MUNCIE, INDIANA. — Ball State University Dining is planning to add a feature to the Starship Food Delivery Robots which could allow students to use their dining plus or cardinal cash to order food.
Karen Adkins, Senior Director of Auxiliaries for University Dining, believes the update could happen soon.
“We are continuing to work toward accepting Ball State Dining payments as an option and to watch for additional information in the near future,” Adkins said.
Some students say they are looking forward to using Ball State Dining as a form of payment for the deliveries. The students also included that they have seen first hand the difficulties these robots face during winter weather events.
Brandon Bender, a freshman at Ball State University, said that he has seen the robots wheels get stuck in the snow and unable to complete a delivery. During the winter storm last week dining was forced to pause orders for the day due to heavy snow, ice, and wind. Adkins mentioned that they work as fast as they can to implement the robots after severe weather.
“After pausing the robots for one for one day we were back in service the very next day,” Adkins said.
Students are also raising concern on whether or not the university plans to expand the robots or remove them completely. Another student stated that she has never used the robots before but thinks they are a cute amenity to campus living.
“At this time we are happy with the 24 robots that we currently have and there are no plans for expansion,” Adkins said.
You can place a delivery order from these robots and experience them yourself with the Starship app.
Contact Masen Trowbridge with comments at masen.trowbridge@bsu.edu
