, the shop is designed to operate 24 hours a day without any staff directly involved in preparing the drinks.
The system allows customers to place their orders via a self-service terminal. The robot then carries out the various stages of the process, from grinding the beans to extraction, right through to preparation and delivery to the collection area.
The most notable figure relates to productivity: during the opening, 202 cups were prepared in 60 minutes, a feat recognised by the Guinness World Records. The average time taken to prepare a drink is less than 30 seconds.
article by Comunicaffe Interantional