Eatsa, the Tech-Heavy and Human-Light Quinoa Automat, Debuts In Midtown

Eatsa — a quinoa restaurant where it’s possible to order, pick up, and eat lunch without talking to a single human being — has officially joined Midtown’s lunch squad. The mini-chain from San Francisco, where it’s very popular in the tech community, opens today at 285 Madison Ave., between 40th and 41st Street. It serves veggie-only quinoa bowls, including versions of a kale salad, a hummus bowl, and a burrito bowl, at $6.95 each.

Humans do, in fact, work at Eatsa. Diners order from tablets in the restaurant or an app on their phone, but some employees are on hand to answer any questions. Also, people still make the food, hidden behind the wall of electronic cubbies where diners pick up their meals. Still, because of the limited human interaction, Midtown worker bees can theoretically get out their food fast. Eatsa’s all about speed, affordability, health, and a big dose of technology, representatives say.

The restaurant plans to open more locations in New York soon, and co-owner Scott Drummond hopes to one day bring the bowls down to $5 each. Eventually, Eatsa’s technology will also be able to offer custom bowls based on a diner’s past orders, a bit like how Amazon recommends purchases. Check out the New York's lunch menu below.