Legal disputes over the use of food delivery robots in Chicago have entered the judicial system, with two customers filing class-action lawsuits against the companies operating these machines. The lawsuits, filed on October 9 in Cook County court, claim that Coco Robotics and Serve Robotics collected biometric data from customers without obtaining proper consent, potentially violating Illinois state privacy laws.
The plaintiffs, Mitchell Breidinger and Barry Schain, allege that the delivery robots’ cameras and lidar sensors—a technology that emits laser pulses to measure distances and map the environment—captured detailed measurements of their faces and hands as they interacted with the machines to receive their orders.
Breidinger’s suit contends that in September 2025, he ordered groceries through DoorDash but was assigned a Coco Robotics delivery robot without his knowledge or choice. According to his complaint, he was required to stand close to the robot to enter a retrieval code, during which the device recorded video of his face, head, and hands, while lidar sensors gathered geometric data. He further alleges that a remote operator monitored the delivery video feed in real time. Breidinger’s lawsuit asserts that Coco Robotics failed to provide him with written notice about collecting biometric information, did not explain the duration of data retention, and did not secure his written consent before gathering such data.
Similarly, Schain claims he received three deliveries from Serve Robotics, including one on October 4 through Uber Eats, where the order was assigned to a delivery robot despite him not opting for this method. His lawsuit highlights Serve Robotics’ practice of retaining video and sensor data for artificial intelligence training purposes and points to company disclosures about licensing these datasets to third parties. Breidinger’s suit makes similar accusations regarding Coco Robotics’ sharing of data with external entities including OpenAI.
Both lawsuits target alleged violations of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), which mandates that companies collecting biometric data must provide written notice detailing the data’s nature and purpose, obtain written consent from individuals, and maintain policies governing data retention and destruction.
Representatives for both Coco Robotics and Serve Robotics have denied the allegations, stating that their companies do not collect biometric information from customers or passersby. The lawsuits seek statutory damages ranging from $1,000 for each negligent violation to $5,000 for intentional or reckless violations, in addition to other forms of relief. The outcomes of these cases could have broader implications for the deployment of automated delivery technologies in public spaces.