Rob Whitten & Jane Lo p!ng the Coffee Drive-Thru with AI & Robotics

What happens when coffee meets robotics, convenience meets customization, and the morning drive-through gets rebuilt from scratch?In this 68th episode of Bald Ambition, Mookie sits down with Rob Whitten and Jane Lo, the founders of p!ng, a startup turning the ordinary caffeine run into something that feels straight out of science fiction. Their fully automated drive-through “Ping Pod” uses AI, robotics, geofencing, and smart design to deliver fresh drinks in under a minute—with no awkward ordering line, no guessing when your drink is ready, and no wasted time.Rob brings deep engineering and robotics experience from companies like Amazon Robotics and iRobot. Jane brings customer experience, branding, and product strategy expertise. Together, they’ve created a model built around a singular obsession: speed, convenience, quality, and personalization.You’ll hear how the p!ng app lets users order in advance, arrive whenever they want, and have their drink made only when they approach the location. The system recognizes their arrival, calibrates to their car window height, and serves their drink seamlessly. It’s convenience engineered with precision.The conversation also gets frothy:Why traditional coffee chains are serving one type of customer while ignoring anotherHow automation can create new jobs instead of just replacing old onesWhy affordable franchising could unlock entrepreneurship for everyday peopleHow robotics can lower startup costs and scale faster than legacy food modelsWhy user behavior, not technology, is often the real barrier to innovationHow p!ng's future could expand far beyond coffee into snacks, meals, and fully reimagined grab-and-go retailThis episode is a smart, funny, future-facing conversation about where commerce is headed—and how two founders are trying to meet people exactly where they are: tired, busy, in their cars, and wanting something better. If you’ve ever sat in a 20-minute drive-through line wondering why nobody fixed this yet, this episode is for you. And if you've ever wondered how AI and robotics could do more good than harm, give them a listen.The Guests & Their StartupQuick survey: Raise your hand if you’re fed up with waiting in long drive-thru lines. After sitting frustrated and annoyed in many coffee shop drive-thru lines with Rob’s three daughters, we knew there had to be a better way. So we built one. With Rob Whitten's experience in robotics and passion for food, and Jane Lo's dedication to creating great customer experiences, our goal is simple: a minimal-wait drive-thru that delivers quality without compromise. We’re opening our first location in Hudson, New Hampshire, with plans to raise the bar for fast, accurate, and genuinely awesome drive-thru experiences nationwide, no matter how many coffees it takes us. We are proud to be a veteran-, woman-, and minority-owned business.Learn More About p!nghttps://www.pingthru.com/https://wefunder.com/pingSend the host a text! Let him know what you think Support the show