We Try Artificial Intelligence Pizza at the Walmart in Frisco

We’re no strangers to the ever-present rise of artificial intelligence. Deep fakes are scary, but seeing celebrities engage in improvised social catfights are fun.

But would you let a robot cook your dinner?

Last month, Pizza Jukebox, "a new spin on pizza," opened its first location with a pizza-making robot known as Luigi.

Pizza Jukebox, inside a Frisco Walmart off Highway 121, has received substantial social media traffic. Still, some commenters were hesitant to place an order with Luigi. Some were concerned that a robotic arm would lack the necessary human touch, while others have clearly been reading too many Isaac Asimov novels.
Still, Kimberly Otte, vice president of franchise support services and operations for Pizza Jukebox, said the one-armed employee can absolutely make a pizza as well as a human being.

“The best part about the robot for us is consistency,” Otte said. “Because it is automated, the same amount of sauce is going to go onto every pizza, the same amount of cheese, the same slices of pepperoni, the same amount of sausage consistently goes on each pizza.”

But don’t fret — human employees are still needed for Luigi to function efficiently. Maintenance includes restocking those ingredients.

A chance to try robot-made pizza was too good to pass up. Customers can choose either a 7-inch or 16-inch pizza, topped with pepperoni, sausage or a combination of both. The pizzas are finished with Parmesan cheese and oregano.

Prices range from $5.99 for a 7-inch cheese pizza to $18.99 for a 16-inch sausage and pepperoni pizza. Add a bottle of soda for $1.

While waiting for your AI pizza, it may be useful to get a head start on dessert.

Red Mango is about a step and a half away from the pizza-ordering counter. Here, frozen yogurt meets smoothies and all-natural juices. Customers do have to use their own arms to access the self-service toppings bar. It’s got all the classics: fruit, marmalade, candy bars and even cheesecake.
But don’t get too hung up on which weekly flavors sound best. Seven-inch pizzas take only about 5 minutes to cook. Give Luigi an extra minute for those 16-inch pies.

The pizza was pretty good, but have some napkins on standby: the pies are extremely cheesy. Luigi is actually doing a great job here.

As for the yogurt, Red Mango offers four flavors at a time and rotates every week. Trust the original flavor if you want something slightly on the lemony side, and don’t be scared of popcorn flavored: sweet, a tad bit salty and no tooth-cracking kernels whatsoever. Coconut was intensely flavorful, and the Nutella was chocolatey with those signature notes of hazelnut.

Pizza Jukebox is an innovative take on pizza making. With Luigi as the head chef, customers are ensured the perfect ingredient measurements every time. While the menu is simple, the speed at which your order is ready makes Pizza Jukebox a consistent eating experience.

Red Mango x Pizza Jukebox has your dinner and dessert covered.

Walmart Supercenter, 16066 State Highway 121, Frisco. Sunday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.