Can food delivery robots become a new norm in India A study of online food delivery services

The infusion of robots has increased enormously in the last few years. Out of many, food delivery robots (FDRs) are the ones that are in direct contact with the consumers. This study identifies the usage and growth of FDRs in the global market while exploring the opportunities and substantial barriers for Indian food delivery giants. Also the behavioural aspects of Indian consumers are explored towards acceptance of food delivery services from robots. An extensive literature review was followed by in-depth interviews with the robotic service delivery providers and collected data from 194 Indian consumers using survey method. Analysis using analytical tools resulted in three factors, customer acceptance, perceived risk, and sentimental value with positive inclination towards using FDRs. Usage of FDRs by Indian food delivery companies is a novel context in itself and identification and understanding of customer acceptance towards the same makes it a relevant research work.