Avride has launched an autonomous food delivery service at Salisbury University in Maryland in partnership with Grubhub, deploying a fleet of 15 robots to transport meals from campus dining locations directly to students and staff. The service allows users to order food through the Grubhub platform and receive deliveries at dormitories, classrooms or other campus locations.
Participating dining outlets include Chick-fil-A, Hungry Minds, Cool Beans and Chesapeake Coffee Roasters. University officials say the initiative is designed to improve convenience for the campus community while modernising food services through automation. “The time of our campus community is so valuable. We always strive to make their dining options as convenient as possible,” said George Oakley, Salisbury University’s director of food services. “Through this partnership, we are able to meet our customers where they are—literally.”
Avride said the robots are engineered to operate reliably in Salisbury’s coastal climate, which includes high humidity, frequent rainfall and occasional snowfall. The machines feature all-weather sealing to protect internal components from moisture, a chassis designed to handle varied terrain and navigation software intended to maintain delivery schedules under adverse conditions. The initial deployment covers core areas of the campus, with additional delivery zones planned for future expansion.
The rollout extends Avride’s broader collaboration with Grubhub to introduce autonomous delivery services at universities, environments seen as well suited to robotic logistics because of their concentrated demand and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.
Salisbury University, founded in 1925 and serving roughly 7,200 students, is part of the University System of Maryland. Officials expect the programme to enhance accessibility to campus dining while providing a glimpse into the future of last-mile delivery technologies.
