16 APRIL 17-23, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | CULTURE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS . FOOD DELIVERY HOW MUCH DO YOU TIP A ‘BOT? UPTOWN RESTAURANTS GET FOOD DELIVERY ROBOTS. BY SIMON PRUITT “W hy move two-pound burri- tos in two-ton cars?” asks Dr. Ali Kashani, CEO of Serve Robotics, which recently launched in Dallas. The question is a driving force behind Cal- ifornia-based Serve Robotics. Through a partnership with Uber Eats, Serve’s robots, which look like large coolers on wheels, are rolling out meals for delivery in Uptown. Customers can’t exactly request a robot, but there’s a chance it’ll be picked up by one if the delivery address is within a certain distance. “You could opt out if you don’t like ro- bots, which is very rare,” Kashani says. “Peo- ple usually like robots a lot.” Serve’s robots were let loose into Uptown last week, making deliveries for Shake Shack and Ka Thai. These ‘bots come just months after Austin-based Avride launched a similar service in downtown Dallas, making deliver- ies from Bread Zeppelin and Salsa Limón. We tried it for ourselves back in December and were pleasantly surprised by the results. Also operating through Uber Eats, the robot arrived from Salsa Limón about 20 minutes after we ordered, successfully navigating in- tersections and pedestrians along the way. How It Works When a delivery is placed through Uber Eats at either Ka Thai or Shake Shack, a robot (with its name printed on the side, like Dominic or Otto) arrives at the restaurant’s front door. A restaurant worker receives a notification on an expo tablet and then places the order inside the robot. Ashani estimates that the robots can carry about the size and weight of six large pizza boxes. Deliveries are made up to a mile and a half from the restaurant, with LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors en- abling the robot to navigate its surroundings. “They can see better than humans,” Kashani says. “They can see 360 and with sensors like LiDAR that actually see the world in three dimensions in any lighting condition or weather condition. So tech- nology has come a really long way.” With all of that expensive tech, plus the meal inside, it seems like the Serve robots would be a prime target for theft, but Kashani says that they haven’t encountered any incidents so far. “I get asked these questions [about theft] more often than it happens,” Kashani says. Kashani also cites the dangers that reg- ular pedestrians face in high-traffic areas with cars. In 2022, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety counted 7,522 pedes- trian deaths in motor vehicle crashes. If Serve’s robots mean fewer drivers on the road, he sees it as a benefit to public safety. So far, Serve is only delivering to select neighborhoods in Uptown (Pearl, State Thomas, West Village, and South Routh) and can reach about 22,000 homes in that area. Another benefit for consumers is that Serve robots don’t expect tips, which helps drive down the cost of delivery. Serve is also planning to debut drone de- liveries in the near future through a part- nership with Wing, a subsidiary of Alphabet, which owns Google. If all goes to plan, deliveries beyond the robot’s mile- and-a-half capacity could be transported in the air; in some situations, the robot could pass off food to a drone without human in- volvement. “For drones, that’s more challenging to get to reach the restaurant,” Kashani says. “They usually need dedicated real estate. They can have noise. There are other safety concerns. Our robots can get to any restau- rant without any infrastructure change.” . TEX-MEX MEET ME AT MATT’S AFTER MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, ONE FAMILY’S TEX-MEX ICON STATUS ENDURES. BY NICK REYNOLDS O ver a century ago, you could walk to the front of the State Capitol in Aus- tin and find a young man behind a pushcart selling homemade tamales and pralines. That young man was Delfino Mar- tinez. For his family, it marked the beginning of an epic culinary run that continues to this day and includes the iconic Matt’s Rancho Martinez restaurants in Allen and Royse City. Delfino eventually opened his first res- taurant, El Original Restaurant, in Austin. Three decades later, Delfino’s son, Matt Sr., followed suit with Matt’s El Rancho. Au- thentic recipes and exceptional hospitality were the hallmarks that cemented both as beloved Austin institutions. Then, in 1985, in Dallas, Matt Martinez Jr. and his wife Es- tella opened Matt’s Rancho Martinez, where the Martinez family has been doling out Tex-Mex favorites to North Texans for 40 years. Estella remains a legendary figure at Matt’s Rancho Martinez (she was inducted into the Texas Restaurant Hall of Honor in 2019), with grandsons Nicholas and Thomas helping lead the way while carrying the same passion that fueled Delfino 100-plus years ago on the steps of the Capitol. At the age of 27, Thomas is the executive chef at Matt’s Rancho Martinez. He joins an illus- trious group of chefs from the Martinez bloodline that spans so many generations we’ve lost count. “The restaurant business is often seen as thankless and unforgiving,” says Estella. “That’s not the case for our family. The best thing about our history is the lasting friend- ships and relationships that we have built. We’ve met spouses, best friends and count- less regulars who have shared their lives and memories with us along the way. We have employees who have been with us for over 20 years. They’re part of our family, and we wouldn’t be here without them.” Some of our favorites at Matt’s Rancho Martinez are the Smoked Bob (slow- smoked brisket and sausage on a bed of chile con queso, sour cream, fresh jalape- nos and house guacamole), fried avocado romaine wraps, Tacos Rico’s (grilled sirloin tacos with melted asadero cheese), extra- long enchiladas, chili-topped “cowboy- style” chicken fried steak and Matt’s famous chili relleno. But the tostada com- puestas (crispy corn tostadas topped with tomatillo or ranchero sauce, sour cream, assorted cheeses, guacamole salad, and ei- ther beef, chicken, or bean and cheese) are the stuff of legends. “The first time Matt Jr. took me out, he treated me to tostada compuestas,” said Es- tella. “Guests often come in and share stories about their memories with him, and it’s a great joy to hear that he left such an everlast- ing impression on so many. Matt took im- mense pride in the family business.” After Matt Jr. passed in 2009, Matt III took over. Matt Jr. was inducted into the Texas Restaurant Hall of Honor in 2000, 14 years after his father was inducted. This made them the first father-and-son duo in the state’s history to do so. Awards and recognition are not uncommon at Matt’s Rancho Martinez (see the wall at the restaurant lined with plaques and frames). The average life expectancy of a restau- rant is 8 to 10 years, with 60% failing within the first year and 80% within the first five years. Making it 40 years is almost unheard of. But when you talk to head chef Thomas Martinez, it sounds like they’re just getting started. “We’re planning a big 40th anniversary bash, so stay tuned for that,” Thomas says. “But the future is bright at Matt’s Rancho Martinez. We’re always looking for new ways to keep up with the changing times while maintaining the classic Tex-Mex fla- vor that keeps our guests returning. We’re exploring brunch options, live music, kara- oke and DJs. But more importantly, we look forward to being a vibrant part of the Allen and Royse City communities for years to come.” Matt’s Rancho Martinez, 401 Central Expressway, Allen. Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Courtesy of Serve Robotics Delivery robots are hitting the streets in Uptown. Is humankind doomed? Ericka Jones Matt’s Rancho Martinez turns 40 this year. City of Ate from p15
