San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Slice of automated life as robotic pizza kiosk lands at airport
Visitors at San Antonio International Airport will soon be able to produce a personal pizza at the touch of a button with the latest food offering to hit the terminals.
Coming next month, Basil Street Pizza will unveil the newest food option for hungry passengers: a pair of Automated Pizza Kitchen kiosks.
The APK is a cook-to-order, robotic pizza kiosk that offers 10-inch thin-crust pizzas. In three minutes, customers will get a hot, brick oven-style pizza to go, according to Basil Street Pizza’s website.
One kiosk will be near the food court, and one will be at the end of one terminal. They will be unveiled during a grand opening on Wednesday.
“It is really about getting people something fast and convenient that is also unexpectedly hot and delicious,” Basil Street Pizza CEO Deglin Kenealy said.
The menu consists of three varieties — pepperoni, four cheese and supreme — plus rotating pizzas of the month.
The pizzas will be priced from $7 to $15.
San Antonio’s airport will be the first in the world to bring the Basil Street APK to visitors.
“The airport was a natural fit. How many times have you been at an airport too early or too late, and the other options were closed but you need to grab something to eat?” Kenealy said. “It is a great opportunity for people, especially when other options may not be available.”
Currently, the company has four other Texas locations in Austin, Canton, Fort Hood and Waller. Though the company is based in California, Kenealy predicts that Texas may be one of its fastest-growing markets.
“We are very excited we are expanding to San Antonio; it has such a great reputation for good food and customers who want to try new things,” Kenealy said.